Sometimes you just have to start thinking of the long run, and for UW sophomore forward Alando Tucker that time is now.
One of the most exciting and athletic players on the Wisconsin men's basketball team, Tucker has announced that he will sit out the rest of this season due to an injury to his right foot.
Starting the season with a broken right foot, Tucker returned to the lineup for UW against UW-Green Bay Dec. 10. He then started against both Marquette and Ohio, leading the Badgers in scoring in both contests.
The Lockport, Ill., native, has missed the last eight games, however, after reinjuring his right foot in the Ohio game. For the season, in four games, Tucker played 83 minutes and averaged 14.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
With the recent decision, the Badgers can now move on this season with their current roster without any lingering hopes of a possible Tucker return for the final stretch.
\We just play on,"" UW Head Coach Bo Ryan said. ""With our players, as a group we can feel for Alando. He has handled everything so well so far and like I've said before, he has handled it with a lot more class than some other people that I've seen. He's been cheering us on, stayed positive, he's worked hard and let the players know that he's still a part of this team. It shows a lot for a 19-year-old.""
In Tucker's absence, several players have stepped up and contributed to Wisconsin's winning ways, one being sophomore forward Ray Nixon.
""It's a huge loss,"" Nixon said. ""Alando contributes so much to the team, but we know we have guys on the bench that can come in and help do the things that Alando does.""
Averaging nearly 17 minutes per game in the last seven contests, Nixon is pitching in 4.5 ppg during Big Ten play. Consistently coming off the bench for UW, he has also given the Badgers another threat by stretching opposing defenses, shooting .455 from three-point range.
Another Badger providing relief in the absence of Tucker has been and will continue to be junior forward Zach Morley. Morley enters this week of play leading UW in field goal percentage with .492 and is third on the team in scoring with 9.1 ppg.
However, Morley's greatest contributions for the Badgers are arguably his hustle and rebounding and his effort each day in practice and during games.
""They've done the job and are working hard to do even better, because we are going to have to be better to be successful the rest of the year,"" Ryan said.
