Sunday's loss to Xavier ended Wisconsin's rollercoaster season. It also signaled the final on-court moments for two seniors—forwards Joe Krabbenhoft and Marcus Landry. The season had plenty of ups and downs, but Krabbenhoft and Landry stayed optimistic from start to finish, showing true qualities of leadership.
Covering the basketball team for this season exposed me not only to Krabbenhoft and Landry's on-court abilities but also their day-to-day approach to the game. They're two incredibly charismatic personalities that were vital in turning around Wisconsin's season after a devastating six-game losing streak, an incredible achievement even if some believe the Badgers didn't quite live up to their own preseason expectations.
Now graduation approaches for two seniors who have certainly left their mark on this era of Wisconsin basketball. So who will be counted on to shoulder the load as senior leaders for next season?
The figurative shift will move from the post to the backcourt, where junior guards Jason Bohannon and Trévon Hughes prepare for their senior seasons. It's clear that both Krabbenhoft and Landry set an extremely high standard for leadership, one that not every senior class at UW will be able to duplicate. From what I've seen this year, Bohannon and Hughes are a little bit more reserved than their senior counterparts, but then again that could also change quickly.
Hughes will enter his third season as starting point guard for the Badgers, and it remains to be seen whether this impressive resume of experience will elevate his game to a much higher level.
Ever since the Badgers lost Alando Tucker to graduation following the 2006-07 season, Wisconsin has not had a true go-to scorer that can take over at the end of games. Hughes has certainly shown flashes of that with two game-winning shots on big stages this season—one over Virginia Tech in early December in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, and the other over Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
But despite these high moments, Hughes had plenty of lows and was erratic at times. He committed 11 turnovers in a two-game stretch that began Wisconsin's six-game losing streak. Hughes will need to cut down on these mistakes and stay more consistent if the Badgers are to play at their highest level.
While Ryan's swing offense emphasizes balanced scoring, it's likely that the Badgers will be more dependent than usual on Hughes to put points on the board. His ability to get hot from the outside as well as penetrate defenses and get to the free throw line puts him in solid position to excel as the Badgers' scoring leader.
Meanwhile, Bohannon came off his Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year award last season to average double figures this year at starting shooting guard. Badger fans have grown accustomed to Bohannon's remarkably streaky shooting. He had eight games of 15 points or more, but also had a five-game stretch in February when he failed to reach double figures. Bohannon could also use some improvement in consistency next season on the road, where he reached double figures just four times.
Still, Bohannon's dramatic improvement on defense often went unrecognized. Maybe it didn't show up on the stat sheet, but watching Bohannon chase opposing players demonstrated intense effort and really helped the Badgers down the stretch.
Of course, these two seniors will have plenty of company to help them out. A trio of sophomore forwards—Tim Jarmusz, Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil will play major roles next season. Freshman guard Jordan Taylor received huge minutes and showed maturity way beyond his years, while a group of other freshmen are eager to receive more playing time and prove they can contribute right away.
The Badgers are still a young team with plenty to prove. That will make it even more important for Bohannon and Hughes to establish early on that this is their team. We'll see if they're up to the challenge, leading the Badgers through hard times just as Krabbenhoft and Landry did before them.
Think Matt overlooked some up and coming Badger talent? Let him know at mfox2@wisc.edu.
