Poor Shooting Night Brings Badgers’ Hard Fought Battle With UNC To A Losing Finish

Its often said that there are no moral victories in the sports world but on Wednesday night in Chapel Hill, the Badgers got about as close as one could get to proving that theory wrong. Despite shooting well under 40% from the field, Wisconsin hung with #5 North Carolina in a hostile Smith Center environment, eventually coming out on the losing end, 60-57. The finale of this season’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge (won by the Big Ten for the 3rd straight year) was one of the best games the challenge has seen in some time. “It was hard for us to get a good look. We were trying to make it hard for them to get good looks,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “That was as hard fought a game as I’ve ever been involved in as a coach.” Wisconsin (6-1, 0-0) held North Carolina (6-1, 0-0) in check for most of the game, completely stifling a vaunted North Carolina fast break that only managed two points the entire contest. “You don’t do that to Carolina…” Ryan said. “I thought our guys did a great job of getting back on defense.” “Fantastic college basketball game,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said. “Not the prettiest game at all, ever. Sometimes you need to win like that. Like I told Bo {Ryan} ‘Im glad we don’t play you anymore’.” The Badgers led 36-31 with 12 minutes left and had two possessions to completely silence an already quiet Smith Center crowd. But after failing to capitalize on the opportunity, Tar Heel sophomore forward Harrison Barnes nailed a contested jumper for 3 of his game-high 20 points to put Carolina right back in business. Then UNC headed to the line to throw down the hammer. Senior forward Tyler Zeller hit two free throws to tie the game at 38 with just under 10 minutes to play and sophomore forward Reggie Bullock followed from two of his own from the charity stripe to give the Heels a 40-38 lead, one that they would never look back from. The 18-5 UNC run erased what looked to be a solid Badger lead and put UW in a hole they simply couldn’t recover from. “Shots just weren’t going down…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “Some of them were good looks, but you just have to knock them down.” “We’ve had those runs as well,” Ryan added. “They happen in basketball.” Looking back, it is pretty amazing that UW hung as close to Carolina as they did while shooting just 36% from the field and just 8 of 28 from beyond the arc. Add in the fact that UNC went 19 of 24 to UW’s 3 of 6 from the line and you have just about as good a case as any for this being a true moral victory. “We expected to come in and win this…” Taylor said. “Anybody who comes into Carolina, it’s the superbowl for everybody. We wanted to win this game.” Junior forward Jared Berggren, facing perhaps the most talented front line in the nation, had a breakout performance. Although he fouled out in the final minute, Berggren finished with 18 points and 5 rebounds, adding 3 steals on the interior as well. “He’s getting better. He’s a good player and he works hard,” Ryan said of Berggren. “He’s starting to come into his own, its good to see.” The Badgers now head back to Madison to face intra-state rival Marquette, another team with an unblemished record. Although UW certainly wanted this one, home dates with Marquette and UNLV coming up the next two Saturdays give the Badgers a chance to get right back on track. “No coach can stand here and answer a question about what guys learned when it just happened,” Ryan said. “You find out the next game and the next game and the next game.”

UNC 25, UW 24 Half

Despite their worst shooting performance of the year and several periods of shaky defense, the Badgers are right where they want to be at the half. UNC has had the lead much of the game but after a Harrison Barnes jump shot bumped that lead to 9, Wisconsin closed on a 14-6 run over the final 11:03 of the half to head into the break within 1. The Badgers havent been able to make anything despite getting many open looks. At halftime, UW is just 10/32 from the field, shooting just 20% from beyond the 3-point arc. On the other hand, UNC is shooting nearly 48% from the field, capitalizing on their length to get easy looks down low. But the Badger defense has kept them in this game. UW has already forced eight Carolina turnovers, capitalizing on those turnovers to the tune of eight points. Wisconsin is unsurprisingly led by senior guard Jordan Taylor with 9 points at the break, with Carolina's Dexter Strickland pacing the Tar Heels with seven. Strickland's 3rd foul, coming on a charging call, could no doubt be a big moment at this game hits the back stretch. For the Badgers, junior forward Mike Bruesewitz has not seen much time, picking up his 2nd foul just under 8 minutes into the game. Bruesewitz should be back on the floor for the start of the half and his contributions will be a have to be big factor if the Badgers want to turn this one around. Second half set to start and its definitely a ballgame.

