Football
Wisconsin’s (5-1 Big Ten, 8-2 overall) blowout against Indiana last weekend elongated its now five-game win streak. Head coach Gary Andersen, however, didn’t celebrate long before directing his attention to this week’s battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe against Minnesota (4-2, 8-2).
The border battle rivalry will continue this Saturday in the Land of Lakes, while Wisconsin looks to extend its nine-game win streak over the Gophers.
Andersen thinks the matchup between the teams, who have the same overall record, will come down to staying level and managing turnovers.
“Turnovers are going to be a huge factor, just like they are every single week. You saw what a couple of early turnovers could do in the game last week,” Andersen said. “We’ve played very well on offense. I think that will be a key.”
Andersen thinks Minnesota’s strengths are its sound scheme and respected coaching. Unlike many of the teams the Badgers have recently played, Minnesota won’t go for the fast break, but their fly sweep-oriented offense will be able to run the ball in a similar way to Wisconsin.
“Down those lines, we’re very much the same team when it comes to a theory or, I guess, an identity,” Andersen said.
Men’s Basketball
Wisconsin (3-0) anticipates a demanding three-game week at home. After three previous triumphs against solid teams, the players have proven their potential.
“The only thing we know for certain is that we’re 3-0, and what we’ve taken from it remains to be seen,” head coach Bo Ryan said. “They’ve answered the bell. Each of the teams we played definitely had the potential to put us on the right hand side.”
Ryan was pleasantly surprised with the playing of his freshmen, especially forward Nigel Hayes and guard Bronson Koenig.
“[Koenig] has got a lot of basketball skill, a lot of moxy, just knows how to play, can get things done, and he’s learning how to play defense the way we need him to,” Ryan said.
Though Ryan expressed that he would like to have more than a day to prepare for games, the way the schedule was made means Wisconsin will have to recover quickly from its games against North Dakota, Bowling Green and Oral Roberts this week.
“Three different opponents in five and a half days, it better be about what you’re trying to get done, more so than what your opponent brings,” Ryan said. “Even though we do like days to prepare.”
Women’s Volleyball
The Badgers (9-7 Big Ten, 20-8) closed out the last of their home games this season with a loss to No. 2 Penn State and a victory over Ohio State. They will conclude the regular season with four games on the road.
Head coach Kelly Sheffield said he expects to be a seeded team after the Badgers complete next week’s road trip to Michigan and Michigan State.
Despite their loss against Penn State, Sheffield was happy with how his team played.
“[The] two times we played Penn State, I think we held them to their two lowest hitting percentages of the year in conference,” Sheffield said. “We just haven’t been able to generate enough offense.”
Sheffield says the next two games will be a battle to win, improve and be a seeded team, which he believes is attainable with the improvement of junior outside hitter Ellen Chapman and junior outside hitter Deme Morales.
“Chapman is getting a lot better out there,” Sheffield said “Deme’s ball control is getting a lot better. Our connection with our middles is getting a lot better.”
Women’s Basketball
Wisconsin looks to continue its undefeated season against Alabama this Thursday and extend their first 3-0 start since 2009. Head coach Bobbie Kelsey admitted they still have a long way to go, even after the early-season success.
“I know the last two years we struggled in the beginning, but we finally have some pieces there that we need to compete on the level that we are expecting ourselves to compete on,” Kelsey said.
Kelsey is also anticipating the chemistry between sisters redshirt junior forward Michala Johnson and freshman forward Malayna Johnson to be explosive once Malayna has more practice under her belt.
In contrast to last year when the team led the Big Ten in turnovers, according to Kelsey, the Badgers are handling the ball well with the help of sophomore guard Dakota Whyte.
“I think we really made a concerted effort to not make plays that just aren’t there,” Kelsey said. “I think some of our turnovers last year was just trying to force things. Some of it was just we were tired. We didn’t have a sub last year.”
Men’s Soccer
For the first time since 1995, Wisconsin (4-2-0, 13-4-2) qualified for the NCAA tournament. They will play their first game at the McClimon Soccer Complex this Thursday against Milwaukee (5-2 Horizon League, 15-2-2), and hope to add to their perfect home season. Though not surprised, head coach John Trask expressed his excitement for his team’s success, and for them to be put to the test.
“I think we’re right about where we were hoping to be,” Trask said. “I know our guys are really looking forward to playing at least one more game in Madison.”
Trask said he expects Milwaukee to be a tough challenge, and that at this point in the season his ultimate goal is to advance. He also asserted that the team’s best playing has yet to be seen.
“There’s always a little bit of worry on our end as coaches to make sure that we’re locked in, we’re dialed in for what’s next,” Trask said. “I think there’s more in this team.”
