Returning the entirety of a Final Four team save one high-volume shooter in guard Ben Brust, you wouldn’t blame head coach Bo Ryan for changing as little as possible with his team. However, judging from what has been seen in practice and the Red/White Scrimmage, there are some changes coming to the rotations.
All expected changes in roles stem from two questions: “Who takes Brust’s starting spot?” and “Who takes his minutes at guard?”
If I had to hazard a guess on the first question, it’s sophomore forward Nigel Hayes. The 2013-’14 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year looks like he’s adopted a role much closer to the small forward role than last season, where he spent most time as a more traditional bruising big man.
In the scrimmage, Hayes attempted four 3-pointers (he attempted none last year) and moved with the ball around the perimeter much more than we’ve come to expect from him.
This role should shift junior forward Sam Dekker into more of a power forward spot, where he might be better suited due to the star’s apparent offseason growth spurt. The new Hayes and Dekker look like they could complement each other nicely as starters.
As for the minutes at guard, it looks like there will be a battle between redshirt sophomore Zak Showalter and sophomore Jordan Hill.
Showalter saw real minutes as a freshman before redshirting last year and is known for fitting the strong defense and rebounding requirements of the traditional Wisconsin guard. If he can make any strides offensively, he’s an ideal guard for Ryan.
Hill is an interesting case, one of the least-heralded recruits in last year’s six-man recruiting class. Since riding the bench pretty much all of last year, Hill has revolutionized his game over the offseason. His deep shot seems much more reliable and his athleticism means he could be a true asset defensively.
Much more will change in the roster, but those two things seem the most apparent now.
