Beginning the 2003 Big Ten season with two road losses, the Badgers (1-2 Big Ten,11-4 overall) returned to the friendly confines of the Kohl Center to tally up their first conference victory of the year. In a 66-50 handling of the Golden Gophers of Minnesota (0-2, 8-5), UW looks to have regained its winning form and is ready for the bumpy roads ahead of them.
Coming out of the gates with a rush, the Badgers controlled nearly the entire first half, allowing Minnesota to tie the game only once before finishing with a three-point halftime lead. In the first half, UW was plagued by sloppy play and turnovers and struggled to blow open the game. Finishing the first half with 10 turnovers, the fact that the Badgers held the lead at the midpoint is a tribute to the solid team defense played by the whole group.
\The difference in this game was the two halves,"" said Head Coach Bo Ryan. ""In the first, we did not capitalize on our defense creating turnovers. In fact, instead of capitalizing, we turned the ball right back to them. However, in the second half, it was a different story.""
The second half started off much like the first as the Badgers jumped all over the Gophers with a barrage of threes. Furthermore, in the second half, the Badgers took advantage of the situations, established the tempo and executed the type of offense and defense they needed to dominate a solid Big Ten opponent.
The tale of two halves can be directly related to the play of sophomore guard Devin Harris, whose all-around game dictated the success of the team. Finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, Harris' most important statistic was his five turnovers, four of which came in the first half. His ability to settle himself down and direct the offense allowed for the Badgers to pull away in the game.
""Overall, in that last 10 minutes, we did all the things we needed to do to win the ball game,"" Coach Ryan said. ""We created good looks and got to the free throw line a couple times, but more importantly the difference was that we ended up capitalizing on opportunities that gave us easier baskets.""
Senior guard Kirk Penney, who seems to bring his best against Minnesota, scored a team-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Penney attributed the win to a full-team defensive effort, as UW never allowed Minnesota to come closer than five points in the second half on route to a 16 point win.
Getting the first win can go a long way for a contending team like the Badgers. The first victory can open the floodgates to many more to come, especially if they continue to maintain the high level of execution on both ends of the court. Success in the Big Ten, year in and year out, is attributable to the team that carries the greatest momentum and consistency for the longest period of time. This home victory over the Gophers of Minnesota may ignite the flame under the Badgers in hopes of reclaiming their Big Ten conference championship.
""This was a big win for us,"" Penney said. ""We all stepped up, played together and helped each other out. We had the double teams when we needed them and we had the help outs all around the court when we needed them. This win is a big step for us as we look ahead.\
