The Wisconsin men's basketball team will put its three-game winning streak to the test Saturday as the squad travels east to face the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Penn.
Penn State began the year with a shaky streak. After a handful of devastating home losses, including a 23-point embarrassment to Maryland and a disappointing 10-point loss at the hands of mid-major, Maine, Penn State has resurrected their hopes for the NCAA tournament.
Penn State (4-4 Big Ten, 11-8 overall) currently sits at seventh place in the Big Ten. Since Jan. 8, the Nittany Lions have gone 3-2, topping Iowa, preseason Big Ten favorite Michigan State and No. 16 Illinois. During that stretch, their losses have been more impressive showings than their victories, dropping games at No. 12 Purdue and No. 1 Ohio State by a combined four points.
"Earlier in the year, people weren't as excited, but [Penn State head coach] Ed [DeChellis] is a good coach, and he's got the guys believing now because they've done things to give them a reason to believe," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said. "And if you start believing, as a group, then there really isn't any obstacle or any team that you don't feel you can go out there and compete with."
Big Ten Player of the Year candidate and senior guard Talor Battle can take much of the credit for Penn State's remarkable mid-season turnaround. No stat is more telling of Battle's importance to his squad than his team-leading 37.3 minutes per game. He also leads the Nittany Lions with over 20 points per game.
"With Penn State, it's pick your poison," senior guard Keaton Nankivil said. "They have guards like Battle, but when they are on and getting to the basket, they can open up shots for their forwards too."
One of Penn State's three other starting seniors, forward Jeff Brooks, is exactly the type of poison Nankivil was referring to. In last week's games against Purdue and Iowa, Brooks went off for a combined 41 points and 11 rebounds.
Penn State isn't the only team coming into Saturday's game ride a hot streak, however.
After crushing Northwestern last Sunday in Evanston by 32 points, the No. 15 Badgers are full of confidence. Over the past five games, only one overtime game at Michigan State stands between Wisconsin and perfection.
More impressive than the Badgers' recent surge, however, has been the selfless manner in which they've accomplished their goals. No single game in Ryan's tenure better epitomized his team approach than the win at Northwestern.
"How I think success should be gauged is by how well the group does, not by individual accolades or performances," Ryan said. "People play to play well, but people in a team sport play to play well so that the team does well."
Five Badgers finished in double figure scoring, including freshman guard Josh Gasser, who recorded Wisconsin's first triple-double in school history with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
"He's a hard worker, a determined person," Nankivil said. "He does a ton for this team that people don't even recognize."
The Badgers will need more of that community effort to halt Penn State's spirited mid-season run Saturday.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Gasser Makes History as Badgers Roll In Evanston
Looking for their first road win in conference play, Wisconsin came to Evanston on a mission and came out with a dominant 78-46 victory.
Coming off of a tough home win over Indiana, UW came out firing against the Wildcats, shooting 62% from the field in the first half en route to a 45-26 halftime lead.
Despite holding senior forward Jon Leuer to just two first half points, Northwestern’s 1-3-1 allowed the Badgers to get open jumpers nearly every possession, jumpers that UW was able to knock down.
Though Leuer put up 17 second half points to lead the scoring with 19 for the game, the story was freshman guard Josh Gasser’s triple-double, the first in school history.
"I never once expected that would ever happen," Gasser said after the history-making performance. "So, for that to happen in a game that we won, it's that much better.”
Starting his 2nd straight game, Gasser got off to a hot start, knocking down an early three-point field goal and finishing the opening half with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists.
As he has done all year, the freshman was a power on the boards, racking up 8 more rebounds in the second half to finish the game with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
“That was a tremendous accomplishment,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “And as we said in the locker room it will have his name and then the University of Wisconsin next to it so it's great for the program.”
The game was tight early on as both teams traded buckets until a 9-0 Badger run midway through the opening half turned a 17-16 game into a double-digit UW lead.