Its Almost Here

Tip off is just about an hour and a half away in Chapel Hill. There is certainly a buzz around campus, but what is definitely apparent is that people here are accustomed to games like this. A matchup between two top-10 teams is a rarity for Badger fans, but Tar Heel nation expects its team to be in these type of games year in and year out. So even though the #5 and #7 teams in the country are about to square off, it really is just another game at the Dean Dome. One of the things to watch tonight is the health of UNC sophomore forward Harrison Barnes. The reigning ACC rookie of the year is leading the Tar Heels in scoring through the first six games but has been nursing an ankle injury sustained in UNC's 90-80 loss to UNLV on Saturday night. Barnes will play, but his ability to contribute against a tough defensive minded team like UW might be limited, especially when you consider UNC's preference for running the floor. For Wisconsin, it really will be a question of whether this team is for real. Having been challenged very little through six games, we really dont know what to think of this Badger team that hasnt played a game in which the final margin was less than 17. One thing we do know is that senior point guard Jordan Taylor will be ready. The preseason first-team All-America selection has been solid in the early going, preferring to captain the floor and dish the ball off rather than to take control of putting the ball in the basket. Many think that Taylor will need to change this if the Badgers want to shock the Heels, but that might not really be the case. Scoring obviously doesnt hurt, but Taylor's role tonight will be to once again captain the floor and keep the troops in the moment. Taylor has the most experience of anyone on the Badger roster and played a big part in the UW win over Duke just two years ago. Taylor's poise will be the key, much more so than his ability to put up points. Either way, all eyes will be on the Smith Center as the 9:30 tip nears. Should the Badgers somehow pull off an upset win, get ready for a whole lot more national attention placed on the Kohl Center this winter.

UW Rains on BYU and Takes Home Tourney Title

Badgers Rain On BYU Parade, Take Home Tourney Title Having won their first five games by an average of nearly 40 points, Saturday night’s Chicago Invitational Challenge final against BYU was the first real challenge the Badgers have faced thus far in the young season. Although the Badgers (6-0, 0-0) struggled at times against the Cougar zone, they eventually found their stroke from beyond the three-point arc, shooting their way to an 73-56 victory. “We had to learn a bit on the fly,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said after the game. “I thought our guys adjusted well…BYU is a heck of a team and I am sure they are going to do well in their league...I like the way our guys responded.” Sophomore guard Ben Brust took advantage of the shooting space made available by BYU’s matchup zone. The sharpshooting Mundelein, Illinois native overcame a slow start by nailing seven three-point shots to give him a team-high 21 points on the night. Brust led an 11-0 Badger run with three triples early on in the second half that took what had been a back-and-forth game and quickly put the Badgers in firm control. “His moxie when it comes to finding open angles is pretty good,” Ryan said. “And his teammates know it and they find him.” Still, forward Jared Berggren may have played an even bigger role in the UW victory. The redshirt junior finished the game with 13 points and 5 rebounds, but more importantly held BYU forward Brandon Davies in check. Though the highlight reels will be filled with UW’s three-point shooting, it was Wisconsin’s dominance inside that really proved to be the difference. Proving he can still do it all, senior guard Jordan Taylor had his best performance of the season, finishing with 18 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Between Taylor and Brust, the Badgers outscored BYU guards 39-6, playing a pivotal role in the outcome. Brust, Taylor, and Berggren rode their respective performances to spots on the all-tournament team, with Taylor picking up the trophy as the Tournament MVP. “They were a bit more extended then I thought they would be…” Taylor said. “But we got the win and that’s what is important.” Although the final score was lopsided, Saturday’s win was anything but easy. After the Badgers stormed out of the gates to a 22-10 lead, BYU (4-2, 0-0) came right back with an 18-4 run of their own. Brust’s first three eventually got UW into the locker room with a two-point lead, but after a few more minutes of back and forth play, that Brust-led run put the Badgers in control and sent the game quickly on its way to a lopsided conclusion. “Its fun to play with a guy like {Brust},” Taylor added. “But he’s not the only guy we’ve got who is like that.” Now having passed their first test with flying colors, the Badgers now must quickly prepare for arguably their most difficult matchup of the year. Wednesday night’s matchup against top-ranked North Carolina already had plenty of hype and with Wisconsin now destined for a top 10 position in the polls, that hype will only grow as tip off nears.

Badgers Take Down Bradley, Set for Showdown with BYU

Continuing to take care of their early season business, #11 Wisconsin (5-0, 0-0) got away with sloppy play at times en route to a 66-43 victory over Bradley Friday night in the semifinals of the Chicago Invitational Tournament. Junior forward Ryan Evans scored a career-high 15 points in the victory, joining guard Josh Gasser and Jordan Taylor for the team high. Evans also added 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Bradley (3-2) was paced by senior forward Taylor Brown, who led all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-20 shooting, picking up 9 rebounds as well. Still, UW did not take care of the ball as well as Badger fans have become accustomed to. Wisconsin turned the ball over 10 times, their first game with double digits in that category. Taylor had an uncharacteristically shaky night with the ball, turning the ball over four times to double his season total in already the fifth game of the young season. But UW still won the turnover battle, forcing the Braves into 17 turnovers of their own. The Badgers also showed an ability to hang with Bradley athletically, matching the Braves step for step on the fast break and notching 18 points off those turnovers. Next on tap for UW is BYU, a fellow Sweet 16 team from last season that returns most of its core, the exception being National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. But the Cougars are benefitting from the return of forward Brandon Davies, whose controversial suspension last season really hurt BYU's title hopes. The Cougars come into Saturday off of a 76-55 win over Nevada and are by far the biggest test the Badgers have faced thus far. Saturday also marks the beginning of a five game stretch in which the Badgers will face four teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season, with the BYU game followed by a date with #1 North Carolina, followed up finally with home games against Marquette and UNLV. Certainly the big wins have given Badger fans something to be excited about, but until UW gets through this stretch, its hard to tell what the season truly has in store.

