BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—If anyone still had doubts about Jordan Taylor's ability to carry a team on his back, Thursday night's win in Bloomington should put those in the rearview mirror. With senior forward Jon Leuer in foul trouble, the junior guard scored 17 straight Wisconsin points en route to a career-high 39-point effort in a 77-67 win.
After Taylor and senior forward Keaton Nankivil combined for 26 first-half points, Taylor was forced to carry the load. Nankivil added seven quick points in the second half but a 12-5 Indiana (3-14 Big Ten, 12-18 overall) run got the Hoosiers within one after a Will Sheehey free throw. When the Indiana freshman missed the second free throw, the stage was set for Taylor.
Four triples, two free throws, and a traditional three-point play later, and Wisconsin (23-6, 13-4) suddenly had the game in hand, leading 63-50 with just over six minutes to go.
""Indiana played tough defensively all night,"" UW head coach Bo Ryan said after the game. ""But stopping somebody that is hot is not that easy.""
While Taylor joked after the game about a season-low 1.0 assist to turnover ratio, his performance on Thursday night got the attention of a basketball-savvy Assembly Hall crowd, many of whom could be heard praising the point guard after the game.
""Sometimes the basket just gets bigger,"" Taylor said. ""Every basketball player has experienced it.""
Though Indiana neutralized Jon Leuer, limiting him to just 10 points (with most of those coming in the closing seconds), the decision to switch screens ultimately proved costly for the young Hoosiers.
With 6'9"" 250 pound forward Tom Pritchard left on the quick Taylor, the green light immediately went on.
""Coach, he preaches that all year round,"" Taylor said. ""If they are going to switch a big on you, that's a mismatch.""
While the Hoosiers left the door open for a run, Taylor still had to go through it. Even with the big out on the perimeter, Taylor had to make several contested jump shots, a number coming in typical late-shot clock fashion. Adding three traditional three-point plays to that, Taylor clearly took advantage.
""Anytime you hit a shot like that, it's probably a sign of better things to come.""
With the Badgers road record, both overall and in conference, now evened up, next up is No. 1 Ohio State.
If they hope to spend Sunday spoiling another team's senior night, Wisconsin will have to neutralize Buckeye senior guard Jon Diebler. Though the Big Ten's all-time leading three-point scorer struggled in OSU's loss at the Kohl Center, he went off for 10 three-pointers in Ohio State's road win at Penn State back on Tuesday.
While UW was able to knock off the top-ranked Buckeyes in Madison back on Feb. 12, the Buckeyes will certainly be harder to beat in Columbus. Still, with nothing to lose and everything to gain—not to mention the opportunity to perhaps spoil the Buckeyes' run at sole possession of the Big Ten Title—expect Wisconsin to give OSU a run.
""I said earlier that its probably once in a career when you get to play No. 1,"" Taylor said. ""I guess you have to be careful what you wish for.""
