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With Bo?s Badgers off to an 11-3 start and emerging as a favorite to once again come away with the conference crown, a lot of praise has been directed toward newcomer Zach Morley, Austrian Andreas Helmigk and UW?s ever-reliable power forward Mike Wilkinson.
The depth of the Badger frontcourt was one of the big question marks heading into the season, and thus far UW?s big men have exceeded or at least met many people?s expectations.
Equally as responsible for Wisconsin?s success at this stage in the season, however, has been the solid play of the Badgers? floor-savvy guards.
Devin Harris and his backcourt mates have not only demonstrated an ability to take defenders off the dribble and knock down the long ball, but have also gotten the job done on the block.
?Our guards have done a great job of taking other guards in the post,? said Wilkinson, who pulled down a game-high nine rebounds in Wisconsin?s loss to Purdue Wednesday. ?We don?t know how many people work on post defense if you?re a guard, so it might be something different for a few teams.?
Due to the structure of Coach Ryan?s variation of the swing offense, the Badger guards have to be comfortable scoring with their backs to the basket.
And personally, I haven?t seen a more efficient and versatile guard in the Big Ten in this area of the game than UW sophomore Boo Wade — at least not this season.
Wade has put his pterodactyl-like wingspan to use, abusing would-be shot blockers with an array of post moves.
Not unlike many players who do their work in the land down under, though, he does have a go-to move in the paint. While Wade has made use of an effective drop-step and up-and-under move, his jump hook has seemingly become his bread and butter on the block, a shot he would like to become as dangerous with using his left hand as his right.
?I?ve got to work a lot on my left-hand jump hook,? Wade said. ?My right is all right, but my left-hand jump hook I?ve got to get down. I?ve been working on it during my off time and in practice. Right now, I?ve got to get the technique down for me to start using it.?
Helping Wade get that technique down has been UW assistant coach Rob Jeter.
Jeter, a former standout for Coach Ryan?s UW-Platteville Pioneers from 1988 to 1991, has been instrumental to Wade and the other Badger guards? improvement in the paint.
He joined Wisconsin?s staff prior to the 2001-02 season, and his tutelage over the past three years has become an invaluable asset to Bo?s backcourt.
?Rob Jeter, for him to be the height he is — every day in practice he goes at the big men like Mike (Wilkinson) and Dave (Mader), and he?s able to get the jump hook over them anytime,? Wade said. ?So, he?s been my biggest inspiration in me being a post guard.?
With a bulk of the physical Big Ten season still remaining, the UW guards will need to continue their solid play on the block.
The conference is loaded with tough defensive stoppers like Purdue?s Kenneth Lowe and Illinois? Dee Brown, and unlike many of Wisconsin?s non-conference foes, their Big Ten opponents have already been exposed to Ryan?s high-low working offense.
Lowe, for example, held Devin Harris to just 12 points on 4-10 shooting in the Badgers? loss to the Boilermakers Wednesday.
Granted, Purdue is an all-around tough team, especially in Mackey Arena, but Harris and company weren?t able to have their way inside like they were in many of UW?s other games this season.
If history is any indication, Ryan, Jeter and the other members of the Wisconsin coaching staff will have the Badgers prepared to bounce back in their matchup with the Wolverines Wednesday. But with Daniel Horton and Michigan?s scrappy, experienced backcourt on the slate, UW?s guard play on the block will once again be put to the test.
Whether the Badgers will wind up extending their home-winning streak to 23 games remains to be seen.
One thing is certain, however. Boo Wade, Freddie Owens and the other Wisconsin guards? ability to manage the game both on the perimeter, as well as on the inside, will be vital to UW?s success in every game from here on out.
