Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - February 20, 2014

Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.

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18 // VARSITY February 20, 2014 BY MATT LEPAY // VOICE OF THE BADGERS THE VOICE F or the last 37 years, the Big Ten Conference has led the nation in basketball at- tendance. The league is hitting turnstile figures not seen since the 1989-90 season. Big, vocal crowds help turn a game into a happening. For years, we have heard about how hard it is to win on the road. It is true, but this year one of the sto- rylines has been the success of the visiting teams. Call it the "Road Court Advan- tage." Of the six games played last weekend, the home teams went a collective 1-5, with Purdue the only team to protect its floor. In addition to the Badgers' victory at Michigan, Iowa won at Penn State, Ohio State knocked off Illinois, Minnesota held off Northwestern and Nebraska turned a few heads at Michigan State. Winning on the road might be news to many teams in college basketball, but to the Badgers, it is more like business as usual. Since Bo Ryan became the Bad- gers' head coach, Wisconsin has the Big Ten's best road record. In fact, with a 73-68 mark since the 2001- 02 season, the Badgers are the only conference team with a winning record in hostile environments over that span. That alone should tell you how challenging it is to have success away from familiar sur- roundings. This season, the Badgers are 9-2 in buildings not named the Kohl Center, and 6-2 in true road games (they beat St. John's in Sioux Falls, S.D., and knocked off Saint Louis and West Virginia in Cancun). So how do they do it? The simple answer is the Badgers are just good, period. More often than not, they are good defensively, and they pro- tect the basketball. On most nights, those good habits will at least give you a chance. The players also know what to expect when they travel. In fact, it might seem like Groundhog Day, but there are very few surprises on a Badgers road trip. From when and what they eat, to the practice schedule, they know what is coming their way on a roadie. Athletes tend to be creatures of habit. Ryan certainly is, and for him, it started very early in his basket- ball playing days. "We always played Saturday mornings," said Ryan. "I would always have the same breakfast ― Wheaties by the way ― and yes, we did win the championship." Breakfast of Champions, right? Ryan remembers he would tend to take the same route to the gym, and such a routine extended to other sports he played, including baseball. "The old stuff that starts in Little League. Which socks you were wearing. What you wore under- neath your shirt." Habit or superstition? For Ryan, the words may very well mean the same thing. "Any athlete that tells you he doesn't have superstitions ― I fail to believe that. "If they tell you they don't have any, that is their superstition ― they don't have any," he chuckled. With Ryan's Badgers, when they hit the road, they like to practice as close to game time as possible. In other words, if they have a 7 p.m. game at Illinois, Ryan prefers to practice the night before as close to 7 as possible. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but if the floor is available, he will do it. When the team takes its charter flights, there will be sandwiches waiting for them. Turkey or ham. Every trip. When they arrive, they eat their meals at the hotel. No outside reser- vations are needed. On game day, they will have their final scouting report. Then the pregame meal, always four hours before tip. The practices themselves are much the same every day ― at home or on the road. Basic funda- mental drill work. Passing, post moves, etc. Then it is onto scrimmage work, or as they call it, "possessions," where the scout team runs the of- fense and defense of the Badgers upcoming opponent. Then some shooting drills, followed by free throws. Almost without exception, the players know what is next. Yes, it can seem like Groundhog Day, but it works extremely well. For this program, and especially for this head coach, the Badgers' road record is a good reason why their travel habits ― or superstitions ― are worth embracing. Road record says habits worth hanging on to

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