MADISON -- Wisconsin missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998 last season in large part because of a poor start.
The Badgers opened the season with a 3-5 mark in non-conference play and stumbled as the year went on, plagued by a rash of injuries an inexperience.
Now healthy and close to full-strength, Wisconsin has learned from its struggles of a year ago and brings a perfect 3-0 record -- including an impressive road victory at Xavier last week -- and it's first Top 25 ranking (No. 25) in over a year to the Bahamas where the Badgers will open the Battle 4 Atlantis Wednesday afternoon against Stanford (2-1).