The Wisconsin's men's basketball team heads to Northwestern Saturday, where it will attempt to break its five-game losing streak. The Badgers' last victory came on behalf of the Wildcats Jan. 7, when Wisconsin triumphed 74-45.
But nothing is guaranteed in the Big Ten this year. Northwestern, usually the Big Ten's proverbial floor mat, has already upset Michigan State and Minnesota. Its 3-5 conference record is the same as the Badgers', and Welsh-Ryan Arena has not been kind to Wisconsin in the past. Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan and the Badgers are 2-2 in their last four trips to Northwestern.
The key to digging out of slumps is always having a short memory, and after the tough loss against Purdue, the Badgers already had their minds set on Northwestern. UW junior guard Trévon Hughes knows the team cannot be disappointed about close losses.
We can't take any days off, we can't relax, because five games in a row is ridiculous. We still have life here, we know we have good players on our team,"" Hughes said.
With the losses to Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Purdue by an average of only four points, close games - usually a strong point for the Badgers under Ryan - are no longer Wisconsin's friend. In games decided by five points or fewer since Ryan has been coaching, the Badgers still hold a 37-23 advantage despite already losing four this year. The Badgers have held a lead or have been tied in each of the recent close defeats.
""We've won so many close games over the years, the separation [between past games and recently] is trying to get the team to play with the lead for a little bit longer,"" Ryan said.
There have been several common factors in the last five Badger losses. After the Purdue game, Ryan pointed out the Badgers were unable to take advantage of timely opportunities. He also recognized the other teams' ability to hit big shots in crunch time. Wisconsin would have come away with two wins if Minnesota and Purdue missed some timely 3-point shots.
""It is frustrating, we just can't close it out and other teams are getting the victory when they shouldn't,"" Hughes said following the loss to the Boilermakers.
Northwestern is led by junior forward Kevin Coble, who ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 16.1 points a game. Senior guard Craig Moore is also an offensive threat, averaging 14.2 points per game. The Wildcats are coming off a close 77-75 victory over a young Indiana team and are not lacking in confidence.
Expect to see plenty of playing time for UW freshman guard Jordan Taylor. Ryan's confidence in the young guard grows with every game. The tandem of Hughes and Taylor is certainly a significant weapon the Badgers need to get back to their winning ways.
With opponents focusing on senior Marcus Landry, the team needs to depend on other players to raise their level of play. Junior guard Jason Bohannon's struggles have not helped the Badgers either, but a solid team effort should bring the Badgers back to Madison with a win.
