A season filled with injuries, suspensions and scoring droughts that reminded some of the early Dick Bennett era at Wisconsin came to an end when the 2006 men's basketball team finished the season with four straight losses, including a season-ending 94-75 blowout to the uncharacteristically weak Arizona team in the NCAA tournament.
While a year that began with so much promise ended painfully at the hands of the Wildcats—with troubling losses to North Dakota State and Northwestern packed in the middle—the season still provided a variety of valuable lessons for a Badger team that will lose just one player, senior forward Ray Nixon.
""This was a unique season and we went through a series of issues,"" said head coach Bo Ryan. But we learned. We have guys coming back that are going to look back at this season and remember what it is going to take to get where we want to go. There is never a wasted point in a season.""
While the Badgers remained competitive throughout the Big Ten schedule, the second- semester losses of freshmen Greg Stiemsma and Marcus Landry were evident as the season progressed. Both provided power and size in the paint, and their departure due to academics cut Ryan's normal rotation from nine to seven players.
The lone positive was that both continued to practice with the team, and the coaching staff anticipates their return next year.
\The plan is for these guys to step in and pick up where they left off,"" said assistant coach Howard Moore after the loss to Arizona. ""They have been with the team the entire season and have learned a lot even though they were not able to play in the games.""
The loss of Nixon likely opens the door for sophomore guard Michael Flowers to enter the staring line-up, but he will be pushed by Trevon Hughes, a 6'2' guard from Delafield St. John's. Originally from New York, Hughes is the most highly touted player in the Badgers' three-man recruiting class. His natural position is point guard, and teaming him with junior guard Kammron Taylor in the backcourt would allow Taylor to score more from the wing.
Hughes will be joined by Jason Bohannon, a 6'2' guard from Lin-Mar High School in Iowa, and A.J. Gavinski, a 6'11' center from Wisconsin Dells. While Gavinski may be a work in progress, Bohannon is a natural scorer with great range from the outside. His ability to hit open shots could help take double and even triple teams away from junior forward Alando Tucker and Taylor. Mickey Perry, another 6'2' guard who redshirted this season is expected to compete for playing time as well.
""We've got a lot of work to do in terms of offensive improvement and getting guys better and understanding what it takes to be successful,"" assistant coach Greg Gard said.
\