From there, Northwestern (13-6, 3-5) quickly found themselves being blown out at home. Junior forward John Shurna, the Big Ten’s 3rd leading scorer, kept the Wildcats in it for a while, but faded as his 13 point performance turned out to not be nearly enough in a game that saw both teams unload their benches for the majority of the last ten minutes of play.
As the lead grew, the Wildcats found their size to be a serious disadvantage as UW dominated the glass en route to a 32-18 rebound advantage that seemed to make a home court comeback impossible.
Though Gasser’s triple-double was the headline, the Badger win was a team effort as 5 players finished the game in double-digits, with sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz adding a 10-point, 3 rebound boost in 24 minutes off the bench.
With the next five days off, the Badgers will have time to prepare for the final leg of a two game road trip scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Penn State. With the Nittany Lions having already knocked off Michigan State and Illinois in State College, this matchup will certainly be a test this Badger team needs to take seriously in order to get themselves back home unscathed.
Coming off of a tough home win over Indiana, UW came out firing against the Wildcats, shooting 62% from the field in the first half en route to a 45-26 halftime lead.
Despite holding senior forward Jon Leuer to just two first half points, Northwestern’s 1-3-1 allowed the Badgers to get open jumpers nearly every possession, jumpers that UW was able to knock down.
Though Leuer put up 17 second half points to lead the scoring with 19 for the game, the story was freshman guard Josh Gasser’s triple-double, the first in school history.
"I never once expected that would ever happen," Gasser said after the history-making performance. "So, for that to happen in a game that we won, it's that much better.”
Starting his 2nd straight game, Gasser got off to a hot start, knocking down an early three-point field goal and finishing the opening half with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists.
As he has done all year, the freshman was a power on the boards, racking up 8 more rebounds in the second half to finish the game with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
“That was a tremendous accomplishment,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “And as we said in the locker room it will have his name and then the University of Wisconsin next to it so it's great for the program.”
The game was tight early on as both teams traded buckets until a 9-0 Badger run midway through the opening half turned a 17-16 game into a double-digit UW lead.
From there, Northwestern (13-6, 3-5) quickly found themselves being blown out at home. Junior forward John Shurna, the Big Ten’s 3rd leading scorer, kept the Wildcats in it for a while, but faded as his 13 point performance turned out to not be nearly enough in a game that saw both teams unload their benches for the majority of the last ten minutes of play.
As the lead grew, the Wildcats found their size to be a serious disadvantage as UW dominated the glass en route to a 32-18 rebound advantage that seemed to make a home court comeback impossible.
Though Gasser’s triple-double was the headline, the Badger win was a team effort as 5 players finished the game in double-digits, with sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz adding a 10-point, 3 rebound boost in 24 minutes off the bench.
With the next five days off, the Badgers will have time to prepare for the final leg of a two game road trip scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Penn State. With the Nittany Lions having already knocked off Michigan State and Illinois in State College, this matchup will certainly be a test this Badger team needs to take seriously in order to get themselves back home unscathed.
A "Taylor" Made Win for Badgers Over Indiana
Looking to string together wins for the first time in conference play, Wisconsin hopped on the back of junior guard Jordan Taylor and squeaked out a 69-60 home win over Indiana.
In a game that saw the Badgers relinquish a 2-0 lead less than a minute in and fail to regain that lead until the 13:18 mark of the 2nd half, Taylor was the lifeblood of UW’s offensive production, continuing to keep a hot hand after a 17 point first half and finishing the game with 28 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
“He wasn’t afraid to attack and make things happen,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “As people are starting to find out, Jordan is a pretty good player.”
“I think Jordan Taylor is not only one of the premier guards in the league…” Indiana head coach Tom Crean noted. “I think he’s one of the premier guards in the country.”
Though the Hoosiers came into Madison just 1-4 in conference play, they put up the best fight of any visitor to the Kohl Center thus far this season. Holding the lead for the majority of the contest, IU rode sophomore guard Jordan Hulls’ 10 first half points en route to as much as an 8 point lead in the first half before Taylor cut the lead to 4 with a key three just before the buzzer.
