Things are getting ugly in a hurry for the Wisconsin men's basketball team. The Badgers have lost five consecutive conference games for the first time since 1998. They've lost back-to-back home games for the first time ever under head coach Bo Ryan. If the Badgers are to have any chance of making the NCAA tournament and salvaging their season, they're going to need to get back to the basics of what every winning team needs, clutch play and consistency.
Since Ryan took over beginning in the 2001-'02 season, Wisconsin has been one of the more consistent teams in college basketball. They've reached the NCAA tournament every season and captured three Big Ten titles. Ryan's career-winning percentage is second among active coaches, with 500 career victories. Furthermore, Ryan's winning percentage in Big Ten play ranks first all-time among Big Ten coaches with five seasons of experience.
Entering this season, it was evident that Ryan would have a greater challenge than in years past. A smaller, younger team presented new obstacles for the Badgers to overcome, and a competitive Big Ten conference hasn't made it any easier. Still, the Badgers were picked to finish third in the conference by many experts and predictions from the preseason. This was mostly because of Ryan's recent achievements and the belief that he could help his roster overachieve by adapting UW's offensive and defensive schemes.
Needless to say, things haven't quite worked out according to plan. It hasn't been just the losses themselves, but the way in which the Badgers have faltered that has created such demoralizing circumstances for the Grateful Red.
The Badgers surrendered a six-point lead with under a minute remaining in regulation against Minnesota. They gave up a seven-point lead with 12 minutes remaining in regulation against Iowa. And Tuesday night, they squandered a five-point lead with five minutes remaining in another loss to Purdue.
Many UW fans learned by example with this year's football team that the timeliness of big plays means everything when it comes to a successful season. The Badgers have had a variety of difficulties during the losing streak - poor shooting, weak defense and sloppy ball handling, just to name a few. But the final stats from the game as a whole seem tiny compared to Wisconsin's inability to keep their composure in critical periods of time.
Fortunately for UW, the NCAA has not even reached the midpoint of conference play. But if the Badgers are to turn around their season, they must somehow regain the confidence of several key players.
Homecourt advantage in some of the season's remaining contests should give them a boost. The Badgers have already lost three games at the Kohl Center this season, but that doesn't necessarily take away from their excellent record in seasons past. The Kohl Center will almost certainly maintain its reputation as a difficult place to play for any opposing team.
Also, Ryan needs to keep giving more playing time to individuals displaying a high level of confidence.
A prime example is freshman guard Jordan Taylor, who has received more minutes during the streak. He hit a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation against Iowa last week, showing signs of clutch play. Tuesday against Purdue, Taylor attempted four shots in the game's final two minutes, converting only one, but nonetheless proving his desire for the ball in big-game situations.
This Saturday night, the Badgers will hope to start a streak of reverse fashion against Northwestern. With newfound confidence, maybe the Badgers will be able to turn this aspiration into a reality.
Will the Badgers find a way to get back on track? E-mail Matt with your thoughts at mfox2@wisc.edu.
