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understand what you're going through. You can talk to them and get feedback." Gasser and Wurtz were grateful for all the support that they received from people that they didn't even know. But there were times, Gasser admitted, when someone might say, "I know what you're going through," when in reality "You really don't know what I'm going through," he noted. Everyone was so well-meaning, he added, and their encouragement was uplifting. "But until you actually go through an injury or sit out a season and go through the surgery, you really don't understand what it feels like," Wurtz said. "I appreciated it, though, because everybody wanted to be there for me." In the end, Gasser and Wurtz were overwhelmed by the backing they received, and it was not only from those closest to them ― "I was blessed to have teammates and coaches and family to support me," Wurtz said ― but it was from outsiders who watched them battle back from their injuries. "To know people cared about what I was going through is nice to hear, and humbling," Gasser said. "They'll have a daughter or a son going through an ACL and I try to give feedback to everyone I can because when I was going through the rehab process I wanted to get any type of information I could." Gasser and Wurtz learned something about themselves during their one-year exile from the sport. Surely, it was something they probably knew all along, but it was confirmed when basketball was taken away from them and they couldn't practice or play with their teammates. "Just missing the whole year, just learning a lot from watching, I realized how much I love it," said Gasser, who's cognizant of that every time he steps on the court. "It brings extra fuel and motivation to me, and that's good. I just want to win so badly and now I think that has been elevated even more." To no one's surprise, Wurtz has experienced the very same things. "Absolutely," she said. "I have a whole new level and love for the game. I've always had a passion for it, but even more so now. Especially this being my last year, I just want to take it all in, every practice and every moment." • • • • "Just missing the whole year, just learning a lot from watching, I realized how much I love it," said Gasser. "It brings extra fuel and motivation to me, and that's good." aylor Wurtz has always had the ability to mask pain. "I'm not a big complainer and I like to be able to handle things on my own," she said. "That's one of my faults. I have to be able to reach out sometimes and say, 'Look, it's too much pain."' Wisconsin coach Bobbie Kelsey saw the distress signs. "She was hurting," Kelsey said. "Now, Taylor is the type of kid, she's not going to tell you. But we could tell. She was limping and she was grimacing; things that you can't hide if you're in pain." On Nov. 25, 2012, Wurtz scored 11 points and pulled down six rebounds in a win over Evansville. She played just 18 minutes; she had reached a breaking point. Three days later, she didn't accompany the team to Virginia Tech for a Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup. She was shut down until further notice. T 27