42 // VARSITY April 10, 2014
UW projected to duplicate
successful year in 2014-15
Badgers return core from 2014 Final Four team
A
s heartbreaking as Wis-
consin's Final Four loss
was, that one game will
not trump the excitement and
success that the entire 2013-
14 season provided.
In fact, that national semifi-
nal game may become a faint
memory once October hits, as
national pundits are already
projecting a big season from
the Badgers in 2014-15.
Despite the loss of do-it-all
sharpshooter Ben Brust, UW
returns four starters and one
of the most talented and pro-
ductive benches in the country
next year, which includes Big
Ten Sixth Man of the Year Ni-
gel Hayes.
"(Wisconsin) is a team that
basically has everyone com-
ing back," Eammon Brennan
of ESPN.com said. "Frank Ka-
minsky and Sam Dekker could
both be player of the year can-
didates. I think Dekker is on
the verge of a breakout cam-
paign and they also bring back
two key pieces in the back
court with (Josh) Gasser and
(Traevon) Jackson and also
freshman Nigel Hayes in the
front court."
Hours after the final horn
sounded on the national title
game, numerous publications
were already releasing their
"ridiculously early" top 25 rankings for
next season, with the Badgers falling in
nearly everyone's top-five.
Bleacher Report (No. 1), CBSSports.com
(No. 3), ESPN.com (No. 4) and Sporting
News (No. 4) have all heralded UW as a
national title contender next season due
to the amount of scoring, experience and
depth it brings back in 2014, a combina-
tion that will hopefully help the Badgers
duplicate another magical run in the Big
Dance beginning next March.
"Wisconsin is going to be back next
year ― and the team will be good enough
to be a national title threat once again,"
CBSSports.com's Jeff Borzello said. "Wis-
consin might not get over (the Final
Four) loss in a day, a week, or even ever.
It was an awful way to lose, and the Bad-
gers won't forget it. But it will be motiva-
tion for next season, and the Badgers will
build off of it.
"The pieces are there for another deep
run in next year's NCAA Tournament.
And Wisconsin knows it."
INSIDE
MEN'S BASKETBALL
BY PATRICK HERB @BADGERMBB
