With its run in to the Final Four thwarted Sunday by North Carolina, the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team now turns its attention to the task of rebuilding for next season.
The most daunting task facing UW head coach Bo Ryan will be replacing a talented bunch of departing seniors. Forwards Mike Wilkinson, Zach Morley and Andreas Helmigk, along with guards Clayton Hanson and Sharif Chambliss, provided UW with strong leadership throughout the season.
Hanson's sharp-shooting and defense and Morley's energy will be sorely missed but Wilkinson will be the hardest to replace. The big man from Blue Mounds, Wis., was Mr. Consistent in his four years in Madison, averaging 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for his career. He and Hanson are the winningest players in the history of Wisconsin basketball, with 93 wins during their careers. They also won two Big Ten regular season titles, one Big Ten tournament title and went to four straight NCAA tournaments.
Luckily for the Badgers, Ryan seems to have no problem with rebuilding. Last season, after a school record 25-win season, UW lost four starters, including star guard Devin Harris. Despite the departures, Ryan regrouped his team and led Wisconsin to a second straight season of 25 wins.
The return of forward Alando Tucker and guard Kammron Taylor eases the rebuilding process. Tucker led UW in scoring with 15 points per game and came on even stronger in the NCAA tournament.
In his sophomore season, Taylor was a revelation for the Badgers. Rarely used as a freshmen, by the end of this year he was Ryan's most trusted ball handler. With blow-by speed and a smooth jumper, Taylor can be extremely dangerous on offense, as North Carolina found out Sunday, when he scored 18 points.
With Taylor and Tucker providing the base, Ryan can potentially piece together a solid squad. Centers Brian Butch and Greg Steisma both failed to impress during their freshmen seasons but another year of Ryan's tutelage can only help them.
Ryan also retains the services of seldom-used guard Michael Flowers and junior forward Ray Nixon. High-flying freshman DeAaron Williams, who red-shirted this season, also returns to the squad.
Wisconsin also has what is widely regarded as the Big Ten's best recruiting class for 2005. Leading the way is Joe Krabbenhoft, a 6'7' forward from Sioux Falls, S.D. The hard-working big man is the perfect player to replace the versatile Wilkinson in the low post. Marcus Landry, a 6'7' forward from Milwaukee, and Chicago-native Phillip Perry round out Ryan's recruiting class. Both are athletic players and will fit in nicely with the existing Badgers.
For all the accolades the class of Hanson, Wilkinson, Morley and company accumulated, they were never the most athletic bunch. The same cannot be said for the group Ryan will have at his disposal next season.
With leapers like Tucker, Nixon, Williams and Landry running the floor and a more experienced Taylor at the point, next year's Badgers could look a lot different than the 2004-'05 version. That is, of course, if Ryan decides to open up the offense.
Sunday against North Carolina, Wisconsin proved it can run and gun with the best. If Ryan lets the Badgers run more often, next season has the potential to be very exciting.
