Wisconsin Badgers Basketball: Why They Lost

Turns out the Badgers never learned. And it doomed them.

Undersized, but quick teams that like to get out on the break on offense and press on defense have been the UW men’s basketball team’s undoing all season.

When Davidson sophomore Stephen Curry decided to take over in the second half by knocking down off-balance threes, spot up threes in transition, bank shots, and reverse lay-ups, Wisconsin reacted no differently than it had at all season.  It panicked.

The disciplined half-court defense that led the nation in points allowed per game (53.9) fell to pieces faster than a Homer Simpson project. UW players relived their grade school games, leaving their feet on ball fakes and failing to rotate on plays around the basket.

Badger forward Joe Krabbenhoft looked particularly childish trying to defend the baby-faced Curry on one play near the midway point of the second half.

Curry was parked behind the three-point line following a Badger turnover. Krabbenhoft, a member of the Big Ten’s all-defensive team, sprinted and then leapt at Davidson’s star, hoping to block the shot. Curry waited as Krabbenhoft soared by and then calmly swished another triple.

Once shots like that started falling for Davidson, rather than utilizing the team’s size advantage by getting the ball into the post, Wisconsin’s offense abandoned the swing and turned into a steady diet of “I hope this works” threes.

Half of the team’s 46 total shots were from beyond the arc. Consequently, the Badgers were outscored in the paint 22-18.

Defensive specialist Michael Flowers was one of the main culprits of the team’s struggles. Not only was he no match for Curry’s deadly accuracy, he wasn’t a good match for the Badgers in their own offensive set.

He, more than anyone else, unsuccessfully tried to match the sharpshooter punch for punch, sending the kite of victory into the highest, unreachable tree branches. The senior finished just 4-14 from the floor, including 0-6 in the second half.

The problems of the past resurfaced in other ways as well.

Wisconsin had more turnovers than assists, gave up 18 fast break points, and grabbed a measly 26 rebounds, tying a season low.

Davidson scored another eight points in seven seconds or less following a Wisconsin basket. And the Badgers, which have won many times season at the line, missed six free throws down the stretch before the game was in doubt.

Contrary to UW senior center Greg Stiemsma’s reaction — he was shocked at the result saying, “We weren’t expecting it. Just kind of out of nowhere, it comes to an end” — the loss shouldn’t have totally come as a surprise.

The Badgers ran into trouble against Duke and Marquette, who have similar style teams to Davidson, earlier this season, losing by 24 to the Blue Devils and dropping a close game to the Golden Eagles at the Kohl Center.

But those games appeared to have been forgotten with Wisconsin’s recent string of success, including winning both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.

The Badgers, it seemed, had corrected the mistakes of those early season losses. (They won me over.) Shutting down Player of the Year candidate Michael Beasley and winning handily over the Kansas State Wildcats made it seem like this could be the year the Badgers make another deep run in the tournament.

Instead, it was just a veneer. Really, Wisconsin hadn’t faced anyone with the athleticism, quickness, or open court abilities of a team like Davidson.

It doesn't matter now whether UW underestimated its opponent, or simply couldn’t match up with the quickness and good shooters of Davidson.  The season’s over.

The Badgers had their chance and they blew it, and that thought will certainly be something on minds of many during a long off season and beyond.