Expectations run high for a Badger men’s basketball team after it won a share of the Big Ten crown for the first time since 1947 last season. The Badgers all but shocked the world, making their run to the NCAA tournament behind a lineup that saw significant contributions from players with little prior playing time, including several freshmen.
Much like the 2001-02 campaign, the fate of this Badger season lies increasingly on contributions of the younger players. More this season than any other, the Badgers will have to rely on true freshmen if they want to reach the height of last season’s success.
“I hope a couple of them will be able to step up,” All-American candidate Kirk Penney said, “They’re more than capable of doing that. It’s just a matter of them having confidence in themselves and all of us having confidence in them to perform. It’s exciting.”
But most importantly for the Badgers, for the first time in three seasons, the head-coaching spot is clearly solidified in the hands of Bo Ryan. The Badgers have had three different head coaches in the last three seasons, as the reigns have migrated from Dick Bennett, to Brad Soderberg, to Ryan. With the return of Ryan, the Badgers have reached a level of comfort that had been absent.
“Just coming into the year, you know what’s going on,” Penney said. “It’s a good feeling. Especially running the same system with the same bunch of guys, the nucleus is still here, and we know it.”
That nucleus includes five returning letter winners from last season, three of which are returning starters.
Penney, in his third season as a starter, takes over the leadership role that guard Travon Davis and forward Charlie Wills had held last season. Penney is the Big Ten’s sole returning player from the 2001-02 All-Conference team, after leading the Badgers with 15.1 pointer per game while averaging 4.9 rebounds.
“It’s not easy stopping a guy like Kirk Penney,” Minnesota’s Rick Rickert said. “He’s a phenomenal player who I personally really look up to. He’s just the ideal guy to play with. He just makes his team better by the way he plays.”
Strengthened but not weary after an exposure-building summer with the New Zealand national team, Penney is intensely focused on the season at hand.
“Last year’s season was an amazing experience,” Penney said. “But right now we’re focused on putting a good start on our season. It’s exciting that our first game is this week.”
For the team’s lone senior, Penney sees the reliance on freshmen as no tremendous problem.
“The freshmen are such hard workers, and there’s so much enthusiasm,” Penney said. “It’s just so easy to come to practice every day and see that. The leadership doesn’t always have to be there if the freshmen are that hardworking.”
Along with Penney, sophomore guard Devin Harris and junior center Dave Mader constitute the returning starting nucleus from last season’s squad. Harris had quite possibly the greatest freshman season in the history of UW last year, starting all 32 games of last season while averaging 12.3 points per game and recording 43 steals in a conference that has never been kind to freshmen guards. Harris will be asked to start at point this season, after starting at the two-guard spot last season. Harris played admirably, in spells, backing up Travon Davis last season, but needs to limit his turnovers to have success for himself as well as his team.
Mader, who also started all 32 games last season, will be asked to take an increased role on a team where he becomes the eldest member of the front court. At 6-foot-11, Mader has always been a formidable defensive presence while adding a solid shooting touch for a man of his size. Mader flashed some clutch shooting last season and looks to increase his offensive output while staying out of foul trouble this season.
Sophomore forward Mike Wilkinson and junior guard Freddie Owens account for the rest of the Badgers’ returning letter winners. Wilkinson had a superb freshman season last year, leading the team in rebounds with 5.3 per game while averaging 9.3 points per contest while coming off the bench. Owens, who was the surprise of last season, averaged 8.1 points per game and became an excellent on-ball defender for the Badgers. Both Wilkinson and Owens look to move into the starting lineup this season.
“[When] starting, you have to pick it up a little quicker,” Wilkinson said. “[When] you come off the bench, you get to see what’s happening and adapt a little bit once you get in. The only difference is you’re in the game when the ball gets tipped; you’ve got to be able to get it in the game from the get go … It doesn’t really matter to me.”
With the nucleus of the Badgers established, Bo Ryan and company look to the younger members of the Badger team to add depth and versatility to the team. In the backcourt, the Badgers will depend on freshman Boo Wade to back up Harris at the point. Wade led Milwaukee-Vincent to two state championships while in high school. Alando Tucker, another true freshman, can play both guard and forward for the Badgers, adding flexibility when needed. Walk-ons Ike Ukawuba, Clayton Hanson and John Emerson finish off the backcourt.
Hanson showed that he was a deep threat last season in limited action. Ukawuba is in his third season with the Badgers, while Emerson is in his first.
Down low, the Badgers look for Andreas Helmigk to rebound from a left-knee injury suffered in last season’s early workouts. The 6-foot-9 Austrian received a medical redshirt last season and adds great bulk in the frontcourt. Freshmen Ray Nixon and Jason Chappell contribute to the depth down low. Nixon has shown tremendous talent and jumping ability in early-season practices and has been thought to be a probable starter down the line. Sophomore walk-on Deandre Buchanan is a 6-foot-5 forward who plays much bigger than his size.
As the heavy practices wind down and the preseason heats up, the Badgers look forward to getting the season started against some competition other than themselves and their coaching staff.
“We’re ready to get out there and play with different competition, different people,” Wilkinson said. “We’re just going to see how different people react. Try to get some chemistry going early in the game.”
The excitement seems to be there from the players and staff and hopes to spill over into the fan base.
“There’s nothing like playing in front of a crowd,” Wilkinson said. “Especially here in Madison. They’re the greatest fans, greatest students you could ask for.”
