Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/106718
THE VOICE M AT T LE PAY • VOIC E OF T H E B A DGERS Once again, Badgers walking a fine line I n the years I have written this blog, I have used the words "fine" and "line" rather frequently. Here I go again. For the third straight game, and for the fourth time in conference play, the Badgers have failed to get out of the 40s. Yet they have won two of those four games, and they remain in the mix for a high finish in the league race. After Tuesday's loss at Ohio State, that might seem odd, but it is very much the case. What might also seem odd is that, offensively challenged as the Badgers can be, their shooting numbers are very similar to a year ago. In conference games, Wisconsin's field goal and 3-point percentages are nearly identical to last season. In fact, the Badgers are averaging one more bucket per game than last winter. The difference is at the free throw line. The league-low free throw percentage is well documented. After not even getting to the foul line in Columbus, the Badgers are averaging 13 attempts per game and making 6.7. Last year, UW attempted 16.7 free throws and knocked down 13 a game (77 percent). That is more than a half-dozen points off the board. Still, Bo Ryan's team is 5-3 in the Big Ten, which is exactly where they stood at this time last year. Second-half defensive struggles against Ohio State aside, this group continues to grind away on 18 » VARSITY JANUA RY 31, 2013 that end of the floor, and more often than not, it continues to hold its own on the glass. However, as the Buckeyes demonstrated earlier this week, a defensive breakdown here, or a turnover that leads to easy points there, can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Even if it happens on just a handful of possessions, as was the case at Value City Arena. Once again the Badgers walk a fine line. However, in the nation's top conference, there is reason to believe they are not the only team fitting that description. It is worth noting that Tuesday's game was the fifth in the last six outings against a top 25 team. While college basketball rankings have a much different meaning than college football polls, the point here is that the Badgers have had quite a stretch of tests against opponents many consider to be the big boys of the sport. For the season, Wisconsin has faced seven nationally-ranked programs, more than anyone else in the nation. That is not to suggest that UW is about to enter Easy Street. Far from it. Up next is Illinois. In the first meeting in Madison, the Badgers put together a brilliant performance in a convincing win. Yet this is the same Illini squad that drilled Ohio State by 19 points and also won at Gonzaga. Ranked or unranked, when Illinois is playing at its best, it can play with anyone. So can the Badgers. As we approach the halfway point of conference play, it is becoming clear that, in the Big Ten, the grueling schedule has a way of keeping every team in the league humble. Let's face it, so far there appears to be very little separating first place from the middle of the pack. Some teams might look the part more than others, but the results suggest that looks can be deceiving. Once again the Badgers walk a fine line. However, in the nation's top conference, there is reason to believe they are not the only team fitting that description. Yes, they need to somehow find a way to shoot straight. They need to find a way to get to the foul line, and then finish the deal when they get there. While far from perfect, on most occasions the Badgers are doing enough things well to at least give themselves a chance. I still believe that if they keep guarding ― and grinding away ― they can make the second half of the Big Ten season very interesting.