Through the first two games of the season, it has quickly become evident that the new Wisconsin backcourt is going to have to make great strides during the course of the season if the Badger's hope to mount any sort run in a crowded Big Ten race.
Though they were never considered a high-scoring backcourt, departed guards Clayton Hanson and Shariff Chambliss took a solid 14 points-per-game with them, as well as their well documented three- point ability. Neither junior guard Kammron Taylor or sophomore Michael Flowers has of yet shown the ability to replace this lost production, especially in the three point category.
Throughout their first two games, the Badgers have only attempted 19 total threes, where last year they averaged that many every night. But head coach Bo Ryan warned not to view this as indicative of how the Badger attack will look as the season progresses.
With both Wisconsin's preseason opponents coming from the Division III ranks, a division where quality big men are few and far between, the Badgers expected their talented frontcourt trio of junior forward Jason Chappell and sophomore forward/centers Brian Butch and Greg Stiemsma to outclass the opposition. As expected, this was exactly the case and Wisconsin used the great size disparity to their advantage.
'Don't read too much into it, because we played teams that weren't quite as big, but were feisty inside,' Ryan explained. 'I'd like to take advantage of post play every night. Shooting three feet away from the basket is better than shooting 20 feet away, but we'll take what the defense gives us every night. There was no reason to take a lot of threes if we could get it inside, and that's where we got it in the second half.'
Taylor agreed with Ryan's sentiments about working the ball inside early in the year and expected the effort to pay dividends as the season progressed.
'We want to be able to work the ball inside for our bigs,' Taylor said. 'Two games like this, working it inside, everybody has got a lot out of it. They've had a chance to work on their moves and I think it is going to benefit us.'
Last season, Butch and Steimsma were know more their potential; this season they appear to be finally beginning to realize it.
'To see that high/low out there was really, really good. We just gotta try to improve on that all the time,' Butch said. 'I have done everything I could in the offseason to put myself in position to try to help this team be successful. And now it is showtime. It's finally time to play.'
While he only averaged 9.5 points-per-game during the exhibition season, Taylor continued to make strides in his transition from part time backup point guard last season to starter this year.
'He made some good looks, he delivered the ball on the dime on three or four of those [assists]. But you got to get comfortable too. He is still working on getting comfortable.'
'I'm starting to feel more and more comfortable the more I play and the more experience I get,' Taylor said. 'But right now, I don't wanna be satisfied because I am not where I wanna be. I still have a lot of work to do.'