“They got it going early and we didn’t match their intensity,” Taylor said. “Especially on the defensive side of the ball.”
After trading buckets early in the second half, Wisconsin finally went on the run the Kohl Center crowd was anticipating, capping off an 8-0 spurt on three-point play by sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz.
The lead then swung back and forth for the next 2 minutes before a Taylor lay=up put UW on top for good, the Badgers then gradually icing the game from the free throw line.
While they failed to make a free throw attempt in the first half, Wisconsin’s aggression coming out of the break led to 17 free throw attempts and 16 pivotal points from the line.
Though a tight victory over a struggling Hoosier team wasn’t exacted the way Badger fans would have scripted things, a win is ultimately just that: a win.
“The Big Ten is just going to be like this,” Ryan added. “We said it in October and we’re saying it now”
Now 4-2 in the conference, UW heads out on the road for a crucial Big Ten contest against Northwestern. While Sunday’s match-up will probably be overshadowed by a certain event 16.9 miles to the south, the Badgers’ quest for a conference road is certainly worth at least forgoing the pre-game.
Despite struggling in the conference at just 3-4, Northwestern possesses a high-powered offense led by junior forward John Shurna. Shurna is first in the nation in three-point shooting at 54.5 percent, accounting for a large portion of his 19.5 PPG, 3rd in the Big Ten.
Add in the high school gym-like atmosphere at Welsh-Ryan Area and you have a recipe for disaster that many Big Ten teams have uncovered the hard way in recent years and one the Badgers desperately hope to avoid.
In a game that saw the Badgers relinquish a 2-0 lead less than a minute in and fail to regain that lead until the 13:18 mark of the 2nd half, Taylor was the lifeblood of UW’s offensive production, continuing to keep a hot hand after a 17 point first half and finishing the game with 28 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
“He wasn’t afraid to attack and make things happen,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “As people are starting to find out, Jordan is a pretty good player.”
“I think Jordan Taylor is not only one of the premier guards in the league…” Indiana head coach Tom Crean noted. “I think he’s one of the premier guards in the country.”
Though the Hoosiers came into Madison just 1-4 in conference play, they put up the best fight of any visitor to the Kohl Center thus far this season. Holding the lead for the majority of the contest, IU rode sophomore guard Jordan Hulls’ 10 first half points en route to as much as an 8 point lead in the first half before Taylor cut the lead to 4 with a key three just before the buzzer.
“They got it going early and we didn’t match their intensity,” Taylor said. “Especially on the defensive side of the ball.”
After trading buckets early in the second half, Wisconsin finally went on the run the Kohl Center crowd was anticipating, capping off an 8-0 spurt on three-point play by sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz.
The lead then swung back and forth for the next 2 minutes before a Taylor lay=up put UW on top for good, the Badgers then gradually icing the game from the free throw line.
While they failed to make a free throw attempt in the first half, Wisconsin’s aggression coming out of the break led to 17 free throw attempts and 16 pivotal points from the line.
Though a tight victory over a struggling Hoosier team wasn’t exacted the way Badger fans would have scripted things, a win is ultimately just that: a win.
“The Big Ten is just going to be like this,” Ryan added. “We said it in October and we’re saying it now”
Now 4-2 in the conference, UW heads out on the road for a crucial Big Ten contest against Northwestern. While Sunday’s match-up will probably be overshadowed by a certain event 16.9 miles to the south, the Badgers’ quest for a conference road is certainly worth at least forgoing the pre-game.
Despite struggling in the conference at just 3-4, Northwestern possesses a high-powered offense led by junior forward John Shurna. Shurna is first in the nation in three-point shooting at 54.5 percent, accounting for a large portion of his 19.5 PPG, 3rd in the Big Ten.
Add in the high school gym-like atmosphere at Welsh-Ryan Area and you have a recipe for disaster that many Big Ten teams have uncovered the hard way in recent years and one the Badgers desperately hope to avoid.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Men's Basketball Doesnt Skip a Beat While School is Out
While students begin getting back for the spring semester, the ball continues to roll for Badger men’s basketball as they look for their second Big Ten championship in four years.
