Ted Porath- Badgers Down In-State Rival

After two straight losses, the No. 16 Wisconsin men’s basketball team got back on track against in-state foe UW-Green Bay. The Badgers (7-2 overall) looked like a team on a mission and soundly defeated the Phoenix (4-5 overall, 2-0 Horizon), 70-42. “We felt we wanted to come in here and definitely get a win. I think we were a little bit more focused,” junior forward Ryan Evans said. After a rough afternoon against Marquette on Saturday, in which he had an uncharacteristic five turnovers, senior point guard Jordan Taylor returned to his preseason All-American form against the Phoenix, scoring a game-high fifteen points while dropping in ten assists for his first double-double of the year. In classic Taylor fashion, this was all accomplished without committing a single turnover. “Ten assists, zero turnovers, there’s not too many guys in the country that have that,” head coach Bo Ryan said. “He saw the floor well. He would get an angle and guys would help to him and he’d find the open guy, and that’s being a good point guard.” Also contributing to the Wisconsin victory were Evans and junior center Jared Berggren, who scored 14 and 13 points respectively, providing a much needed presence in the paint. The Badgers bench was also a big contributor, with a total of ten different players combining for 21 total points. “It’s always good to see when you have guys come off the bench. We know we have plenty of guys who can step in and give us some good minutes, and we were able to show it tonight,” Berggren said. After Green Bay cut the Badgers’ lead to one at 12-11, Wisconsin was able to distance themselves from the Phoenix, going on a 14-1 run to take a 26-12 lead despite rotating subs off the bench early and often. Wisconsin was able to keep the lead at double digits and went into halftime up 33-21. Wisconsin continued the shooting woes that plagued them in their first two losses, shooting only 36 percent from the field and making only two out of 11 from behind the arc in the first half. Fortunately for the Badgers, they continued to play great defense, forcing the Phoenix to shoot under 30 percent and causing nine turnovers in the first half. Wisconsin wasted no time taking control of the game in the second half, scoring eight straight points coming out of the break to boost their lead to 20 points. The Badgers continued to tack on from there and cruised to the victory. The biggest reason for the Badgers’ success in the second half was their ability to finally start making consistent shots; the Badgers shot 58 percent from the field in the second half. This was not the case for the Badgers’ three-point shooting, however, as they shot three out of 17 from behind the arc, continuing their recent long-distance shooting struggles. This lack of shooting could be seen as a silver lining, as the Badgers won a game while not shooting well from three. Wisconsin will now look forward to their final game of the three-game home stand against UNLV.

Badgers Begin To Begin New Streak Against In-State Rival

After seeing their 23-game home win streak brought to an end Saturday with a 61-54 defeat at the hands of #11 Marquette, #14 Wisconsin (6-2, 0-0) will quickly have the opportunity to begin a new streak as Green Bay visits the Kohl Center Wednesday night. The Phoenix (4-4, 2-0) have never won in 14 games played against the Badgers in Madison and are 0-4 on the road thus far this season. However, head coach Brian Wardle’s team is riding high after winning back-to-back games this past weekend to start Horizon League play. With many of the Phoenix players having grown up in the shadow of Wisconsin basketball, the annual matchup with the Badgers is something that Green Bay always has circled on the calendar. “Having been on both ends of it, its pretty exciting…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said of the intra-state rivalry. “Having coached at UW-Milwaukee, I knew what it was like getting ready for this. You know what the players are thinking. Its just natural.” While this is certainly one of the bigger games of the year for Green Bay, it remains an important test for Wisconsin as well. UW heads into Wednesday night having lost its past two games and clearly in need of a quick turnaround. With another ranked opponent in UNLV scheduled to come to Madison this weekend, the Badgers must shake off the cobwebs and do more than just squeak away with a victory. “Obviously first of all we want to get the win anyway possible,” sophomore guard Josh Gasser said Monday. “But at the same time we just want to get into the flow of our offense together. I guess we need to get our mojo, our swagger back that we had at the beginning of the year when we were just so confident and in a flow.” At least on paper, it seems that goal number one for the Badgers has to be to shoot at a higher percentage. After shooting nearly 50% from the field in the first six games, Wisconsin has struggled mightily in two losses over the past week, shooting just 36% from the field against North Carolina and just 32% in the loss to Marquette. But for UW to really turn the offense around, there is plenty they can do in order to get the shots falling once again. “We just need to do a better job of moving the ball as a team…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “We’ve gotten stagnant at times, a lot of the time. So its just a matter of getting back to our stuff and keeping the ball moving.” One thing that Wisconsin must improve upon is the scoring spread. After having six different players post games with double-digit scoring over the six-game winning streak at the start of the year, only three players have hit the mark since. Against Marquette, only Taylor managed to cross the ten-point threshold, finishing with 13 points on 4 of 10 shooting. But first and foremost, the Badgers have to take care of the ball. During their three-point loss in Chapel Hill, Wisconsin only turned the ball over four times, the lowest any team has been forced into against North Carolina since Duke only had three in a neutral site game back in 2002. But while that performance left many people impressed with the Badgers even in defeat, a 12-turnover game at home against the Golden Eagles gave plenty of cause for concern. “On Saturday we kind of laid an egg,” junior forward Jared Berggren said. “I felt like we didn’t put our best foot forward and for whatever reason Marquette just got the best of us.” Just five games remain before Wisconsin opens up Big Ten play at Nebraska on December 27th and having suffering tough losses in their two toughest non-conference matchups, the Badgers know that they need to right the ship and head into conference play on a good note. “Anytime you lose its critical to come back and win the next time…” Taylor said. “Its just a matter of getting back on track. Making shots, playing basketball.”

