The Badgers begin their two-game preseason schedule tonight at home against Bemidji State.
After working out all offseason, running up and down Bascom Hill and practicing this fall, Wisconsin should be excited to finally hit the court against another team.
An exhibition contest against a Division II opponent may not sound appealing to many fans, but the game presents new and different opportunities for the players and a chance for the coaches to better assess their players, especially the inexperienced ones.
""[I want to] see how some younger guys react in a game-type atmosphere,"" assistant coach Gary Close said. ""It's a dress rehearsal, but it's always good to see how people react to it.""
Fellow assistant coach Howard Moore agreed the coaching staff will pay special attention to seeing how their newer players perform.
""That's always a big thing for coach Ryan: Are you a good listener and a quick learner,"" Moore said. ""We'll see who's in that category with the young guys.""
The young players include freshman guard/forward Ryan Evans and freshman forward/center Jared Berggren, two players who redshirted last season and are likely to see their first live action Wednesday.
It will also be the first opportunity for the Badgers' only scholarship member of this year's true freshman class, forward Mike Bruesewitz. Bruesewitz was named the Minnesota AP Player of the Year last season as a senior for Henry Sibley High School.
One twist of playing a squad such as Bemidji State is how to prepare. In a day and age when advance scouting and film is so extensive in sports, the Wisconsin coaches admit they do not know much about the Beavers.
""We don't have a lot of material on these teams,"" Moore said. ""So it's a matter of going out there and reacting and playing within our principles and seeing how they react to us.""
Last season, Bemidji State finished 8-19 and 6-14 in the Northern Sun Conference, good for 11th place. This season, the 2009-'10 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll picked the Beavers to finish ninth.
The NSIC preseason press release included senior guard Seth Haake as one of its 14 players to watch. Haake led the 2008-'09 Beavers in points per game with 13.9, rebounds per game with 4.7 and steals per game with 1.7. His 13.9 points per game were good for 12th best in the Northern Sun.
One would believe an exhibition contest against Bemidji State would not get the Badgers particularly excited, but Moore does not think so.
""If that's the case, they shouldn't be a Division I player,"" Moore said. ""Any time you get a chance to lace 'em up on the court and play in front of a crowd and have a chance to compete, then you should always be pumped up.""
The players should also be keyed up to finally face some unfamiliar competition.
""I think a lot of them will be excited to play in front of a crowd and play someone other than themselves,"" Close said.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center and will be webcasted on BigTenNetwork.com.