Winter break proved to be a challenging stint for the team as they ended their non-conference slate and dove into the tough Big Ten schedule.
Wisconsin headed into finals first with what now stands out as their best non-conference victory, a 69-64 win over Marquette in Milwaukee and finally with a 70-56 win over Green Bay to finish their first in-state sweep since the 2006-2007 season. Riding a five-game winning streak into finals, UW came out of exams into their final non-conference game, an 80-56 blowout of Coppin State.
Finishing non-conference play at 10-2, Minnesota stood as the opening test for UW’s Big Ten campaign. Even though Christmas had come and gone Jordan Taylor played the role of Santa dishing out seven assists to compliment his 22 points. But the story was Wisconsin’s Division 1 season-low two turnovers, preventing the Gophers from getting easy buckets. Although the Badgers were out-rebounded by the Gophers 42-24, they were somehow able to walk away with a 68-60 win heading into 2011.
2011 began with UW’s first Big Ten road test, a match-up with the Illini down in Champaign. With Badger nation still reeling from a Rose Bowl loss, Wisconsin had their worst shooting display of the season as they fell 69-60 at Assembly Hall despite forcing 12 turnovers while only giving the ball up three times.
“We had great penetration kick-outs probably more so in that game than any other…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “You make two or three more of those. That’s all. You make two or three more, and look at the difference in a game. If they’re twisting, running, off balance, that’s a bad shot. I think you guys have seen enough basketball to know the difference.”
Three days later the Badgers looked to redeem themselves as the Maize and Blue invaded the Kohl Center for their Jan. 5 contest. Despite trailing at the half, Wisconsin finally got things going with an aggressive second half from Leuer, Taylor and senior forward Keaton Nankivil, taking care of the Wolverines 66-50. The three combined for 50 of the Badgers 66 total points, matching Michigan’s total output for the game. Taylor lived up to his NCAA leading 3.95 assist-to-turnover ratio, dishing out three assists and only one turnover while chipping in a game high 20 points in 39 minutes of play.
Whenever the Badgers square off with the Michigan State Spartans, fans are well aware they are in for a treat and January 11th definitely did not disappoint. Both the Badgers and the Spartans came in with a 2-1 record in Big Ten play so a victory was crucial in remaining competitive in the conference-this was evident from the tip. Michigan State kept up with the Badgers the entire game, and at halftime the Badgers led by three. The second half showed much of the same from both teams and a nine point UW lead with just under two minutes left in the game seemed to guarantee a Badger victory. Despite a late loss to Notre Dame in November’s Old Spice Classic final, Wisconsin came into East Lansing 34-1 when leading at the 4 minute mark of the 2nd half dating back to last season. But thanks to some uncharacteristic play from the Badgers press break, the Spartans were able to muster a run as UW turned the ball over four times during the penultimate minute. Jordan Taylor led UW with 22 points but was unable to hit an eventual game winner late in OT as the Badgers fell in a heartbreaker, 64-61.
Despite a fight from another reeling team in Illinois, UW showed an ability to bounce back in their 76-66 victory against the Illini this past weekend at the Kohl Center. Jon Leuer led all scorers with 26 points.
“I felt like against Michigan State I let my teammates down by not being aggressive and making good plays and good reads,” Leuer said. “I felt tonight I did a better job of that…but it was a total team effort from everybody.”
With 13 games left in a challenging conference schedule, UW’s toughness will definitely be tested along their journey to an eighteenth Big Ten championship.
Winter break proved to be a challenging stint for the team as they ended their non-conference slate and dove into the tough Big Ten schedule.
Wisconsin headed into finals first with what now stands out as their best non-conference victory, a 69-64 win over Marquette in Milwaukee and finally with a 70-56 win over Green Bay to finish their first in-state sweep since the 2006-2007 season. Riding a five-game winning streak into finals, UW came out of exams into their final non-conference game, an 80-56 blowout of Coppin State.
