With 25 points, Devin Harris once again led the Badgers to a home win over Penn State while Mike Wilkinson chipped in a ho-hum 14. This comes as a surprise to nobody. They have been doing it all year, but how long can UW last without another scorer?
We saw glimpses of it in the two losses on the road to Illinois and Michigan. While Harris did average 17 points over the span, he didn't shoot the ball particularly well in either game. Without somebody to pick up the slack, the Badgers were unable to cope with the pressure applied by the Fighting Illini and the Wolverines.
It's when other players step up and help Harris and Wilkinson that the Badgers are at their best. One shining example was their first contest against Michigan in January. Despite just five points from Harris, other players like junior forward Zach Morley and junior guard Clayton Hanson scored in double-figures and helped UW to the win.
For success in March, the Badgers need these players to consistently demonstrate the type of scoring ability they've shown at times.
As the point guard, it's Harris' job to get these players the ball, a fact that he is well aware of. He even admitted that he gets as much joy from a big assist he does from a big three. This was obvious when Harris threw a pass between the legs of a Penn State defender, only to have Freddie Owens miss the lay-up. Harris looked like a kid who'd just had his bike stolen.
\To get other guys involved, as a point guard, is my first job,"" Harris said.
After sitting out three games with injury, Owens hadn't looked to be his usual explosive self before Wednesday's game. He appeared at full strength though, as he cut through the Nittany Lions defense with ease on the way to a respectable eight points.
""Freddie got a few good attacks in there, that he hasn't been getting in the past, because it didn't look like he was pushing off,"" UW Head Coach Bo Ryan said.
Now that Owens is close to 100 percent the Badgers dynamic duo of Harris and Wilkinson may have the help they need to push for the league title, and ultimately a deep tournament run. If Hanson and Morley can add a consistent scoring punch, the Badgers will be a team nobody will look forward to playing in March.
