[media-credit name=’MATTHEW KUTZ/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]It's been two weeks since the Wisconsin men's basketball team began practicing together and head coach Bo Ryan can't wait for his team to play some outside competition.

"Coaches right now pull their hair out and [are] going gray because we don't know how we stack up against any opposition yet, because we are only going up against one another," Ryan said.

Ryan's patience will pay off Saturday when Wisconsin will finally get to play UW-River Falls in its first exhibition game of the 2005-06 campaign.

The Badgers are only returning one regular starter in junior Alando Tucker. Tucker led the Badgers in scoring last year and Ryan expects his squad to lean on Tucker throughout the year.

"Have you seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa?" Ryan said at Sunday's Big Ten Media Day. "We are going to lean on Alando a lot. I want the players to be listening to both me on the bench and Alando on the court. He is not bashful with taking a leadership role, whether in practice or community service. He does things because he wants to help the people around him, not because he wants attention.

"He takes care of the younger players, he is a leader on and off of the court and he takes care of himself," Ryan added. "You could not be around a more pleasant leader."

While a leadership position may have gone to many players' heads, Tucker couldn't be more laid back and thrilled about taking on this new role.

"I'm down to earth," Tucker said. "I also like to hang out with the team. I am a team player. I think each of the 14 other guys on the team understand that. I'm totally for the team and that is why they [are] following me the way they do."

Since Ryan's squad is relatively young, he will rely on Tucker to help motivate the players to play more maturely.

"I want those players to come out of the locker room feeling older," Ryan said. "I want the freshmen to feel like sophomores and I want the sophomores to feel like juniors, and [Tucker] can make them do that."

"I think that deals with maturity in every practice," Tucker said. "At practice we have to come mentally prepared, to learn. Practice prepares you for the games and I just try to make sure in the locker room that everyone is comfortable playing. I don't want any one guy to put pressure on himself. That all comes with building chemistry within the team. It will be key for us."

Along with Tucker, the Badgers will also turn to potential starters Ray Nixon, Kammron Taylor, Brian Butch and Michael Flowers to help lead the maturing squad.

Nixon is the Badgers' lone senior and has seen action in 81 games, including 31 last season. Nixon has also been a part of two Big Ten titles, one Big Ten tournament title and 93 wins since he has been at UW.

The senior has seen a lot, and Tucker expects him to put everything together so he can leave UW with a bang.

"This is [Nixon's] last year and there has to be an urgency from him," Tucker said. "This is the year for him to prove that he's learned, he's battled and he's done things. He has been getting better every year, but this is the year I expect him to put it all together."

After a year of pressure and criticism, Butch is back and appears to be stronger and more confident.

The forward's ability to shoot three-pointers will be an important factor this season. Now a year older, the sophomore has also put the pressure behind him.

"He has gotten past last year and he knows now that he can't put pressure on himself if [he wants] to perform," Tucker said.

Butch and Nixon will be able to showcase their talents Saturday at the Kohl Center. Saturday's game will also give the freshmen a chance to release some of the preseason jitters many younger players face.

"We are excited that we get to play," Tucker said. "It's going to be exciting to play in front of our fans. It also will give us a chance to lose some of those jitters. Some of those [younger] guys don't know what to expect. Walking out under that tunnel in front of 17,000, it's loud. So this will be big for getting out some of those jitters and being able to perform."