Clinging to a 64-61 lead with 4:31 remaining, the Badgers looked as though-with solid defense, patient possessions and good free-throw shooting-they could extend their home winning streak to 39 games and upset No. 1 Illinois in the process.
In spite of both the loudest Kohl Center crowd in recent memory penetrating Illinois' psyche and the Badgers' standard premium placed on cerebral basketball, Wisconsin collapsed in heart-breaking fashion at the hands of a far too unlikely source. Scarcely-used, fifth-year senior James Ingram-whose points per game average resembles a GPA-buried two three's on consecutive possessions to give top-ranked Illinois a lead they never relinquished.
The Badgers may have been over-matched, but for 35 minutes they were anything but out-played.
Wisconsin will now travel to cellar-dweller Penn State to start a more modest win streak Saturday night and put their latest defeat on the backburner until they arrive in Champaign-Urbana Feb. 12 to seek revenge.
With a 5-8 home record of this year, the Nittany Lions are perhaps Wisconsin's best bet to get back in the win column. Penn State is 7-12 overall and just 1-5 in the conference. Also in the Badgers' favor is Penn State's 0-3 record against ranked teams this year in which they have lost by an average of 21.6 points. This bodes well for the No. 19 Badgers, whose ranking-thanks to merciful pollsters who recognize no loss is better than one to a No.1 team-will dip only slightly and will not drop them out of the top 25.
Head coach Bo Ryan insists any suspicion about the Badgers' temperament this Saturday-whether it is that they're invigorated by, or hungover from, the loss to Illinois-is unwarranted.
\We just do the same thing we've done for everybody else,"" Ryan said. ""Nothing changed Tuesday night as far as how we approach what we do-just prepare for the next team.""
This week in practice he has done just that and has kept his team focused on the next challenge while keeping in mind the constant goal to improve.
""We don't think in terms of a loss or a win: we think about how we can get better from the performance,"" Ryan said. ""There are times we've broken a video down and the guys probably are going to their locker going, 'Did we just lose that game? I thought we won that game.'""
For one Badger however, it will not be just another game. Senior guard Sharif Chambliss will be reunited with many of his old mates from State College when they tip off this weekend. He transferred from Penn State to Wisconsin after his junior year, opting to play for a team with a legitimate chance at a Big Ten title before his career came to end.
Saturday will be the first time Chambliss faces his old team since he made the journey north to don the formerly-traitorous cardinal and white. The plucky vet has flourished in his new surroundings, averaging 9.2 points a game and winning the respect of his teammates with his leadership and swagger.
""I probably expect to get booed but that's alright-I've got a new team and they have my back,"" Chambliss said. ""I'm looking forward to going out there, being with my new team, and doing everything I can to get this win. We're coming off a tough loss, so obviously we want to bounce back.\
