To say the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s season was a roller coaster is a bit of an understatement.
Bo Ryan’s squad went from a preseason No. 25 ranking to the cellar of the Big Ten, falling to 3-6 after losing six straight Big Ten contests in January.
But the Badgers came back, finishing off the season with a 10-8 record, enough for a fourth place finish in the conference and barely pushing them into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 12 seed.
With a win over No. 5 seed Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Badgers quieted any critics who said Wisconsin didn’t deserve to be in the Big Dance. Regardless, many felt the team underachieved with seniors Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft leading the team vocally and physically.
But like many other sports, particularly in college, it’s difficult to say this season was a bust by any means. The Badgers lost three impact seniors from last season — centers Brian Butch and Greg Stiemsma, and guard Michael Flowers — who all were integral parts in Wisconsin’s record 31 wins and outright Big Ten Championship.
This season, many felt junior guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes underachieved, and perhaps those critics have a case.
Hughes, aside from hitting game-winning shots against Virginia Tech and Florida State, was often the center of attention for the wrong reasons. More often than not, it seemed Hughes forced up shots. It showed, especially during the six-game losing streak, when he went through an abysmal 23-for-65 (35.3 percent) shooting slump.
And it’s not like Bohannon did much better. In fact, he shot worse than Hughes did.
J-Bo’s 15-for-45 (33.3 percent) effort wasn’t exactly the shooting touch the Badgers were hoping for, and while he was able to recover from that slump after the team’s rough patch became a memory, he wasn’t ever able to find the consistent form he had as the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008.
That being said, the Badgers did recover. They were able to salvage their season and claim an NCAA Tournament berth, something many UW fans did not expect, especially after watching the Badgers play the way they did in January.
The past aside, there is much to look forward to. After his strong performance against Iowa, freshman guard Jordan Taylor became a reliable source for Ryan and the Badgers off the bench, providing the necessary spark when needed. Also, when Bohannon was struggling with his shot, the tandem of Hughes and Taylor proved to be quite a formidable backcourt for opponents to handle.
In the middle, the Badgers get to look forward to another year of development for sophomores Keaton Nankivil and Jon Leuer, both of whom showed signs of brilliance during the season. Particularly, Nankivil’s 5-for-5 3-pointer night against Purdue proved he could be a big man who can nail an outside jumper — something very important to Ryan’s swing offense.
As for next season, the Badgers return three starters — Hughes, Bohannon and Leuer — who will look to improve on a bit of a disappointing season, and will also have to make up for the absence of Krabbenhoft and Landry, both of whom were fundamental parts of the team offensively and defensively.
There are reasons to be excited. Taylor and Rob Wilson both made great strides during the season, and with a full summer to practice the swing offense, expect both players to come ready to receive much added playing time next season.
As for the team’s NCAA Tournament chances? Well, when Bo Ryan is at the helm, you can always expect good things. Next season, expect the same, maybe even better.
