After demoralizing losses at Illinois and Michigan last week, Wisconsin limps back to Madison to face questions of the team's ability to win on the road. Though it is chronicled that the Badgers are perfect in the confines of the Kohl Center this season, the away games for UW are a completely different story.
In UW's 10 road games so far this season, the Badgers are 4-6, including a 2-4 mark in conference. The average margin of victory for UW against Big Ten teams is six points, while the average margin of defeat in conference is 10 points.
Last season, in comparison, Wisconsin was a split 4-4 on the road in conference and 6-5 overall away from home.
Sophomore guard Boo Wade said that he is confused as to the road disparity the team goes though, but attributes some of that to the other team.
\I really don't understand [the road troubles],"" Wade said. ""They just show more aggressiveness at their home. They're playing the crowd. Their crowd's behind them and we're getting away from what we're doing and trying to get into their games and running and gunning, and that's not us. We're a half-court team.""
Even if the Badgers believe they are a half-court team, junior guard Clayton Hanson believes the losses can be linked to more than just not playing their typical style of game.
""I think part of it is momentum,"" Hanson said. ""We've got to play possession by possession and fight each one, so they can't get too big of a lead.""
In each of Wisconsin's past three road losses at Northwestern, Illinois and Michigan, the Badgers have yet to go into the locker room with a lead at the half. The closest the Badgers were to having a halftime lead was being down by two to the Illini last Wednesday.
Even at Michigan, when Wisconsin was down by eight at the half, Hanson said that the game was not out of reach for them.
""The approach is always the same,"" Hanson said. ""Take the game at Michigan for example, they shoot the ball extremely well ... and aside from a little stretch they had, it was back and forth.""
Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan is not the type of man to make excuses, though. He believes that his squad, no matter who is up next on the schedule, has to prepare for every game just the same.
""You just have to lace them up, come back and say 'OK, we've got to find a way,"" Ryan said following the game Sunday. ""Whether it's the beginning of the year, middle of the year or towards the end of the year, we never asked for this schedule. We just play it when they give it to us and we're still playing it. We've got to dig in here.""
To finish out the regular season, Wisconsin has to travel to Michigan State and Indiana. The Big Ten conference title may very well be at stake, and if that is the case, the Badgers can ill afford to lose another road conference game.
""We have to keep things close, don't let it get too far away,"" Hanson said. ""Obviously it's a game of runs, but if we can just minimize those, we stand a better chance.\
