A blizzard did not descend on Madison Wednesday, but dark clouds certainly began to collect over Bo Ryan’s Badgers leading up to tip off.
After learning early in the week that they would be without forward Alando Tucker for the remainder of the season, sophomore starter Boo Wade was behind bars Wednesday afternoon after being charged with felony battery.
Even though Ryan would be hesitant to admit it, his team needed a lift.
Enter Devin Harris.
The junior from Wauwatosa rode the lightning of controversy and frustration to the edge of perfection against Minnesota, connecting on 10-of-12 field goals and 13-of-14 free throws for a commanding 38-point performance.
“Devin Harris was too much. He’s an NBA player,” Minnesota head coach Dan Monson said. “I think he’s the best player in this league for a reason because when they were struggling he put them on his back.”
And the Badgers did sputter, surrendering a lead they had kept for the entire game in the first five minutes of the second half. Freshman phenom Kris Humphries proved to be about as much as the Wisconsin post could handle, and when the Gophers looked to turn the momentum, Harris did prop the team on his back and guided the Badgers to what ended in an 80-66 rout of the Gophers.
“[Harris did] an unbelievable job of recognizing what was there and not forcing it and being a very intelligent and gritty player,” Ryan said.
After producing a relatively quiet 14 points in the first half, Harris battled his way through the hardnosed Gopher defense with a barrage of crossover dribbles, pull-up threes, and one ridiculous reverse to score 24 of his team’s 47 points in the second half.
“It’s amazing,” junior forward Zach Morley said of Harris’ three-game stretch where he has recorded a combined 97 points. “Let him keep firing if they keep going in.”
Harris’ 38 points were just four shy of Michael Finley’s school-record 42 he set Dec. 10, 1994, at Eastern Michigan.
While the Badgers’ sinewy superstar is quickly finding himself among the nation’s best, receiving praise from basketball pundits across the country, it was Ryan who handed down possibly the finest compliment in reference to Harris’ flirtation with perfection: “I can’t say there’s been too many times where you’ve seen a player in the country take the line straight across,” Ryan said. “But, find somebody that had a better game this week when it was truly needed.”
In this, Harris is earning his greatness, taking command at key junctures and playing smart, disciplined basketball.
It was not so long ago that Harris was struggling with his shot and had to defer at times when he could not bear the load by himself. And instead of over-analyzing, Ryan left it to Harris to find his mark and become the player that has run the floor these past three weeks as a man possessed.
In losing Wade, Harris could not defer the responsibility of the point position, and despite the tight coverage and the problems his teammates displayed in taking care of the ball, Harris did not commit a single turnover. He simply is not making mistakes. Even with all the injuries, setbacks, and now possibly the threat of going the rest of the season without two starters, Harris has calmly led the Badgers and they have persevered.
“This team just doesn’t fall down,” Harris said.
And neither does Harris.
