SPORTS
Wisconsin not up to ‘Challenge’ in defeat
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Also by Kevin Hagstrom:
- Family comes 1st for ex-Badger WR (December 11, 2007)
- Nothing special about UW power play (December 10, 2007)
- Confident UW squad faces off against Minnesota State (December 7, 2007)
- Sophomores to play for U.S.A. (December 6, 2007)
- Hill of a pickle for UW tailback (December 5, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Full-court defense forces UW out of rhythm (November 28, 2007)
- Duke on docket in 2007 (April 17, 2007)
- No. 7 Blue Devils, 'Crazies' await Badgers (November 27, 2007)
- Duke rolls over Temple (December 5, 2001)
- Coach K. a Blue Devil for remainder of career (November 14, 2001)
by Kevin Hagstrom
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
DURHAM, N.C. — From the opening tip, Wisconsin was
overmatched.
Duke (7-0) dictated the tempo and Wisconsin (5-1) couldn't
catch up, as it fell for the first time this season 82-58 at Cameron Indoor
Stadium.
Wisconsin clung to Duke's intensity early, finding itself
trailing by just one about five minutes into the game. But a constricting
full-court press took the Badgers out of their game plan and forced them into
difficult shots and miscues.
"It might have been the best team I ever played," UW guard
Joe Krabbenhoft said, who finished with four points. "They imposed their will,
they really did."
Trevon Hughes, who entered the night leading Wisconsin in
scoring at 19.4 points per game, was shut down. He finished just 4 shots of 13
from the floor for 12 points, nine of those coming in the second half. The
sophomore also got into early foul trouble, making it harder for the UW offense
to function without its primary ball-handler.
"There's no question it affects what our plans were, but in
games you've got to figure out another way to get things done," UW head coach
Bo Ryan said.
Not only did Duke bring the intensity on defense, it also
outhustled a bigger Wisconsin team, leading to some easy buckets in transition
despite having played five games in nine days.
"We wanted to get up the court," Duke guard Gerald Henderson
said. "We thought that we were faster than them, a lot quicker than them, and
we thought the training that we do and the conditioning that we do could really
be used to our advantage, and I think we did that in the first half getting
some easy buckets."
They made them count. In the first half alone, Duke scored
14 points off Wisconsin turnovers compared to just one point going the other
way.
The fast-paced game also allowed the Blue Devils to spread
the court more and find open players on the outside. Duke used runs of 9-2, 8-2
and 11-4 highlighted by the three-ball to build a one point lead to 18, 36-18,
with 6:48 left in the first half.
"I think that stretch hurt our psyche," UW head coach Bo
Ryan said.
Freshman Taylor King and junior Greg Paulus combined for
five treys during that time.
"We were able to make it a perimeter game, and that's why we
won," Kryzewski said.
For the game, the two totaled 33 points and nine threes, and
were two of five players to score in double figures for the Blue Devils.
"Having guys that can really shoot the ball and drive really
spaces the floor, … and we get open shots," Henderson said.
Once the three-ball started dropping for Duke — it went 9 of
16 in the first half, 11 of 24 for the game — the crowd of 9,314 "Crazies"
kicked into high gear and made it almost impossible for Wisconsin.
"It really gives you a lot of energy even though you might
be tired and really pushes you," Henderson said.
By halftime Duke had built a 23-point cushion, 48-25.
Wisconsin played better in the second half, matching Duke
bucket for bucket, but in a game it trailed by nearly 20 points throughout, the
effort was not enough, as it faced such a grave deficit against a talented
team.
"If anything could go wrong for us, it did," Ryan said. "We
dug ourselves a hole … and when you're playing down in a hole like that, it's
almost impossible in a place like this to come back."
For all of the Wisconsin players who weren't quite sure how
playing at Cameron Indoor would be, they found out the hard way.
"When they talk about this place and how tough of a place to
play it is, I see why now," UW guard Joe Krabbenhoft said.
Still, Krabbenhoft made it a point to note the team learned
its lesson and won't let the mistakes that happened Tuesday night occur again.
"We were disappointed we didn't represent the Big Ten very
well, but we can play better than that, and, if given another opportunity, I
know we're going to play better next time," he said.
One player who didn't seem bothered by the noise or
atmosphere was freshman Jon Leuer, who had his best game as a Badger. He poured
in 12 points.
"He doesn't care about where he was playing," Ryan said. "He
might not even know he was here at Duke. Jon just plays, doesn't have an excuse
for anything, never says a word, he just plays."
Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 7:59am):
Great article Kevin! We only got to go to Wake. -Shannon V
Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 10:06am):
I've watched the Badgers inability to handle the press for the last 5 years. The opposing teams have caught on, Bo.
What's quite ironic, is Bo Ryan's teams from Plattville were known for effectively applying the press. Yet here at Wisconsin, they can't break the press and they never apply it.
Also, we don't need anymore 6'11" clumsy, skinny, slow white guys.
Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 1:13pm):
I'm curious why the Badger guards (playing man to man) were trying to defend their probably quicker man way outside practically at mid court. All their man had to do was get past them (not hard for anyone of equal or greater quickness when played that close) and now they had a one man advantage (break) and could dribble inside (into all that open space) and/or pass to an open player for a three point shot. Trying to defend under those conditions would wear anyone out - part of the reason they did not have enough gas to play reasonable offense.
Bo is a great coach - so I'm wondering what they were trying to do.
Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 2:40pm):
I turned this game off when Duke committed that blatant (uncalled) foul for the "steal" under Wisconsin's basket, then dribbled up the court to climb up the back of the Wisconsin defender for the (called) foul.
What a disgrace. I know NCAA rules forbid coaches from public comment but Bo's gaping expression said it all.
I've seen much worse Duke officiating but that was really over the top. Click--> OFF
Why does anyone even bother playing at Cameron anymore? The biased officiating at Cameron is such a disgrace.
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