Badgers Ready For Challenging Stretch Ahead

While there is one game remaining before the Wisconsin men’s basketball team hits the road for the first time, it is hard not to begin thinking about the games that lie beyond Tuesday night’s matchup with Missouri-Kansas City. Starting with Friday night’s Chicago Invitational Semi-Final against Bradley, the Badgers face a five-game stretch that could include four teams who competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. But before Wisconsin sets its sights on the heart of the non-conference slate, they have one more piece of business to take care of in Madison as they face the Kangaroos of UMKC. More importantly, Tuesday night is the first opportunity for UW head coach Bo Ryan to pick up his 246th win at Wisconsin, tying Walter “Doc” Meanwell for second all-time in Badger history. “I really appreciate what Doc Meanwell meant to the game of basketball,” Ryan said. “Besides winning championships because people in coaching should be known for more than just how many banners they put up.” The ‘Roos head to Madison at 1-3, having never faced the Badgers. They do, however, have a history of facing stiff competition, having consistently played one of the more difficult non-conference schedules among the mid-majors and playing out of the extremely competitive Summit League. Bradley, playing out of the Missouri Valley conference, will likely head into Friday’s matchup at 4-0, having beaten North Dakota 78-69 on Saturday, with a final tune-up against Wofford set for Tuesday night. The Braves—a Sweet 16 team in 2006—have had a few tough seasons since, failing to reach the postseason for the second straight year in a 12-20 campaign last season. Beyond Bradley is where the heat gets turned up as the Badgers will face either a young and talented Nevada team, picked by many as a favorite to win the WAC, or a BYU team fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance last season. With a variety of different competitors slated for the next week, the motto for the Badgers has to be “just win baby”. Nothing but an unblemished record will serve as a solid foundation heading into arguably the most difficult test of the season, the Badgers’ ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup against top-ranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill. For a team that has not yet played a game this season that remained competitive heading into the second half, the heat will certainly be turned up gradually before the inferno that is the Dean Dome. All the Badgers can do to both prepare for that game and to continue to improve as a team is to keep winning. Three more victories and the focus can finally square up on the Tar Heels.

Badgers Continue To Roll With Rout of Wofford

Wisconsin has a bit of a history with Wofford, with the Terriers having given UW the scare of a lifetime in a 53-49 Badger win in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. But while there have been many instances of déjà vu for Badger athletics in recent weeks, Saturday night’s rematch was not among those as Wisconsin’s stifling defense eventually led to a 69-33 Badger win. Once again, it was the defense that shined for Wisconsin. After holding their first two opponents to just 29% from the field, the Badgers upped their game early on, holding the Terriers at just 20% in the first twenty minutes of play, heading into the locker room on a 19-2 run that led to a 32-12 halftime lead. “You always like a run like that,” junior forward Ryan Evans said. “But it all starts with defense.” “{Wofford} hurts a lot of teams inside…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “If you have people that are committed to {playing good defense}, it tends to make the whole look a lot better.” From there, it was simply an easy cruise toward victory, as Wisconsin continued to extend the lead until it finally reached its peak of 36 following a last second jumper by junior walk-on J.D. Wise, a turnaround attempt that got the Badger bench on its feet with less than a minute remaining in the game. Once again, the Badger scoring came from across the board. Three Badgers finished Saturday in double digits, led by sophomore guard Josh Gasser, whose four-for-four performance from beyond the arc led to a 16-point night. “I have more confidence this year and that just comes with maturing from freshman year to sophomore year…” Gasser said. “A lot of guys are knocking down shots and that just leaves me open.” Perhaps the biggest story was the man who was not involved heavily in the scoring, senior guard Jordan Taylor. Having been called upon to put points on the board throughout last season’s Sweet 16 campaign, the preseason first-team All-American point guard took command of the troops quietly on Saturday, only attempting three shots in the game and finishing the night with just four points. Once again, Taylor was ultra-efficient, racking up four assists without committing a turnover. “We all know what he can do,” Evans said. “But he’s just playing real team ball right now.” When the Badgers are able to get scoring from anywhere, opponents are finding them tough to defend. Add in the versatility of the Badger big men, their capability of shooting from distance, and you have a formula for success that has kept UW virtually unbeatable at home under Bo Ryan. “I think they’re very good…” Wofford head coach Mike Young said after the game. “It requires a level of awareness and a level of toughness to guard that. Such a grind, such a grind to play the Badgers.” The Badgers have one more warm-up in Madison as part of the Chicago Invitational when they face UMKC on Tuesday night. After that, UW heads south to face Bradley in the Chicago Invitational with a Saturday contest against either BYU or Nevada to round out the pre-UNC portion of the nonconference schedule. Three more victories and the Badgers have the table set for a big-time match-up in Chapel Hill.