If there were a script for the Wisconsin men's basketball 2001-'02 season and the writer sent it to Walt Disney Studios, it would be thrown away because it would be considered too goofy, even by Goofy's standards.
However, as the final seconds ticked away in the Badgers' 74-54 victory over Michigan Wednesday night at the Kohl Center, an inexplicable season ended with the fans storming the court and rejoicing in an unexpected glory'a Big Ten Conference Championship.
As the chants of \Big Ten Champs"" ran rampant throughout the crowd, it was clear that this was no ordinary celebration.
For this was the first time since 1947 that Wisconsin could use those words to describe its men's basketball team.
Yet, for the three veterans of the team'junior guard Kirk Penney, senior guard Travon Davis and senior forward Charlie Wills'this accomplishment has an added meaning.
With a team that had only three players coming back that had significant playing time, expectations were not high for the Badgers. Along with a new leader in Head Coach Bo Ryan, the team suffered major personnel losses.
From five seniors'guards Mike Kelley and Roy Boone and forwards Mark Vershaw, Andy Kowske and Maurice Linton'to two transfers'sophomore forward Julian Swartz and sophomore guard Ricky Bower'and a player unable to play due to a hear problem'freshman guard Latrell Fleming'many media outlets did not expect much from the young Badgers.
Most experts had the Badgers finishing the year in ninth place. The magazine Street and Smith even had the team finishing the conference season dead last in its college basketball preview.
Yet these players overcame the lowered expectations and believed in themselves. Never listening to what was being said about them, good or bad, they pressed on and took only one game at a time.
Ryan stressed throughout the year that the team was never to get too high after a big victory because everyone wants to be your friend.
The philosophy seemed on shaky ground as the Badgers started 2-5, including a double-overtime loss at home to Temple and a second-half collapse at Georgia Tech that saw Wisconsin blow a 20-point lead.
But with an 11-5 conference record, including a current six-game winning streak, the philosophy is coming to fruition in a similar fashion to the 1999-2000 Wisconsin squad that won the West Region and advanced to the Final Four.
However, trying to rate which of the two years was better is like comparing apples and oranges for the players.
""I don't want to make a comparison [between the two],"" Penney said. ""[Tonight's] unbelievable. Just to be able to celebrate with the students, fans and everyone. We're so thankful that we're all able to enjoy it.""
The joy of Wednesday night will be short-lived as the Badgers now look to the challenge of the Big Ten Tournament.
""Whatever happened in the past is in the past,"" Davis said. ""We're focused on what's going on right now and in the future.""
Even being a student-athlete can temper the joy of a championship. Freshman forward Mike Wilkinson said he had two exams to study for today.
While the players talked about getting back to work in preparation for the Big Ten Tournament, for one night at least, the members of the men's basketball team were the Big Men On Campus.
Why? The shirts that were handed out to the players answered that question.
""Wisconsin Badgers'2001-'02 Big Ten Champions.""
It has a nice Disney quality to it.