Short Sighted Coaching Opens Door For Badger Slide

Wisconsin got off to a 6-0 start with ease. Winning by an average of nearly 40 points and finishing no game with less than a 17-point margin of victory. Their confidence was through the roof and many were finally starting to talk about the Badgers as one of the nation’s elite. But amidst the early season success, Wisconsin missed out on an opportunity to help themselves come time for the inevitable spell of adversity to rear its ugly head. Through Wednesday night’s 60-57 defeat on the road against #5 North Carolina, the Badgers had only 7 players averaging double digit minutes. This for a team that had only played one tight game so there was plenty of “garbage time”. Against UNC, the lack of depth wasn’t overtly apparent, but it did play a role. With junior forward Jared Berggren heading into foul trouble, freshman Frank Kaminsky was forced to see significant time against Tar Heel senior forward Tyler Zeller, a 7-footer who has dominated more than his fair share of big men over his tenure in Chapel Hill. Kaminsky wasn’t awful, but Zeller definitely found his comfort zone when the freshman had to fill in with Berggren on the bench. In Saturday’s 61-54 loss to Marquette, the lack of depth was as clear as the light of day. Marquette got off to a fast start and while UW was able to cut two separate double-digit deficits to just a single possession, each time they failed to sustain the momentum. Fatigue was going to be an issue after the tough game against Carolina, but with Wisconsin unable to go more than 8 deep, it was arguably a deciding factor. But depth should not be an issue for this year’s Badger team. Wisconsin has plenty of ability sitting on the bench that can play the fill-in role more than admirably. The problem is that those potential role players were never given an opportunity to see the floor early in the season and as a result, they are totally unprepared to contribute in the clutch. Beyond the risk of injury, there is simply no reason for starters to be playing during the last three minutes of a 40-point game. You build the lead, earn yourself the privilege of spreading out the minutes, and essentially squander the opportunity. Compare that to Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. Williams’ team started off the season in a similar fashion to Wisconsin, blowing out mediocre opponents in preparation for a big matchup in Madison. But instead of sticking with starters in meaningless “garbage time”, Williams made sure that the role players were ready when duty came calling. In fact, every player on Marquette’s roster with the exception of one (who hasn’t been eligible until recently) has averaged double digit minutes thus far this season. So not surprisingly, Williams was able to get the win in Madison with a 10 man rotation, finishing the Badgers off simply by wearing them down on their home floor. Sometimes as a coaching staff you need to be thinking beyond the present. The “one game at a time” mentality is great for answering questions at the weekly press conference, but the reality is that when you have a 77-44 lead with 4 minutes left, you shouldn’t be thinking just about winning the game at hand. This is where the Badgers went wrong. In focusing on the present and the present only while running over mediocre opponents from Kennesaw State to Wofford, UW lost itself a 23-game winning streak. They lost the Marquette game by only thinking of the here and now while running over the sacrificial lambs paid to come in and start off the season at the Kohl Center. Getting everyone into the game and into the act isn’t about compassion for the guys on the end of the bench, its about making sure that those guys can be counted in when the time comes for them to contribute. Saturday afternoon was one of those times when they were needed and because the UW coaching staff made no attempt to get them involved when the opportunity was there, they weren’t ready when they simply had to be. Jordan Taylor was in foul trouble. Ben Brust and Josh Gasser couldn’t buy a jump shot. Mike Bruesewitz was having a tough time shaking defenders. And both Ryan Evans and Jared Berggren couldn’t get themselves open on the low post. But there was no backup plan, there was no second option. Buzz Williams had that backup plan. Guard Junior Cadougan was out after violating team rules and forward Jae Crowder struggled with foul trouble. However, unlike Ryan, Williams was able to turn to a bench that eventually responded with 32 points to Wisconsin’s 11. And 9 of those 11 for UW came from guard Ben Brust, whose normally reliable 3-point shot was strikingly off throughout the entire contest. Badger fans wonder how Wisconsin seemingly always falls prey to the five, six, seven minute scoring drive at a crucial moment. It was those droughts, midway through the 2nd half against UNC and late in the 1st against Marquette, that have put UW in a two-game tailspin. The reason for them is simple: no bench. When the starting five (and 6th man Brust) get cold, there is no one able to pick up the slack. This has to change and it has to change quick. Wisconsin has to stop practicing with former players (and thus reducing the time that bench players get in 5-on-5 situations during practice), they have to stop leaving starters in the game during “garbage time”, and they have to commit themselves to finding a bench capable of making plays in big spots. The talent is there. There are guys on that bench plenty capable of hitting a big three, of keeping the opposition in check, of getting the starters some much needed rest. But thus far, the coaching staff doesn’t seem interested. Saturday, the Badgers had all five starters cross the 30 minute mark in playing time, with Brust rounding things off with 28 minutes of his own. Rob Wilson and Frank Kaminsky were the only other Badgers to see the floor, only getting five minutes a piece. That is simply not a winning formula. The season is young and after losing a tough game in Chapel Hill by just three points to a team that is clearly among the top 5 in the nation, the Badgers still have a chance to make some noise on the national stage. But if they want to do so, it will have to be with a bigger rotation than what they have now. As physical as Big Ten play is, there is simply no way that Wisconsin can contend with what amounts to a 6 or 7 man rotation. Excluding UNLV on Saturday, the rest of the Badgers’ non-conference schedule is filled with cupcakes. A road matchup in Milwaukee might be a bit of a challenge but I think it is safe to say that games against UW-Green Bay, and Mississippi Valley State are likely to finish in blowout fashion. Those are the most important games of the season right now. If Wisconsin can use those three games to find a bit of depth, then they still remain capable of competing for a Big Ten title. If they enter conference play with the same rotation they have now, it is going to be a long winter.

