The Badgers came to understand during Wednesday night's victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes that when the shots refuse to fall, make sure to get to the line. After trailing 54-43 following Iowa sophomore guard Adam Huluska's fast break lineup, the Badgers rallied behind swarming defense and clutch free throw-shooting to defeat Iowa, 72-69.
Wisconsin made 27 free throws, 20 more than Iowa, upping their new home winning streak to two games. Senior forward Mike Wilkinson, who shot only 5-of-15 from the field, was a main contributor with 10 points from the line, 20 total. Sophomore guard Kammron Taylor also starred from the line, scoring the last seven of his team and career-high 26 points from the charity stripe.
\I liked the way we went inside, because that usually draws some contact of some kind,"" Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said. ""And then we were able to dribble attack and get guys on the move, where their feet weren't planted and you tend to draw a lot more fouls that way too.""
Iowa's big three of Huluska, junior forward Greg Brunner and junior guard Jeff Horner combined for 62 of their 69 points, but the team only attempted 14 shots from the line and converted on half of them.
""We committed 10 more fouls than they committed, and they got to the line 20 more times,"" Iowa head coach Steve Alford said. ""20 more times than we did, that's a very difficult stat to overcome.""
Horner in particular sparked the Hawkeyes with 19 points and very aggressive play, but failed to attempt a free throw despite playing every minute of the game.
""I can't imagine a kid who plays 40 minutes as hard and [intense] as he does and he never goes to the free throw line, that just blows me away. He doesn't go there, but Taylor goes there 10 times. I thought that was hard to figure out,"" Alford said.
The Badgers shot only 16 times in the second half, hitting 56.3 percent of them. As the Badgers made a late run, in particular an 11-0 run to tie the game at 64, they continued to get to the line, driving toward the basket with aggression.
""Some of their rotations were a little slow,"" Wilkinson said. ""Our guards attacked the basket and made plays, and knocked down shots and got to the free throw line.""
Up next for the Badgers is a stop in Champaign on Saturday against Illinois, the top-ranked team in the country that ended Wisconsin's 38 home game winning streak Jan. 25. After the gutsy performance by Wisconsin Wednesday night, their confidence is at an all-time high and they refuse to write off the game against the Illini as a loss.
""We just need to play good defense, continue to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, get to the free throw line, make good passes and knock down open shots and anything's possible,"" Wilkinson said.