Finishing non-conference play at 10-2, Minnesota stood as the opening test for UW’s Big Ten campaign. Even though Christmas had come and gone Jordan Taylor played the role of Santa dishing out seven assists to compliment his 22 points. But the story was Wisconsin’s Division 1 season-low two turnovers, preventing the Gophers from getting easy buckets. Although the Badgers were out-rebounded by the Gophers 42-24, they were somehow able to walk away with a 68-60 win heading into 2011.
2011 began with UW’s first Big Ten road test, a match-up with the Illini down in Champaign. With Badger nation still reeling from a Rose Bowl loss, Wisconsin had their worst shooting display of the season as they fell 69-60 at Assembly Hall despite forcing 12 turnovers while only giving the ball up three times.
“We had great penetration kick-outs probably more so in that game than any other…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “You make two or three more of those. That’s all. You make two or three more, and look at the difference in a game. If they’re twisting, running, off balance, that’s a bad shot. I think you guys have seen enough basketball to know the difference.”
Three days later the Badgers looked to redeem themselves as the Maize and Blue invaded the Kohl Center for their Jan. 5 contest. Despite trailing at the half, Wisconsin finally got things going with an aggressive second half from Leuer, Taylor and senior forward Keaton Nankivil, taking care of the Wolverines 66-50. The three combined for 50 of the Badgers 66 total points, matching Michigan’s total output for the game. Taylor lived up to his NCAA leading 3.95 assist-to-turnover ratio, dishing out three assists and only one turnover while chipping in a game high 20 points in 39 minutes of play.
Whenever the Badgers square off with the Michigan State Spartans, fans are well aware they are in for a treat and January 11th definitely did not disappoint. Both the Badgers and the Spartans came in with a 2-1 record in Big Ten play so a victory was crucial in remaining competitive in the conference-this was evident from the tip. Michigan State kept up with the Badgers the entire game, and at halftime the Badgers led by three. The second half showed much of the same from both teams and a nine point UW lead with just under two minutes left in the game seemed to guarantee a Badger victory. Despite a late loss to Notre Dame in November’s Old Spice Classic final, Wisconsin came into East Lansing 34-1 when leading at the 4 minute mark of the 2nd half dating back to last season. But thanks to some uncharacteristic play from the Badgers press break, the Spartans were able to muster a run as UW turned the ball over four times during the penultimate minute. Jordan Taylor led UW with 22 points but was unable to hit an eventual game winner late in OT as the Badgers fell in a heartbreaker, 64-61.
Despite a fight from another reeling team in Illinois, UW showed an ability to bounce back in their 76-66 victory against the Illini this past weekend at the Kohl Center. Jon Leuer led all scorers with 26 points.
“I felt like against Michigan State I let my teammates down by not being aggressive and making good plays and good reads,” Leuer said. “I felt tonight I did a better job of that…but it was a total team effort from everybody.”
With 13 games left in a challenging conference schedule, UW’s toughness will definitely be tested along their journey to an eighteenth Big Ten championship.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Spartans edge the Badgers in overtime
Spartans edge the Badgers in overtime- Sam Sussman
The Badgers traveled to East Lansing Tuesday night to take on a Michigan State team that has been troubled by ups and downs in the first half of the season.
Coming off a loss at Penn State to one of the few Big Ten teams not expected to make the Tournament, the Spartans needed a solid home-court victory to remain in the hunt for the Big Ten title. While a 64-61 overtime final may not have been the sweep Michigan State had hoped for, a win means that a Big Ten title is still a realistic goal for a team high hopes and even higher expectations. "A loss could have changed our whole season," junior forward Draymond Green said.
The Badgers, who lead the Big Ten in scoring defense with 55.3 points per game allowed, forced the Spartans to settle primarily for contested outside shots early. As a result, at 8:51 left in the first half Wisconsin led 19-7; Michigan State coach Tom Izzo responded with a timeout, and his team followed suit with a 13-4 run to close the half.
The second half was a constant battle. "That was a physical war, to say the least," Izzo said.
