Reality has officially set in for Bo Ryan and his Badgers. During a year in which Wisconsin sports seemed to be at its finest, the men's basketball team was unable to collect themselves in time to get enough baskets to earn a win over Butler on Thursday night.
When senior Jon Leuer made his final walk to the bench after fouling out with three seconds left, his demeanor said it all: This was not the way he wanted to go out.
But in a season where UW defeated a No.1 team at home and sustained an unblemished Kohl Center record, there are more than enough memories to call this year another successful season for Ryan and the Badgers.
Picked once again to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten—regardless of their perseverance and success year in and year out—UW was able to prove critics wrong by playing ""Wisconsin basketball,"" which is in the words of Ryan means taking care of the ball and playing hard each and every possession.
This year's senior class, which included All-American and First Team All-Big Ten forward Jon Leuer, leaves UW with the most wins of any class in team history and the satisfaction of knowing they are most successful group of four year players in Ryan's tenure as head coach.
Although this may not compare to having an opportunity to play in the Final Four , their accomplishments, both individual and team, set a standard for future squads to follow in their footsteps.
Leuer finished 13th on UW's all-time scoring list with 1,325 career points and was also one of 10 players in UW history with more than 1,200 points and 500 rebounds.
Senior forward Keaton Nankivil, who earned Honorable Mention All Big Ten honors this season, finished his four-year career as one of the Badgers' biggest deep threats as he tied the single game record for three pointers made in a game with seven coming against Purdue in 2010.
Oshkosh-native Tim Jarmusz leaves UW as arguably the most underrated Badger basketball player in UW's history. A defensive-minded guard, Jarmusz was able to contain many of the elusive scorers UW saw night-in and night-out in the Big Ten. He also learned the value of taking care of the ball averaging one turnover every 69 minutes played.
Along with fellow seniors J.P. Gavinski, Brett Valentyn and Wquinton Smith, this year's senior class provided the blueprint for overcoming adversity and playing with the toughness and grit that Ryan looks for in each and every one of his players.
And with all of these players having successfully etched their names into Badger basketball history, their exit opens the door for their former teammates to step up and make a name for themselves in the years to come.
