1. Men's basketball loses to UNLV in second round of NCAA Tournament
What many considered the greatest basketball season ever for UW ended in very disappointing fashion. The Badgers entered the NCAA Tournament with a No. 2 seed and the right to play their first two games in Chicago with a large fan base. After falling behind early, UW took a five-point lead in the second half and it looked as if UW would pull away and head to St. Louis for the Sweet Sixteen. However, UNLV's senior guard Kevin Kruger made two 3-pointers and converted three free throws to bury the Badgers and cut the season far too short for the UW faithful.
2. Loss at Ohio State for Big Ten regular season title
Late in the season, UW had a shot at a share of the Big Ten regular season conference championship, but OSU freshman guard Mike Conley Jr.'s floater with four seconds to go ended UW's chances. Kammron Taylor had a chance for redemption as time ran out, but OSU senior forward Ron Lewis blocked his desperation attempt. UW junior forward Brian Butch was also lost for nearly a month after injuring his elbow when he fell backward and landed awkwardly on the ground. This proved to be a major loss for the rest of the season as Butch's ability to stretch the defense, open the floor for senior forward Alando Tucker and shoot from the perimeter were sorely missed.
3. Zach Hampton muffs punt at Michigan
UW's one blemish on its schedule this past season happened when they traveled to the Big House and lost to the Wolverines 27-13. UW took a 10-7 lead after junior Taylor Mehlhaff's field goal midway through the second quarter. On the ensuing Michigan possession, the UW defense tightened up and forced the punt.
However, the momentum swung as UW senior special teamer Zach Hampton muffed the punt. Michigan recovered and tied the score going into the half on a Garret Rivas field goal. Michigan's dormant offense came to life in the second half by scoring 17 unanswered points, burying the Badgers' hopes for a comeback. Meanwhile, Hampton was just starting to garner attention as he seemed to have problems handling punts on a weekly basis.
4. UW loses to Michigan State after being ranked No. 1 by Associated Press
UW was ranked No. 1 in the nation for a week this past season, but the ranking lost its luster after only two days. As UW headed to the campus of Michigan State, junior guard Drew Neitzel welcomed them by scoring a game-high 28 points including a dagger that bounced around the rim at least five times before falling into the hoop to break the tie late in the second half.
The loss to Michigan State was the first time the Spartans had beaten a No. 1 team since 1979 when it beat Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores in the national championship game. After Michigan State defeated UW, they became part of a new trend that included traditional powerhouses rushing the court as they beat the Badgers.
5. Men's hockey swept by Boston College
In front of a raucous crowd, the Badgers hoped to relive the glory they had over half a year earlier as they welcomed Boston College for the Halloween weekend rematch of last year's national championship game.
But the Badgers never had the chance, as they were completely dominated and overmatched against an Eagles team that eventually made it back to the national championship game, losing 3-0 Friday. Saturday night, Boston College defeated the Badgers 4-1 to sweep the weekend series in the Kohl Center and effectively cut the legs out from underneath the team as UW never recovered for the remainder of a relatively disappointing season.
