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No. 6 Wisconsin faces Michigan in Big Ten quarterfinals

Mar 14, 2008 - 1:48 PM Michigan (10-21) vs. No. 6 Wisconsin (26-4) 12:00 pm EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - Wisconsin can only hope for better results as the top seed when it faces ninth-seeded Michigan in a Big Ten Conference tournament quarterfinal on Friday.

Wisconsin was the top seed in 2002 and 2003, but failed to win a game. The sixth-ranked Badgers will be attempting to defeat the Wolverines for the third time this season. Michigan advanced with a 55-47 victory over eighth-seeded Iowa on Thursday.

Wisconsin has won seven consecutive games, but hasn't played since Saturday's 65-52 victory over Northwestern that clinched the outright conference title.

"I'd rather have my guys playing," Badgers' coach Bo Ryan said. "I'd like to see our guys play three games. Every game they play, they have a chance to learn something. I don't think we can lose anything."

Wisconsin has won its last three games with Michigan, but struggled to a 64-61 home win over the Wolverines in January. The two teams have never met in the conference tournament.

"It is hard to beat a team three times," Ryan said. "It doesn't matter what the scores were or anything else."

Michigan had lost its last three games prior to Thursday's first-round win over the Hawkeyes. The Wolverines were 1-4 in their five previous conference tournament games.

The winner faces the Michigan State-Ohio State winner in Saturday's first semifinal.