We’ve seen Trevon Hughes make game-winning shots, unthinkable passes and remarkable defensive plays.

But the senior guard has also baffled Badger fans with his wild shots, ball-handling miscues and inexcusable turnovers.

So, the biggest question mark heading into the men’s basketball season isn’t necessarily Jon Leuer’s and Keaton Nankivil’s ability to perform down low, or even Jason Bohannon’s stroke from beyond the arc.

Instead, we’re looking at the third-year starting guard, who can either make or break this basketball team.

Hughes has no doubt shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career at UW. Last year alone, he made game-winning baskets against Virginia Tech and, more impressively, against Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

In terms of raw talent, Hughes might have the most on the entire roster. His 12.1 points per game last season lead all returning players, as do his 2.8 assists per game and 1.5 steals per game — clearly solid numbers for a role player on any squad.

But this season, unlike the last two, Hughes can’t just be a role player. After losing forwards Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft to graduation, Hughes will need to take a more forward approach to the Badgers’ offensive scheme. Whether that role be a facilitator or scorer is yet to be determined, but looking at his stats from last year, it’s fairly obvious where Hughes needs to improve in order to ensure the Badgers’ success.

First, Hughes must improve on his decision-making, which in the past has led to turnover-rich performances. Last year, he led the team with 62 turnovers, which amounted to 1.88 per game, not exactly the type of numbers you want out of your point guard.

But at the same time, that number doesn’t do Hughes’ poor decision-making enough justice. In the Badgers’ 13 losses last year, the senior guard averaged nearly one more turnover per game than his regular season average. In two games, he turned the ball over five times, and in one instance, he coughed it up six times.

Now believe me, I have stood by Hughes since the beginning of last year, when Badger fans were worried about the defensive void Michael Flowers left in the UW backcourt. But I supported Hughes (and was reprimanded by readers accordingly) when I said Wisconsin would not miss Flowers’ defense because, frankly, Hughes is more talented than the former UW guard.

I still stand by that, and I still believe Hughes has what it takes to be a great player for Bo Ryan and Wisconsin.

But this time, he might want to take a lesson from Flowers, the guard who did a lot with a little.

While the Badgers lost Landry and Krabbenhoft, that does not necessarily mean Hughes must make up for the scoring void the two left behind. Instead, he should let the big men take care of that problem and do what he did last year when the Badgers were winning games — passing the ball and avoiding costly turnovers.

One of the things Hughes and Bohannon always comment on — and one aspect Ryan focuses on in decision-making — is assists-to-turnover ratio, and if Hughes can keep that in check, he and the Badgers will be much better off.

In 2006-07, Flowers had nearly a 2-to-1 assists-to-turnover ratio, something that kept him in the starting lineup and made him a fan favorite. In that season, he only averaged 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds, but it was his smart play that led to one of the best regular seasons in UW history and, at one point, a No. 1 national ranking.

Obviously, attaining that goal without the talent of Alando Tucker, Kammron Taylor and Brian Butch will be difficult to accomplish. But at this point, the Badgers don’t need Hughes to be any of those players. Instead, they need quite the opposite.

A starting senior backcourt could do wonders for the men’s basketball team. Bohannon won’t be in as many situations to lose the ball as Hughes will, so his decision-making will be exemplified by the number of 3-pointers he nails on a game-by-game basis.

Hughes, on the other hand, will face the pressure of going up against strong Big Ten defenders and will be the anchor for the offense. But instead of doing it all himself, he might want to look down low to Leuer and Nankivil. He won’t need to be the flashy scorer that he probably wants to be, but you can bet Bo and the rest of the team will benefit greatly from his hopeful improvement.

Jonah is a junior majoring in journalism and Hebrew and Semitic studies. What should Hughes’ role be on the men’s basketball team? Send your thoughts to [email protected].