Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Badger basketball anxious to take on familiar foe

The UW men’s basketball team looks to improve on its undefeated season as it prepares for its next game after dominating the NABC Classic last weekend.

Wisconsin (2-0) faces UW-Milwaukee (0-0) this Saturday at the Kohl Center as head coach Bo Ryan takes on his former team for just the second time since joining UW.

Ryan coached the Panthers for two seasons, going 30-27 at UWM, before coming to Madison. Ryan said the competition between Wisconsin’s Division I schools is a great addition to the schedule each season.

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“It’s good for the state,” Ryan said. “It’s good for basketball. It certainly creates a lot of interest. We have four Division I schools here, and we’re just one of those that believes everyone should play.”

Ryan, who has the highest winning percentage among current Division I coaches, said that he is preparing for UWM the same as every opponent, despite his extensive knowledge of Panther players. He also refuted any possibility that his players did not take the Panthers as a serious opponent.

“Our players get fired up for playing everybody the same way, and that’s always the way that I’ve tried to teach,” Ryan said. “I just always want to get guys to [compete] at the highest level [at] all times while at practice. If you get them to do that, why would you ever have to worry about guys playing hard for a game?”

UWM is led by senior forward Clay Tucker, who averaged 17.6 points per game last season. The Badgers lead the Panthers in the all-time series 18-1.

Last season, the Badgers held off UW-Milwaukee 81-79 in a nail biter at Milwaukee as Devin Harris propelled UW to victory with a steal and fast-break winning lay-up in the closing seconds.

Taking care of the basketball has been a vital part of UW’s success this season. In last weekend’s NABC Classic tournament, the Badgers forced 37 turnovers, stealing the ball 21 times, while turning over the ball only 15 times.

Ryan praised Harris, who has eight steals in the first two games this season, for his leadership at point guard and his natural ability to make plays.

“Genetics have a lot to do with the quick fiber twitch that Devin Harris has,” Ryan said. “He’s quick, and he got that at birth. And he’s worked at it; he’s developed it even further. But Devin is a young man who anticipates and can get there and get some deflections, and that was one of them last year.”

Kirk Penney, who was honored as Big Ten player of the week after his standout play last weekend, torched UWM for 29 points in Bo Ryan’s first match against his former squad last December. Although the Panthers have not played a regular season game yet, Ryan said he expects the Panthers to be focused not only on UW, but winning the Horizon League.

“This is their first game, and they’ve had nothing to do but get ready for opening night,” Ryan said. “[But] they’re getting ready to play a season trying to get everybody better here and not necessarily spending a whole month practicing for Wisconsin.”

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