The stat sheet says Wisconsin guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes play 14 and 8.1 minutes per game respectively. If only it were that simple.
In reality, it has been a roller coaster ride for the pair of true freshmen, each of whom has made a significant impact at some point this season. Each guard always seems to contribute something when called upon, despite the fact they have little idea when those chances may come—and how long they may last.
When Bohannon has gotten chances, they've tended to come in bunches, and generally with success. Entering play Wednesday, he had registered 17 or more minutes 11 times this season, including each of the last two games, providing depth at guard that the Badgers desperately needed last year. But while Bohannon has had plenty of games to shine, he's also had nine games in which he played six or fewer minutes. In three of those, he saw no action at all.
Nearly 83 percent of the minutes Bohannon has played this year came in just 13 games, in which he averaged 18.6 minutes. In the team's other 11 games, he averaged just 4.6 minutes per game. The numbers for Hughes are equally striking. More than 85 percent of his minutes thus far came in just 13 games, when he averaged 11.2 minutes. In the other 11 games, he averaged a meager 2.3 minutes.
It would be easy to see how such varying roles from night to night could be troublesome mentally, especially for true freshmen. Nevertheless, both players have excelled in their roles and say they don't worry about how many minutes they get each game.
""It doesn't affect me at all,"" Hughes said. ""I'm always ready. You have to be ready, because you never know when you're going to get called on. My mindset is just to play—to seize the moment and to seize the opportunity.""
For the most part, Hughes has done just that when given the chance. He was instrumental in the Badgers' win at Marquette, playing 18 minutes, scoring two points and recording two assists and three steals. In 16 minutes against Southern University, he recorded a career-high eight points.
Bohannon has also been impressive when given extended playing time, drawing praise for his poise from the coaching staff. He scored 10 points in games against Auburn and Gardner Webb and added eight against UW-Milwaukee. He also sports an impressive turnover-to-assist ratio, with 23 assists and just 10 turnovers. After going through a recent four-game stretch with little playing time, he played a combined 36 minutes against Indiana and Northwestern in the last two games.
Bohannon said he can't afford to get caught up in how many minutes he plays on a given night.
""You have to prepare like you're going to play 20 minutes and see what happens during the course of the game,"" he said. ""It's a long game, and a lot of things can happen.""
According to UW assistant coach Greg Gard, the players' varying roles and minutes depend largely on the Badgers' opponents. When the opponent is putting pressure on the Badgers' guards, Hughes' ball handling can be an asset. Likewise, when the Badgers face a tough zone defense, Bohannon's 3-point shot becomes a weapon. Essentially, it comes down to head coach Bo Ryan's gut feeling as the game progresses.
""It's hard as a freshman, because you never know how many minutes you'll get,"" Gard said. ""You may get 20 minutes one night and two minutes the next night. You have to be able to maintain your composure and always be into the game mentally.""
Bohannon also stressed the need to stay focused, even before ever getting into the game.
""When you're on the bench, you have to look for what's going on offensively and defensively,"" he said. ""You pick up a lot of little things that can help the team when you get out there. You have to pick up the little things and just make the most of them when you go out on the floor.""
Hughes and Bohannon may not dominate the stat sheet every night—in fact, they may not even play every night. But when given the chance to shine, they've made it very clear they are up to the challenge.
""They've both done a great job of accepting what they've been given so far,"" Gard said. ""It's tough not knowing when you're going to get that call, and then when you do get in not knowing how long you'll be in there. I think they've both done a pretty good job of handling that.\
