Badgers Make Uncharacteristic Mistakes in Another Uncharacteristic Loss

Wisconsin men’s basketball has been told over and over again that their brand of basketball is boring. They have been told that it is bad for the game, that it is too slow, that it will never lead to a national title.

But the bottom line is that when the Badgers play so-called “Wisconsin basketball”, they usually end up on the left side of the scoreboard, to steal a line from UW head coach Bo Ryan.

On Thursday night, UW did not play “Wisconsin basketball” and that alone is why they faced a long bus ride home.

For as boring as the Badgers’ style might be, the bottom line is that it works. By focusing on dominating at the defensive end, on taking care of the ball, and on slowing down the pace, UW gives itself a chance to win each and every time they step on the floor, regardless on whether or not the shots are falling.

Thursday night in Iowa City, the shots were falling. No longer can Wisconsin fans clamor about how “if they could just hit a few threes they would have won”. They did. In fact, they outshot Iowa for the evening, finishing the game 50.9% from the field to the Hawkeye’s 48%. They hit six three pointers in just 16 attempts, a more than respectable 37.5%.

What they didn’t do was take care of the ball and defend. Eleven first half turnovers led to twelve Iowa points. This from a Badger team that entered the game on Thursday averaging just under nine turnovers a game. In a tight game, those mistakes will burn anyone.

“In the big picture, that is what probably cost us the game…” UW sophomore guard Josh Gasser said. “That’s what happens when you commit eleven turnovers in the first half. It’s a one possession game and it just comes up and bites you.”

To make matters worse, the Badgers had arguably their worst defensive performance of the season. After allowing Iowa to put up 72 points back on December 31^st at the Kohl Center, UW again struggled to contain the Hawkeyes, allowing Iowa to head into the halftime break with 43 points on a mind boggling 57.1% from the field.

Iowa senior guard Matt Gatens did a lot of that damage himself. Following up a 30 point effort last time out against Indiana, the Iowa City native hit his first six shots of the night and never looked back. When all was said and done, Gatens had himself a 33-point effort, the most by an opponent against Wisconsin since Stephen Curry had another 33-point night in the 2008 Sweet 16.

“He just got comfortable early, hit a few threes early on….” Gasser added. “You thought he would start missing a couple but he never really did.”

This was the Wisconsin team that Badger fans have worried about all season. Unable to quell the momentum of a streaking Iowa squad, the Badgers time and time again failed to get the stops that they absolutely needed to have. In the end, it was Iowa that made the big plays and thus it was Iowa that got the win.

Now the focus quickly shifts to Sunday and to a road date with Ohio State. While the Buckeyes are not exactly the opponent one would pick to play after a tough loss like this, a win in Columbus would obviously do wonders toward putting the season sweep by Iowa in the rear view mirror.

Having said that, the Badgers do not appear to be in any position to pull off the upset at this point. Since seeing their six-game win streak come to an end against Ohio State, UW has escaped a road game in Minnesota despite not scoring over the final 7:41 of regulation, lost in ugly fashion to Michigan State, escaped after yet another brutal effort at home against Penn State, and now this loss to Iowa. Wisconsin has not picked up a victory in Columbus since 2008 and it doesn’t appear that one is in the offering on Sunday.

That being said, I don’t think I was alone in thinking the same thing heading into the game at Purdue back on January 12^th. At that time, UW was coming off of an ugly three-game losing streak and heading to Mackey Arena where they had only won once since 1973.

But they got out of there with a win and kept the momentum for six games.

Ohio State is obviously a much taller task. But for whatever reason this Badger team seems to play better with their backs against the wall. Having lost three of five and in danger of falling out of the all-important top four in the Big Ten standings, that is exactly where Wisconsin finds itself as they head on the road for the final time in the regular season.

“We will prepare for them like we prepare for any game,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “We know what we are facing. We know what they are, who they are. They are a very good team needless to say.”

Ohio State is indeed a very good team, capable of being the best in the nation when they are on their game. Right now it is tough to say what or better yet, who these Badgers are.

We should find out Sunday afternoon.