Ted Porath: Marquette Up Next

The Wisconsin men's basketball team (6-1 overall) suffered their first blemish on the season Wednesday night in the finale of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, losing to the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels 60-57. They now turn their attention to Saturday's matchup with in-state rival Golden Eagles as they welcome No 16. Marquette (6-0) to the Kohl Center. Despite the loss, the Badgers proved that they could hang with and challenge one of the best teams in the country and cemented the fact that they will be a major challenger to current No. 2 Ohio State for the Big Ten title once they hit conference play. A main reason for Wisconsin to feel good about the future prospects of the season was junior center Jared Berggren's play against one of the best front lines in the country on Wednesday night, featuring NBA lottery picks in Tyler Zeller and John Henson. Berggren was a force as the five man, scoring 14 points, hauling in five rebounds and even coming up with three steals. He challenged Zeller and Henson at both ends of the court, playing tough post defense and forcing the two Carolina big men to guard him in the post and on the perimeter. If Berggren is able to continue to build off of the way he played against UNC, he may be able to give Ohio State's Jared Sullinger a run for his money as the best big man in the Big Ten. The main reason for the loss was that the Badgers' reliance on the three-point shot finally came back to bite them. Wisconsin was eight for 28 from behind the arc (28.6 percent), which pales in comparison to the 47 percent shooting from three-point range the Badgers had going into the game. A direct result of the Badgers' reliance on the outside shot was the fact that Wisconsin was only able to get to the foul line six times (making only three), while Carolina was able to get the Badgers into foul trouble in each half, allowing them to shoot 24 free throws (making 19 of them). To become a more complete team on offense, the Badgers must find a way to get more penetration into the lane, which will not only get them more foul shots, but get them wide open three-point shots as well. The main concern for the Badgers against Marquette this weekend, however, will be containing Marquette's stellar offense which comes into this game leading the nation in scoring offense (88 points per game) and field goal percentage (53 percent). The Golden Eagles are led by senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom and senior forward Jae Crowder, who are each averaging over 19 points a game this season. Crowder and Johnson-Odom were instrumental in Marquette's latest win over the Jacksonville State Dolphins, as Crowder scored a career-high 27 points and Johnson-Odom added in 19. This Saturday's matchup will be the 118th between the two teams. Wisconsin currently holds a 64-53 edge in the all-time series and has beaten Marquette in the last two meetings. Read more: http://host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/sports/article_31ea0042-1cac-11e1-87bd-0019bb2963f4.html?sourcetrack=moreArticle#ixzz1fOCQfMCn

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.