After Wisconsin racked up a nine-point lead in the final 4:11 it looked as if the Badgers were going to take home a win. However, Michigan State came back to force the game into overtime.
The Badgers lead the entire nation in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 8.1. After turning the ball over 13 times in their first three Big Ten matches, the Badgers fumbled the rock 11 times on Tuesday night. "Eleven for them is like 100," Izzo said.
"We fell apart. They turned us over and did a good job of pressuring us," junior point guard Jordan Taylor said. Taylor leads the nation in assist to turnover margin
With the score tied at 53, overtime was imminent after Keaton Nankivil, who scored 17 points, pinned Kalin Lucas' shot against the backboard.
Momentum was in Michigan State's favor after the Spartans ended regulation on a 9-0 run; the home crowd was electric. Draymond Green capped his career night, which ended with 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, by scoring Michigan State's first eight points in overtime.
"He can shoot it from the outside a lot better now. If you can go inside, outside and you're tough covering the glass, that means you are going to get some pretty good numbers," said Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan.
Even with Green's stellar play, Taylor, who totaled 21 points and seven rebounds, had a chance to put Wisconsin ahead in the final 20 seconds. After Wisconsin missed the top of a key jumper and a half court heave, time ran out.
The Badgers can't dwell on the close defeat. "I told them, ‘Don't leave anything behind. Pack everything up,'" Ryan said.
Up next are Demetri McCamey and No. 16 Illinois who come to the Kohl Center this Saturday. Wisconsin will be looking to even the score after Illinois got the best of the Badgers earlier this month in Champaign.
The Badgers traveled to East Lansing Tuesday night to take on a Michigan State team that has been troubled by ups and downs in the first half of the season.
Coming off a loss at Penn State to one of the few Big Ten teams not expected to make the Tournament, the Spartans needed a solid home-court victory to remain in the hunt for the Big Ten title. While a 64-61 overtime final may not have been the sweep Michigan State had hoped for, a win means that a Big Ten title is still a realistic goal for a team high hopes and even higher expectations. "A loss could have changed our whole season," junior forward Draymond Green said.
The Badgers, who lead the Big Ten in scoring defense with 55.3 points per game allowed, forced the Spartans to settle primarily for contested outside shots early. As a result, at 8:51 left in the first half Wisconsin led 19-7; Michigan State coach Tom Izzo responded with a timeout, and his team followed suit with a 13-4 run to close the half.
The second half was a constant battle. "That was a physical war, to say the least," Izzo said.
After Wisconsin racked up a nine-point lead in the final 4:11 it looked as if the Badgers were going to take home a win. However, Michigan State came back to force the game into overtime.
The Badgers lead the entire nation in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 8.1. After turning the ball over 13 times in their first three Big Ten matches, the Badgers fumbled the rock 11 times on Tuesday night. "Eleven for them is like 100," Izzo said.
"We fell apart. They turned us over and did a good job of pressuring us," junior point guard Jordan Taylor said. Taylor leads the nation in assist to turnover margin
With the score tied at 53, overtime was imminent after Keaton Nankivil, who scored 17 points, pinned Kalin Lucas' shot against the backboard.
Momentum was in Michigan State's favor after the Spartans ended regulation on a 9-0 run; the home crowd was electric. Draymond Green capped his career night, which ended with 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, by scoring Michigan State's first eight points in overtime.
"He can shoot it from the outside a lot better now. If you can go inside, outside and you're tough covering the glass, that means you are going to get some pretty good numbers," said Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan.
Even with Green's stellar play, Taylor, who totaled 21 points and seven rebounds, had a chance to put Wisconsin ahead in the final 20 seconds. After Wisconsin missed the top of a key jumper and a half court heave, time ran out.
The Badgers can't dwell on the close defeat. "I told them, ‘Don't leave anything behind. Pack everything up,'" Ryan said.
