Men's Hockey
The Wisconsin men's hockey team will kick off the WCHA playoffs hosting Minnesota Duluth this weekend in a best-of-three series.
Head coach Mike Eaves views the series as a must win for the Badgers' NCAA playoff hopes.
“I think we have to take care of business this weekend, and we have to get to St. Paul [for the WCHA Final Five],” Eaves said at his Monday press conference. “I don't know that we have to win [the tournament] out there, but we have to win one or two games there.”
When asked about his team's preparation for the tournament, Eaves emphasized his squad's experience in close games.
"The way we've played in those games has dictated a certain mindset, a certain way of playing," Eaves said.
The head coach also discussed the importance of sophomore goaltender Joel Rumple if UW is to find success this weekend.
“This time of year, you, as a hockey team, look for a young goalie to kind of get hot, get on a roll, and you've got to go with him," Eaves said. "Last year Joel showed how good he could be in Denver, and we're hoping right now that he's the guy. “
Men's Basketball
The Wisconsin men's basketball team begins the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago Friday, playing the winner of Michigan and Penn State's matchup.
The Badgers received a bye for the tournament's first round thanks to their 63-60 win over Penn State and Michigan's 72-71 loss to Indiana, both of which came Sunday.
Head coach Bo Ryan noted the close finishes for both games, pointing out that his team owes its bye to sophomore guard Traevon Jackson's buzzer-beating 3-point shot, while the Wolverines lost after an agonizingly close tip-in rolled out.
“Wasn't [Jackson's 3-pointer] a great shot? Well, not if you're from Michigan, and they played well enough to win,” Ryan said. “But [their tip-in] rolls off, we hit a 30-something footer, and we get to have a bye.“
Ryan explained his team's scouting process as a split between preparations for Penn State and Michigan, noting the tournament's “quick turnaround” as an obstacle for preparing against a specific opponent once the winner is known.
Of little mention at the press conference was Ryan receiving his third Big Ten's Coach of the Year award Monday. Ryan denied the recognition for the most part, choosing instead to celebrate it as a win for Wisconsin.
“Players will tell you that, or at least players that are smart enough to realize, if they get an award, it's because of their teammates,” Ryan said. “But they had the University of Wisconsin there. That's the exciting part. Heard from a lot of alums, a lot of former players—that's good stuff."
