After a statement victory over Penn State, Badger players were back on the court, running through a relaxed practice that ended with a free throw contest between junior forward Jason Chappell and freshman walk-on Kevin Gullikson.
Still, the underlying focus Thursday dealt with the off-the-court issues of freshman Marcus Landry and sophomore Greg Stiemsma, who in the past week were declared academically ineligible for the remainder of the season.
Head coach Bo Ryan fielded a barrage of questions after practice, ranging from communication with players concerning their grades to dealing with player ineligibility during his 22-year coaching career.
But Ryan made this clear in a lengthy question-and-answer session: UW will move on and continue to improve with the players currently available.
'I've been on both sides of the ball in this situation,' Ryan said, who taught basketball, golf and coaching theory while doubling as head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. 'I will stand by my players because I have seen the different situations. I believe in my player's rights.
'If you look at it [men's and women's basketball], because it deals with two semesters of grades is more demanding. No excuses. We just have to work harder,' he said.
As the media departed from the Kohl Center media room toward the players exiting the weight room, Ryan himself had a question.
'Anyone want to talk about Michigan'?
Michigan indeed. The Badgers (15-4 overall, 5-1 Big Ten), who sit atop the conference standings after getting off to a 5-1 start to the Big Ten season for the second time in three years, will travel to Ann Arbor Saturday to take on the Wolverines (14-3, 4-2).
UW had lost 16 straight games at the Crisler Center but have gone 2-3 in their last five trips to Michigan. Finally healthy, Tommy Amaker's squad is one of the most dangerous teams in the Big Ten after returning all five starters from an underachieving team a year ago.
'I know they are going to bring a lot of intensity,' said junior guard Kammron Taylor, who tied a career high with six assists against Penn State. 'They are a really athletic team, so I know they are going to try and get up and down the floor and pressure a little bit.'
Meanwhile, the suspensions of Stiemsma and Landry have opened time for Gullikson, who played a career-high six minutes Wednesday. With the Badgers growing thin in the post, Gullikson will be relied upon to fill minutes when starters Chappell and sophomore Brian Butch have to sit.
'My job is doing whatever I have to do to help the team,' said Gullikson, who also considered offers from Holy Cross, Cornell and Penn before deciding on Madison. 'Maybe not even scoring, just playing defense and making the most of my minutes out there.'
Gullikson has been working daily with low-post coach Howard Moore and acknowledged that his footwork and understanding of the Badger offense has greatly improved since arriving on campus in August.
Additionally, Gullikson is absorbing all that comes with the rigors of a Big Ten season.
'It has a lot of work and has been really busy,' Gullikson said. 'Having a game one night and practice the next day, you just got to keep focused.'
With just eight scholarship players on the active roster, the Badgers must stay focused as they head into the Big Ten tournament come March.
'First place is on the line right now going into Michigan, and it would definitely be a good road win for this team,' Taylor said. 'Just going into this stretch is going to be pretty tough, and we just have to take it one game at a time. Michigan is definitely a team we can't look past.'
