FACTS & STATS: Site: Qwest Center Omaha (17,839) -- Omaha, Nebraska. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: CSF 2-1, Wisconsin 17-12. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Riding a lengthy 10-game winning streak, the sixth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers make their first appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament tonight, as they meet the Cal State Fullerton Titans at the Qwest Center Omaha in Midwest Region action. The team that emerges from this clash will advance to the second stage against either Kansas State or USC on Saturday. Winners of 23 of their last 25 outings, including 10 in a row, the Badgers swept both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles en route to an automatic bid to the Big Dance. Wisconsin, which enters the tourney a healthy 29-4 overall, earned the third seed in the Midwest Region and that is the second-highest in school history (No.2 last year). This is the program's 14th appearance and 10th straight in the NCAA Tournament, where it has gone 17-12 all-time, including its lone championship in 1941. As for CSF, it earned a share of the Big West regular-season crown and it then came out on top in the league tournament for an automatic bid to this event. It was the first conference tournament championship since 1978 for the Titans, who have already posted the best record (24-8) in the school's Division I history. CSF's last and only appearance in the NCAA Tournament came in 1978, when the squad came within a bucket of reaching the Final Four in a then 32-team field. Tonight's contest marks the first-ever meeting on the hardwood between the Titans and Badgers.

The Titans are one of the most explosive teams in this tourney, as they are averaging a healthy 82.6 ppg on a solid 47.6 percent shooting from the field and 38.6 percent from three-point land. Josh Akognon tops the roster in each scoring (19.9 ppg) and steals (41) and he likes to do most of his damage from long distance, knocking down 39.2 percent of his tries. He is also a sensational free-throw shooter, converting 90.4 percent of the time. Frank Robinson has provided a nice complement to Akognon and he ranks second on the club in scoring (16.0 ppg) as well as rebounding (7.0 rpg). Scott Cutley is the team's top rebounder at 7.6 rpg and he rounds out the double-digit scorers with 14.8 ppg.

For the Badgers, defense in the name of the game, and they have been spectacular is shutting down opposing clubs, holding foes to a nation-low 53.8 ppg and a mere 38.0 percent shooting from the field. Wisconsin is also outrebounding its foes by 5.7 rpg, while producing 67.3 ppg at the offensive end of the floor. Brian Butch leads the squad in both scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg), and the 6-11, 235-pound center should have his way with a much smaller CSF team tonight. Marcus Landry should also have a productive night with Butch down low, and for the season he turns in 11.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. At the perimeter, Trevon Hughes also nets 11.3 ppg for Wisconsin and he is the team's top defender with 57 steals to his credit.

Wisconsin has a big size advantage in this one and that, along with its physical play, should help it slow down CSF's potent attack and claim the victory tonight.

Predicted Outcome

Wisconsin 79, Cal State Fullerton 53