Up next are Demetri McCamey and No. 16 Illinois who come to the Kohl Center this Saturday. Wisconsin will be looking to even the score after Illinois got the best of the Badgers earlier this month in Champaign.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Balanced offense leads way in win over Michigan
After beginning the game practically on the shoulders of senior forward Jon Leuer, Wisconsin finally found the balanced offensive attack it was looking for en route to a 66-50 victory over Michigan.
Though the offensive burden was on Leuer early as he scored 11 of the Badgers' first 12 points, scoring gradually spread around. Wisconsin trailed by as many as six points in the first half before climbing within two at the break.
At the start of the second half the Badgers attacked from all angles, as junior guard Jordan Taylor led the way with 17 second-half points as Michigan's lead was gone for good just over four minutes into the half.
Though he finished with 20 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, Taylor struggled early on. As has been the case, the junior guard's resurgence midway through the game led a charge that eventually brought the Badger lead safety into double digits for the majority of the second half.
"I think it's just things that came to me a little bit," Taylor said. "I'm just trying to be patient and let the game come to me, and at times when you start trying to force things, it just ends up bad."
As Wisconsin outscored the Wolverines 40-22 in the second half, Taylor wasn't alone in knocking down shots. Senior forward Keaton Nankivil had yet another good night on both ends of the floor, shooting four-for-eight from the field, including three-for-five from the three point line.
Leuer added 17 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, while sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz added 6 points of his own off the bench, and looked much more comfortable than in recent games.
"All the individuals on the team are trying to contribute," UW head coach Bo Ryan said. "When opportunities arise, when you have guys that are always ready to help, you will always have guys come off the bench and make an impact."
Even senior guard Brett Valentyn got into the act, contributing 4 points in 11 minutes in what was his first significant action in some time.
"Brett is a great example for all those young guys, in that he's worked hard and gotten a chance to play some," Ryan said. "It only happens through hard work and dedication."
After shooting just 35 percent from the field Sunday against Illinois, including 28 percent in the second half, the Badgers' 47.7 shooting percentage was no doubt a welcome sight. The Badgers' possessions were longer, their shots more in rhythm and points much easier to come by.
"It's just really hard to guard all those guys when they have four shooters on the floor," Michigan head coach John Beilein said. "They just play with such great poise and experience in passing down a shot that's probably a 30 percent chance to take a 50-50 shot."
Though the comeback win certainly feels good for the Badger faithful, the test of a road matchup against Michigan State at the Breslin Center lies ahead on Tuesday. With that game against the Spartans followed by another test against Illinois, this upcoming stretch could be a defining one for the 12-3 Badgers.
Though the offensive burden was on Leuer early as he scored 11 of the Badgers' first 12 points, scoring gradually spread around. Wisconsin trailed by as many as six points in the first half before climbing within two at the break.
At the start of the second half the Badgers attacked from all angles, as junior guard Jordan Taylor led the way with 17 second-half points as Michigan's lead was gone for good just over four minutes into the half.
Though he finished with 20 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, Taylor struggled early on. As has been the case, the junior guard's resurgence midway through the game led a charge that eventually brought the Badger lead safety into double digits for the majority of the second half.
"I think it's just things that came to me a little bit," Taylor said. "I'm just trying to be patient and let the game come to me, and at times when you start trying to force things, it just ends up bad."
As Wisconsin outscored the Wolverines 40-22 in the second half, Taylor wasn't alone in knocking down shots. Senior forward Keaton Nankivil had yet another good night on both ends of the floor, shooting four-for-eight from the field, including three-for-five from the three point line.
Leuer added 17 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, while sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz added 6 points of his own off the bench, and looked much more comfortable than in recent games.
"All the individuals on the team are trying to contribute," UW head coach Bo Ryan said. "When opportunities arise, when you have guys that are always ready to help, you will always have guys come off the bench and make an impact."
Even senior guard Brett Valentyn got into the act, contributing 4 points in 11 minutes in what was his first significant action in some time.
"Brett is a great example for all those young guys, in that he's worked hard and gotten a chance to play some," Ryan said. "It only happens through hard work and dedication."
