Wisconsin Badgers
Big Ten (29-5, 13-3)
Seed: #2
Midwest Region
RPI: 4
Big Wins:
12/16 Pittsburgh (89-75), 1/9 Ohio State (72-69), 1/20 at Illinois (71-64)
Bad Losses:
11/24 Missouri State (64-66), 1/31 at Indiana (66-71), 2/20 at Michigan
State (55-64)
Last NCAA
Appearance: 2006, First Round loss to Arizona
Coach:
Bo Ryan (7-5 in 5 NCAA appearances)
Probable
Starters:
Michael
Flowers, Junior, Guard, 7.2 ppg, 3.0 apg, 3.9 rpg
Kammron Taylor,
Senior, Guard, 12.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg
Alando Tucker,
Senior, Forward, 20.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Marcus Landry,
Sophomore, Forward, 5.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg
Jason Chappell,
Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Key
Roleplayers:
Jason Bohannon,
Freshman, Guard, 4.2 ppg, 1.0 apg
Joe Krabbenhoft,
Sophomore, Forward, 5.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Greg Stiemsma,
Junior, Center, 2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
Brian Butch,
Junior, Center, 8.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg
Why They Can
Surprise:
A Bo Ryan
coached team is always fundamentally sound and this year’s squad has some
more explosive talent to add to the mix. The Badgers among the best in the
nation with just 11 turnovers per contest and in fouls per game with just
15. That is practically the definition of fundamentally sound. The defense
is extraordinary, giving up just 57 points per game and a 41 shooting
percentage from the floor.
Big Ten Player
of the Year, Alando Tucker, is the go-to-guy for the Badgers. He
averages over 20 points per game and can stuff the stat sheet in
nearly every department. While the Badgers won’t take a lot of
three-pointers, Kammron Taylor is an effective long range shooter and hits
over 40% of his attempts from long range.
Why They Can
Disappoint:
The free-throw
shooting could be worse than 68%, but Wisconsin could be much better as
well. Wisconsin does not want to get into a free throw shooting contest at
the end of a game, but that can be hard to avoid in the grind it out games
of the NCAA Tournament.
Who To
Watch:
Brian Butch,
Jason Chappell, Marcus Landry and Greg Stiemsma form one of the deepest
group of big men in the nation. Unfortunately, Butch is out for at least the
first weekend of games after dislocating his right elbow. The
unheralded Chappell will do the dirty work and the 6-11 Steimsma can take
over that role when Chappell needs a rest. Landry has been an offensive and
defensive spark off the bench and, with the absence of Butch, the sophomore
will have to step up his game.
Joel’s
Bracket Says: Sweet Sixteen loss to Oregon
