In the early weeks of the 2001-02 season, despite their 2-5 record, the young Badger basketball team has been achieving higher and higher levels of individual success.
Against Temple on Monday night, guard Devin Harris had career highs in numerous categories. His 24 points were the most of his short, yet productive career at UW. Harris’ 13 rebounds, which led the team, were also a career high.
Perhaps the most astounding statistic to come out of the Temple game was Harris’ launching of 20 three-pointers, which shattered Michael Finley’s mark of 16 threes attempted against Eastern Michigan in 1994. Harris’ six three-pointers made was also a career best.
Freddie Owens really came to life against Temple, displaying his athleticism and some outside touch en route to scoring a career-high 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. The three-point baskets were the first Owens has made since nailing a desperation shot from over midcourt against Tennessee last season. Owens’ six boards were also the most of his two-year career.
Senior guard Travon Davis has played in far more career games than his backcourt mates Harris and Owens, but that didn’t stop him from setting some personal highs in the last week as well.
In last Wednesday’s loss to Georgia Tech, Davis scored a career-high 14 points while attempting only five shots. His six free throws made were also a career best, and his six free-throw attempts tied his previous high. Davis also set a personal best against Temple by dishing out eight assists.
Super Frosh: Devin Harris has continued to impress during the opening weeks of his true freshman season.
Harris has been averaging 15.1 points per game to lead the team in scoring, and has also contributed four rebounds per contest. He leads the team in free-throw shooting percentage, hitting 83 percent from the charity stripe. Harris also has the most blocks on the team, with six. Perhaps the most impressive stat Harris has put up this season is minutes played. He has often been asked to carry much of the offensive load for the squad, and has averaged 36.1 minutes per game, the most on the team. Travon Davis is second with 32.4 minutes per game.
Harris is one of only six Big Ten players to rank in the top 10 in at least four statistical categories. He is among the top 10 in the conference in free-throw percentage, scoring, three-pointers made, and blocked shots. The short list of players in the top 10 of four categories includes elite players such as Indiana’s Jared Jeffries and Iowa’s Luke Recker.
Strange Stats: Some say that the statistics never lie about a team’s performance. In the Badgers’ case, this is probably true, but one thing is for sure: some of them just don’t explain why the Badgers are 2-5. The Badgers have led at halftime in four of their last six games, and have gone on to lose four games while winning only two. The Badgers have lost both of the games in which they were behind at the half. Maybe the Badgers shouldn’t protect the basketball. When the Badgers have logged more turnovers than their opponents, which occurred in the games against UW-Green Bay, Hawaii-Hilo, Temple, and Weber State, they have gone 2-2. The Badgers have played three games in which they recorded fewer turnovers then their opponent. UW lost all of these games, against UNLV, Hawaii, and Georgia Tech.
The Badgers have yet to win a game in which they have committed less than 10 turnovers, going 0-1. UW’s two wins have come in games in which they have turned the ball over more than 10 times.
The Badgers have struggled at times to get to the free-throw line. Maybe this is less of a problem and more of a solution for UW. The Badgers’ only two wins have come when they have attempted less than 25 free throws. The Badgers lost the only game in which they attempted more than 25 free throws, against Hawaii.
