Wisconsin Badgers: No Leuer, No Problem?

The absence of big man Jon Leuer will test the Wisconsin Badgers' flexibility and coach Bo Ryan's genius to the max.

Leuer has been a consistent scorer, rebounding threat, and a better-than-adequate defender in the post for the 16th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers this season.

On Monday, the school announced that Leuer had played most of the Purdue game on Jan. 9 with a fracture in his wrist, and he underwent surgery Tuesday to repair the damage.

With Leuer out indefinitely, a larger load falls squarely on the ready shoulders of guards Trevon "Pop" Hughes, Jason Bohannon, and forward Keaton Nankivil.

Hughes has been inconsistent over the course of his college career, but not this season.

The senior guard is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game to go along with 15.8 points per contest and is shooting 43 percent from the floor. Against Purdue Saturday, Hughes was 3-for-3 from the floor with 14 points.

Bohannon finally broke out of his shell on Saturday, putting the ball on the floor and driving to the bucket for some baskets, and shooting the three accurately. His 20 points in the contest were a season high.

The man with the most questions to answer is Keaton Nankivil. Nankivil has been very aggressive at times this season, but has not yet shown the capability to consistently dominate in the paint.

Nankivil is averaging only seven points a game and 4.4 rebounds per game in 22 minutes played. Those numbers will have to improve if Bo Ryan's club wants to stay in the Big Ten conference hunt.

There are some questions to be asked going into tonight's battle with the Northwestern Wildcats at Evanston, but rest assured, Bo Ryan has all the answers...