The Badgers' attempt to come back in the second half proved to be too late and resulted in Saturday's 85-76 loss to Michigan at the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wolverines were strong from the beginning with five consecutive baskets, while the Badgers took a little more time to get into their zone. The concerted effort from the two Wolverines, junior guard Dion Harris and junior forward Courtney Sims, provided Michigan with the skills needed to win the game.
After a slow start, the Badgers fought back. Junior guard Kammron Taylor and junior forward Alando Tucker's six points apiece lessened the gap and brought the score to 30-25 with 2:55 left in the first half. Despite the Badgers' efforts, the Wolverines cut their run short and ended the half with a 38-27 lead.
The No. 23 Badgers entered the second half more focused and were able to cut the Wolverines' 14-point lead to five by making 8 of 12 three-point baskets and forcing 18 turnovers. Taylor kept the pressure on the Wolverines until the very end of the game by scoring 13 points in the final two minutes.
The Wolverines' senior guard, Daniel Horton, sealed their win by hitting eight straight free throws and making a steal with 30 seconds left. In the end, the Wolverines' offense shot too well from the floor, making 28 of 41 attempts, and outplayed the Badgers.
While the game's end was marked with defeat, some of the Badgers' performances must not be overlooked. Taylor played a remarkable game, with a career-high 29 points, which includes a career-high-tying five three-point baskets. Four of the five three-pointers were scored in little over a minute, and he scored the Badgers' final 13 points. In addition to Taylor, Tucker finished with 21 points and Ray Nixon with 13.
The Wolverines' victory is their second straight over a ranked opponent, which has not happened since 1994. Even more important to Michigan Wolverine fans is that their team is now tied for first place in the Big Ten. Not to mention the Wolverines have moved into the No. 21 spot, after not being nationally ranked among the Top 25 teams in college basketball since the 1997-'98 season.
As for the Badgers, recent weeks have not been marked with the same success as the rest of their impressive season. The Badgers have lost three out of their last four games, and as a result have slipped in both polls. The Badgers who lost to Michigan hardly resembled the same team that defeated Penn State 72-43 last Wednesday at the Kohl Center.
While it took the Badgers most of the first half to get focused against Michigan, the complete opposite was true of their game against Penn State. The Badgers had a 21-0 run during the Nittany Lions 9:55 scoring drought, and led 26-5 midway through the first half. The Badgers led 40-18 at halftime. Although the Nittany Lions shot better in the second half, their poor performance in the first half was too great to recover from. The Badgers held the Nittany Lions to a season low in points. After the victory, Wisconsin improved to a 16-8 all-time vs. Penn State.
Wisconsin's impressive performance against Penn State doesn't erase the harsh fact that the Badgers are struggling. Tuesday's game at the Kohl Center against Illinois is of great importance, and a victory is imperative for the Badgers, who hope to reverse the recent blows to their record. Wisconsin will have to work for the victory, considering their recent games and the fact that Illinois is the only Big Ten opponent that has defeated the Badgers at the Kohl Center. The nation will be sure to watch Tuesday's game to see if the Badgers' recent losses are coincidences or something to expect for the remainder of the season.
