Wisconsin Badgers: Final Four Bound

November 5th, 2007, pre-season polls are released. The Wisconsin Badgers nowhere to be seen in the Top 25, let alone the top 35. Alando Tucker, 1st Team All-American graduated, a first-round pick with the Suns. Kammron Taylor playing in a top league in Europe, graduated as well. 

Michigan State projected to win the Big Ten, Drew Neitzel was going to be the Big Ten player of the Year. Indiana was going to be a powerhouse with D.J White and the freshman phenom Eric Gordon. Ohio State had lost Oden and Conley are still projected to be a top 25 team with freshman Kousta Kofaus and Jamar Butler leading the win. Wisconsin expected to have a down year, shot to the top of the conference out of no where.

 

31-4 record, for a team that was not project to finish in the top 25. Blown out by Cameron by the Dukies in November the Badgers lost only three more games. Marquette, and a sweep by Purdue all by a combined 14 points. Pretty impressive for a team that was not expected to match the success from a year ago.

 

Senior guard Michael Flowers and junior forward Joe Krabbenhoft both named to the Big Ten All- Defensive Team. Flowers, know for his ability to lock down defenders will be given the task of guarding Davidson's Stephen Jackson on Saturday.

 

Brian Butch, the senior year lead Wisconsin is scoring and re bounder (12.7 ppg, 7 rpg) He has an uncanny ability to knock the outside shot, with a 3-point bank-shot with 5 seconds left lift the Badgers to victory at Indiana.

 

Sophomore guard Trevon Hughes has stepped up for the graduated Kammron Taylor, putting up 11.6 ppg. Hughes scored a team-high 25 points against the Kansas State Wildcats in the Badgers 72-55 second round victory.

 

End of the year, the team that was no where to be found in the pre-season poll is hoping for a two-seed in the tournament and of course would not gain the respect that is due. In a year that was deemed down in the Big Ten, the Badgers would receive a 3 seed.

 

All of the teams in the Sweet 16 (excluding Western Kentucky) received more votes then the Wisconsin Badgers. Now, the must face the critics and earn the respect that is due. Bo Ryan's defensive squad will be seen standing at last on more weekend.

 

Result:

Wisconsin- Final Four