Having failed to notch a truly marquee win in non-conference play, Wisconsin men’s basketball entered the conference season in need of a few big ones in order to make a 15th straight NCAA Tournament. Although they were able to avoid setbacks against lowly Penn State and Nebraska last week, the defining part of the Badgers’ season didn’t begin until Saturday’s game against No. 12 Illinois (1-3 Big Ten, 14-4 Overall), the beginning of an 11-game stretch in which every opponent is a legitimate NCAA Tournament contender. On the strength of a 14-0 run to start the game, Wisconsin (3-0, 12-4) got the statement victory it desperately needed, defeating the Illini by a final score of 74-51.
Saturday’s effort by UW was exactly what the Badger faithful had been waiting for. Wisconsin played with a ton of energy from the opening tip and was able to quickly snap out of their two distinct “sloppy” periods, stretches of poor play that have been an issue all season.
“We were knocking down shots, finally,” redshirt senior forward Jared Berggren said. “It was good to finally get a complete effort.”
Though the shots were falling, and that was certainly a big part of the blowout, Wisconsin won again with defense first. The Badgers held Illinois scoreless over the first 6:47 and kept the Illini in single digits through over 16 minutes of play. Despite a 10-0 second half run, the Illini were never able to close within less than 18 down the stretch, finishing the game at just 35 percent shooting, including 2-for-14 from three-point range. To make matters even worse, Wisconsin dominated on the boards, finishing with 18 offensive rebounds and a 43-24 overall rebounding advantage.
“A lot of credit goes to our scout team,” senior forward Mike Bruesewitz said. “They did a great job of getting us ready.”
While Saturday’s win might get the Badgers back on the radar, there is plenty of work left to do in order to solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament and to compete for a Big Ten title. That work begins with Tuesday night’s matchup at No. 5 Indiana, one of just three remaining unbeaten teams (including UW) in conference play.
Despite squeaking out a victory last week in Lincoln, Neb., the Badgers have struggled away from the Kohl Center this season and Indiana is arguably the best team in the country playing on its home floor. With 10 more games against potential tournament teams before a “respite” at Northwestern, the Badgers cannot afford to rest on the laurels of a good start and a statement win.
“That’s probably as good as we’ve played all year,” head coach Bo Ryan said. “But tomorrow we are practicing for next. That’s how short lived this win will be.”
More than anything else, the Badgers need to get back to doing what they do best: playing solid defense, taking care of the ball, and taking good shots. Saturday was one of the first games this season in which they were able to do that on a consistent basis, a good sign heading into this difficult and defining stretch of play.
“The guys are working at it, but we will see what happens in the next game,” Ryan said of the defensive effort. “They are trying to learn the rules, trying to learn our absolutes. It’s a challenge every day.”
“We’ve definitely gotten much better,” Brusewitz added. “But that’s just because we’ve had more possessions and more practice at it."
The hallmark of Wisconsin basketball over the past decade has been consistency, and that is exactly what UW seems to be finding just as the right moment. If the Badgers are able to maintain that consistency over the next month, they will once again find themselves with a high seed come Selection Sunday.
