Time and time again this season the Badgers have displayed their depth. Wednesday night was no different and the latest victim was the Michigan Wolverines.
With senior forward Alando Tucker in foul trouble for most of the game, Brian Butch notched 16 points, helping No. 3 Wisconsin roll with a 71-58 win over the Wolverines (4-2 Big Ten, 16-4 overall). In fact, 10 Badgers scored in what turned out to be the largest conference victory for UW so far this season.
Wisconsin (6-0, 20-1), trailing 9-0, did not hit their first field goal until Tucker drained a short jumper with just over three minutes gone by. But the Badgers got on track in a hurry, scoring nine straight of their own, with Butch tying the game on a nifty up-and-under post move from the left block.
""We were able to really stop the bleeding and be able to put together a run of our own,"" said Butch, who came in averaging just short of five points per game in Big Ten play thus far.
The true turning point of the game, however, came moments after the tying score. After picking up an offensive foul and following a jumper by Wolverine senior Lester Abram, Tucker got called for a defensive foul just 18 seconds later. Tucker, who only had committed four personal fouls in conference play and 16 on the season coming into the game, sat down for the remainder of the first half with 11:57 remaining and the Badgers trailing by two.
But Wisconsin did not falter. They closed the half on a 24-15 run without their star player, with contributions from Butch (seven first half points), senior guard Kammron Taylor (six) and sophomore forwards Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft (four apiece).
""They brought a lot of energy,"" said Tucker, who played just five first half minutes ""That's one of the things that we've done well all year. That energy was much needed.""
However, UW head coach Bo Ryan made it clear that his players were not provoked to play hard simply because of Tucker's foul woes, but simply that they are motivated to play all the time.
""I would take the scholarships away from any player that got motivated because Alando Tucker had two fouls,"" Ryan said. ""You can write that down. If that's what it takes to motivate somebody, I got the wrong guys.""
After the starting the first half scorching hot, with Tucker and Butch combining for the Badgers' first nine points in the second frame, Tucker picked up his third foul just four minutes into the quarter. And once again, rather than fold with their star player on the bench, the Badgers continued to soar. UW built up an 18-point lead as Tucker watched from the sidelines.
The victory gave the Badgers a 20-1 record, tying the best ever start for a UW team. The 1915-'16 team held the same record. The win also makes the Badgers the first team to 20 wins this season and pushes their winning streak to 16 games, the country's longest and the longest single-season winning streak in school history.
""It's an honor to be a part of a group that has achieved what we've achieved now,"" Tucker said. ""But we can't stop now. It's only a taste of what we want and we get that taste right now. We know we have a chance to go so far and if we keep working hard, we can get there.
Senior forward Courtney Sims with 16 points and Abram with 10 led the Wolverines. Freshman DeShawn Sims hauled in eight rebounds in just 12 minutes of play.
But the problem for Michigan was turnovers. The veteran team turned the ball over 19 times, 12 in the first half, many of which were unforced.
""Our inability to handle the basketball and have positive possessions on the offensive end really doomed us,"" Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker said.
The Badgers will attempt to surpass the 1915-'16 squad's mark Sunday, when they travel to Iowa. The game is set to tip off at noon.
