SPORTS
Tucker pitches in 27 despite injury; Butch adds double-double
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Also by Dave McGrath:
Related Stories:
- Redemption is on Badgers' minds (December 2, 2005)
- Tucker healthy, back in action (February 8, 2005)
- Defense shining through (December 5, 2005)
- Deacons outlast scrappy Badgers (November 30, 2005)
- Badger basketball to contend with Tucker's 8 to 10-week recovery (October 15, 2003)
by Dave McGrath
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. — The Wisconsin men's basketball team was sorely disappointed to lose to Wake Forest Tuesday evening, but right now it has to hope that the game is all it lost.
Star forward Alando Tucker suffered an apparent nose injury in the first half and was taken to get X-rays after the game.
The injury occurred while Tucker was diving for the ball, but it was unclear exactly how he was hurt.
"Honestly, I don't even remember. I just know I was on the court and there was a bunch of bodies," Tucker said.
Tucker came out in the second half wearing a clear plastic face guard, but before two minutes had gone by, he had discarded the mask to the sidelines. Upon removing the mask, however, Tucker also appeared to take off the mask of his game, playing like a man possessed the rest of the way. He scored 23 second-half points, also dishing out three assists.
"I think I was forcing a lot in the first half … and that didn't help us," Tucker said. "Once I started making passes and guys started knocking down shots, I think it made it easier for me."
Youth "not ready yet"
The youth of the Badgers, with only four players being upperclassmen, received lukewarm grades for handling what was, for many of them, their first road game and first nationally televised contest.
"They'll get better. They'll get more confident," head coach Bo Ryan said. "How'd you like to be coming out of high school and have it be a nationally televised game?"
"They did a good job," Brian Butch said. "We just need to keep on improving, though."
First-year starters Butch and Jason Chappell both played admirably, but the lone senior — and also first-year starter — Ray Nixon was held scoreless and played just 12 minutes.
"Really nothing happened tonight that surprised me about this group. We're just not ready yet," Ryan said.
Taylor cool and clutch
Coming into the season, the biggest questions surrounding junior guard Kammron Taylor were those regarding his assist-to-turnover ratio, as he has more career turnovers than dimes.
While that question has yet to be answered, Taylor's 3-point shooting has emerged in the young season.
After Taylor's 4-of-6 showing from 3-point range against Wake Forest, he is now shooting .548 from beyond the arc this year.
"I've done it before and I feel confident," Taylor said.
Not only has Taylor been golden from deep, he has been clutch. At the Paradise Jam tournament, he hit several big 3-pointers, including one to send the game into overtime against Eastern Kentucky.
Against the Demon Deacons, Taylor made it a one-point game with four seconds to play before missing the final shot of the night after a pair of Gray free throws.
"I definitely think I had a shot. It wasn't too hard. I've done it before," Taylor said. "I felt comfortable, but it just didn't go in today."
As far as turnovers are concerned, however, Taylor has a ways to go. He gave the ball away five times against Wake Forest and failed to dish out a single assist.
"A couple of Kam's [turnovers] ended up being on the way to the basket with plenty of contact, and he has to be strong enough to handle that," Ryan said.
Butch coming of age
Butch recorded the first double-double of his career against the Demon Deacons, pocketing 19 points and 10 rebounds, while also tallying two assists and a block.
"We knew we had to [be tough minded]," Butch said.
However, the much-heralded former McDonald's All-American was hindered by foul trouble in the second half, resulting in more minutes for sophomore Greg Stiemsma and Chappell.
"Brian getting his fourth [foul] didn't help us," Ryan said. "Pretty good line for 27 minutes."
ACC/Big Ten Challenge update
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is still up for grabs, as the conferences head into Wednesday night's finale deadlocked in a 3-3 tie.
The Big Ten had a one-game lead heading into Tuesday and picked up wins from Illinois and Michigan.
The No. 12 Illini won the rematch of last year's title game with a 68-64 victory over the Tar Heels, while Michigan stomped Miami by 21 points.
Along with Wake Forest's victory, the ACC picked up another pair of wins thanks to Florida State and Clemson.
The Seminoles rocked Purdue 97-57, while the Tigers took care of Penn State 96-88.
