Wisconsin Badgers: 23-9, 14-6 in the Big Ten
Head coach: Greg Gard (4th season)
Players to watch: Ethan Happ (17.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.6 APG); D’Mitrik Trice (11.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, 40.0 3PT%); Brad Davison (10.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG)
Season recap: Wisconsin had a slow start to the season, playing only seven nonconference games before the start of Big Ten play in late December. The Badgers beat the teams they should have, taking care of teams like Houston Baptist and Oklahoma with almost consummate ease. Their lone loss was to Virginia, who they played close for most of the game, only dropping the contest by seven.
The Badgers fought hard through a tough Big Ten slate, picking up quality wins against Michigan and then-No.21 Maryland while losing a pair to Michigan State, including their most recent contest against the Spartans in the conference tournament semifinal. Wisconsin posted a strikingly average performance in its conference tournament, squeaking by Nebraska before going down early in the semifinal and failing to recover, losing by a final score of 67-55.
Simply put, the Badgers have relied on Ethan Happ to form their style of play. The senior is their leading scorer, and also their leading rebounder by a wide margin. Nobody else averages more than four and a half boards a game, while Happ posts 10.1. But perhaps the most striking statistic is in the assist column, where Happ also leads the squad with 4.7 per game. This is a nearly unheard of statistic for a player of his stature, coming in at 6-foot-10, 237 pounds, but he has handled the ball a good amount on a team whose success revolves around him.
How they make a run: This one is clear: senior Ethan Happ must have the tournament of his life. His supporting cast is just that— supporting. If he can post a few career performances, he has enough behind him to carry Wisconsin to the later rounds.
How they falter: The 3-point shot for the Badgers falters. Behind Happ, four players commanding significant minutes are shooting north of 37 percent from downtown. If the shots don’t fall, Wisconsin will.
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