The Wisconsin men's basketball team has completed only a third of its regular-season schedule, but has already experienced a few of exciting games.
Three of UW's games have been decided by three points or fewer, and the Badgers have compiled a 7-2 overall record.
Wisconsin's season has been highlighted by a second-place finish in the Paradise Jam Tournament and a last-second victory over Virginia Tech in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
In his second year as starter, junior guard Trévon Hughes has taken an assertive role in Wisconsin's offense.
Hughes leads the Badgers with 13.2 points per game and has scored in double figures in five of eight games this season. Hughes also hit game-winning shots against Iona and Virginia Tech.
Senior forward Marcus Landry has tried to lead by example during his final season. Landry ranks second on the team with 12.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Also, Landry's 2.3 blocks per game ranks second in the conference.
In addition to the play of its starters, Wisconsin has also received a major boost from its bench. Sophomore forward Jon Leuer has contributed 9.8 points per game off the bench, and his improvement has caught the attention of UW head coach Bo Ryan.
When you gain strength, you gain confidence,"" Ryan said. ""He's improved from last year with his strength, and if he keeps doing it, then that's why you're in college, to learn.""
Despite improvement from the team as a whole, Ryan believes there is still plenty to be learned, which begins with maintaining focus.
""We've got to get established,"" Ryan said. ""We need to keep learning from every game, and that's something that's been a delight to be a part of in coaching is that we've had, for the most part, young men that have gotten better as the year goes on at those things.""
Here are three critical games to watch as the Badgers compete over winter break:
Texas at Wisconsin, Dec. 23
Badger fans have likely not forgotten about Wisconsin's thrilling, 67-66 victory in Austin last season. This year, the Badgers will have the homecourt advantage, but once again the Longhorns will present a tremendous challenge for Wisconsin.
Leading the attack for the Longhorns is senior guard A.J. Abrams, who leads the team in scoring with 19 points per game.
Another offensive threat is junior forward Damion James, the Longhorns' leading rebounder with 8.4 boards per contest, and the team's second-leading scorer with 14.5 points per game.
Wisconsin at Michigan, Dec. 31
Michigan hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament in a decade, but the Wolverines' surprising start has Michigan believing that could change very soon. The Badgers will travel to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines for their first game of conference play.
Michigan has already beaten two top-five opponents, UCLA and Duke. In both victories, the Wolverines were anchored by their two stars: sophomore guard Manny Harris and junior forward DeShawn Sims. Harris leads the Big Ten in scoring with 20.8 points per game, while Sims leads the conference in rebounding with 8.4 per contest. The Badgers will have to limit the offensive production of these two players in order to secure a victory.
Wisconsin at Purdue, Jan. 11
After returning all five starters from last season's 24-8 squad, the Boilermakers are once again a legitimate contender for the Big Ten regular-season title, and Wisconsin will have its hands full when the Badgers travel to Mackey Arena.
Purdue has four players averaging double figures, including sophomore guard E'Twaun Moore and sophomore forward Robbie Hummel. Wisconsin will have to rely on its defense to shut down a high-powered Boilermaker offense that leads the Big Ten conference with 77 points per game.
