Jon Crispin's keys to tonight's Wisconsin at No. 8 Iowa meeting

Big Ten play is a grind. Every coach and player, past and present, will attest to that.

[ MORE: BTN2Go: Watch Wisconsin at No. 8 Iowa at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday ]

No. 8 Iowa and Wisconsin are well aware of this fact entering Wednesday night's highly anticipated rivalry game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa entered the season quietly slipping under the radar but has since made its presence known, at one point landing in the top 5 of the national polls. The Hawkeyes have lost two of their last three, the lone win coming in a closer-than-expected victory over then-winless Minnesota.

Wisconsin, in some ways, is the Cinderella team of the Big Ten this season. After calling the opener in Madison against Western Illinois, I never would have imagined that this team would be a Big Ten contender and beyond. The transformation led by interim coach Greg Gard has been remarkable. Still, Wisconsin has work to do to ensure itself an NCAA tournament berth.

Both teams can make a big statement with a win Wednesday night. Before the ball goes up in Iowa City, here's my take on the participants and the matchup.

IOWA
The Hawkeyes boast the best scoring tandem in the conference in Jarrod Uthoff and Peter Jok. They combine for just under 35 points per game and are both lethal from the 3-point line. The issue for the Hawkeyes is going to be whether they can find balance again or not. Iowa starts four seniors and one junior, and it is imperative that the starting five gets off to a good start as the bench seems to follow the lead of the core-5. Dom Uhl, Nicholas Baer, Brady Ellingson and Ahmad Wagner are certainly capable reserves, but none is a serious playmaker or significant scoring threat. They thrive when utilized in short stretches and while sharing the floor with select pieces of Fran McCaffery?s experienced starting lineup. Finding balance and rhythm early will be a key to Iowa?s success. If the Iowa reserves can contribute and provide productive minutes, it will only help the stars and make a win more likely. Regardless, I expect Jok and Uthoff to continue to impress, which will put their team in a good position to win the game.

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WISCONSIN
Winners of eight of their last nine, the Badgers have found confidence and swagger with structure and efficiency. It is a different system than what we saw in Madison over the past two seasons, but it?s also a completely different team filled with youth and inexperience. Greg Gard has done a terrific job turning this season around and helping develop the impressively talented redshirt freshman Ethan Happ. Wisconsin's defense does a great job of limiting the opponent?s opportunities on the offensive end and forces teams to be more efficient as they allow very few transition opportunities and easy baskets. Teams that have been able to have success against Wisconsin have done two specific things: They have taken away easy baskets in the post, forcing Wisconsin to beat them from the perimeter; and they have also done a good job of keeping Nigel Hayes off the foul line. The key for Wisconsin will be to get Hayes and Happ in one-on-one opportunities, which will allow them to score and get Iowa?s experienced players in early foul trouble. Additionally, Bronson Koenig, Zak Showalter and ?Downtown? Vitto Brown have to make open jump shots. Otherwise, Iowa will win this game.