After shooting just 35 percent from the field Sunday against Illinois, including 28 percent in the second half, the Badgers' 47.7 shooting percentage was no doubt a welcome sight. The Badgers' possessions were longer, their shots more in rhythm and points much easier to come by.
"It's just really hard to guard all those guys when they have four shooters on the floor," Michigan head coach John Beilein said. "They just play with such great poise and experience in passing down a shot that's probably a 30 percent chance to take a 50-50 shot."
Though the comeback win certainly feels good for the Badger faithful, the test of a road matchup against Michigan State at the Breslin Center lies ahead on Tuesday. With that game against the Spartans followed by another test against Illinois, this upcoming stretch could be a defining one for the 12-3 Badgers.
Tough Weekend Concludes with Loss in Champaign
A tough weekend for Wisconsin athletics continued Sunday night as the Badger basketball squad took a 61-69 loss to the Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall. Illinois senior point guard Demetri McCamey scored a game-high 21 points and was able to take control of the offense in the final minutes of the game scoring 11 points in the final 5 minutes.
Although Wisconsin was again able to take care of the ball only committing three turnovers, their shooting seemed to keep them a step behind the Illini all game. The Badgers shot a dismal 35% from the floor while only going 21 for 60 from three-point land.
“As bad as we were shooting the ball those last (few) minutes, I felt like we had a chance,” Head Coach Bo Ryan said.
Wisconsin was only down three at the half despite their shooting woes but were plagued by the slump later in the half as they went on a stretch missing 14 of 20 from three point range. Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini were able to capitalize on half of their shots beyond the arc, as they went 6 for 12. Bill Cole dominated the first half knocking down three of his five three point attempts and chipping in 11 points, 4 rebounds and an assist.
Jordan Taylor was once again solid in his 19 point, 5 assist performance. Despite being fouled out in the final five seconds, Taylor was able to counter a slow first half by scoring 12 second half points and knocking down two crucial threes en route to leading the Badgers in scoring. Senior Jon Leuer matched Taylor with 19 points as both hit desperation shots in the final minutes to keep the Badgers in the game. Freshman center Meyers Leonard was able to seal the deal with his two-handed slam, converting it into a three point play as Sophomore Mike Bruesewitz’s fouled Leonard on the dunk. Head Coach Bruce Weber saw signs of life from his team that he rarely saw earlier in the season, but still said he remained a little worried because of the reputation the Badger’s have.
“We go on a run, they call a timeout, they walk calmly to the bench,” and execute a play that consistently delivers, Weber said, “You’re not going to put a Bo Ryan team away.”
Although Wisconsin was again able to take care of the ball only committing three turnovers, their shooting seemed to keep them a step behind the Illini all game. The Badgers shot a dismal 35% from the floor while only going 21 for 60 from three-point land.
“As bad as we were shooting the ball those last (few) minutes, I felt like we had a chance,” Head Coach Bo Ryan said.
Wisconsin was only down three at the half despite their shooting woes but were plagued by the slump later in the half as they went on a stretch missing 14 of 20 from three point range. Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini were able to capitalize on half of their shots beyond the arc, as they went 6 for 12. Bill Cole dominated the first half knocking down three of his five three point attempts and chipping in 11 points, 4 rebounds and an assist.
Jordan Taylor was once again solid in his 19 point, 5 assist performance. Despite being fouled out in the final five seconds, Taylor was able to counter a slow first half by scoring 12 second half points and knocking down two crucial threes en route to leading the Badgers in scoring. Senior Jon Leuer matched Taylor with 19 points as both hit desperation shots in the final minutes to keep the Badgers in the game. Freshman center Meyers Leonard was able to seal the deal with his two-handed slam, converting it into a three point play as Sophomore Mike Bruesewitz’s fouled Leonard on the dunk. Head Coach Bruce Weber saw signs of life from his team that he rarely saw earlier in the season, but still said he remained a little worried because of the reputation the Badger’s have.
“We go on a run, they call a timeout, they walk calmly to the bench,” and execute a play that consistently delivers, Weber said, “You’re not going to put a Bo Ryan team away.”
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