As head coach of the No. 21/22 Wisconsin men’s basketball team (7-4 Big Ten, 18-6) Bo Ryan is all about improvement. That’s why before the Badgers battled Penn State to a hard fought 52-46 conference victory, Ryan handed his players an article by Pulitzer prize winning columnist and author Thomas Friedman about the pitfalls of not having a college degree as a worker in the 21st century.
Friedman, the author of the critically acclaimed book “The World is Flat”, stresses in his article how in today’s world being an average person is no longer good enough to survive. Ryan felt that the article was applicable to his group of players, who have shown flashes of greatness at times all season.
“A lot of people could survive on average a couple generations ago. The article was about education, but I feel that it applies to many areas of life,” Ryan said. “Being average in athletics won’t get players the options they want anymore.”
A good point indeed, as Ryan and the Badgers try to rise above the rest of the college basketball pack as the season enters the final stretch. For this season’s Wisconsin team “rise above” is the key idea in that statement as, at times, the Badgers have appeared to warrant consideration among the conference and nation’s elite contenders after big wins, and at others have seemed lost after strings of devastating losses.
Five of Wisconsin’s six losses this season have come in losing streaks of two and three. Being able to respond to tough losses will become critical especially as Ryan’s bunch come off a tough 58-52 home loss to Ohio State. Most important of all will be the response of senior point guard Jordan Taylor, whom the Badger’s have depended on to dictate the team’s tempo.
“Everyday we come to practice I check the eyes of my players. I check the facial expressions and demeanor before practice, and then mentally file it away,” Ryan said. “Nothing with Jordan has changed. Everyday he comes to practice with the same attitude, nothing has changed his eagerness and willingness.”
This season has proved to be a challenge for Taylor as he has gone through statistical drop-offs in every category. Nevertheless, Ryan credits him with remaining the facilitator and team player that had NBA scouts intrigued in the preseason All-American.
“His numbers are down somewhat because if you take a look at the 3-4-5 spot from last season and what they shot for three point shots last season, and then you look at this season’s 3-4-5 spots there is a big difference,” Ryan said. “Last season we have had more open looks because of that. It has changed things this year.”
The road doesn’t get any easier for Taylor and company as they head into their toughest road stretch of the season. With upcoming games against rival Minnesota (5-6, 17-7) and No. 12 Michigan State (7-3, 18-5) Wisconsin will have to play its best basketball of the season to avoid another string of crippling losses.
The watershed moment of this stretch occurs Thursday against the Gophers on the road in Minneapolis. Minnesota has continued to battle their way into an NCAA berth despite the loss of star senior forward Trevor Mbakwe.
“[Minnesota] has got some good players. Rodney Williams and Ralph Sampson III have been around for a long time,” Ryan added, “defensively they can get after because they are athletic, and now they have some depth in their rotation.”
Ryan and the Badgers can just think of this game as another in a Big Ten gauntlet as daunting as any in the conference’s history.
“There are some teams who could have only three losses in conference play last season, but then that same team could go .500 next season with this years conditions,” Ryan said. “You have to be ready for 18 games.”
