After the loss of senior guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes, the immediate focus for 2010-'11 was placed on reloading the backcourt.
Senior Wquinton Smith and junior Jordan Taylor both saw significant time on Saturday, with Taylor leading the team with 29 minutes while contributing 12 points and six assists. While these veterans will certainly be relied upon to contribute on the floor, their role as mentors to freshmen guards Ben Brust and Josh Gasser may be just as important as the Badgers look to make their 13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
""They're picking up everything real fast,"" Smith said. ""I'm still learning from Jordan so it's not just me mentoring them, I'm learning too.""
While Brust and Gasser have yet to see regular season action, the opportunity to learn from these experienced guards throughout the summer and into fall practices has made the adjustment to Wisconsin basketball and to the college game in generally much easier to handle.
""Playing the one especially, those two guys have been playing it for years now,"" Gasser said. ""So when I go up and cover them I can kind of learn from them while I'm covering them.""
Perhaps the biggest surprise during the fall has been the maturity of Gasser. Even before leading Wisconsin freshman with nine points and four rebounds in Saturday's exhibition opener, the Port Washington native turned heads as he quickly came onto the scene as a potential option not only at the point, but perhaps the other two guard spots as well.
""The offensive things, the instincts are there,"" coach Bo Ryan said Monday. ""Defensively I want to see how far he can take it … [But] his IQ, his feel for the game is pretty good and he has learned everyday.""
Gasser said that the experience he had as a high school quarterback has been invaluable in transitioning into the college game.
""Quarterback is just like a point guard from a basketball standpoint, so that definitely helps as well,"" he said.
The other newcomer in the backcourt, Ben Brust, has shown great strides, demonstrating a speed and intensity that has come as a surprise to many in the preseason. Brust has also benefited from no longer being expected to be the primary scorer and ball handler he was through his high school career.
""It's good because now I can just help the team in whatever ways possible,"" Brust said. ""I always have it with me, that scoring ability, but now I don't need it on every play.""
Despite losing two senior leaders, it seems that the Badger backcourt is already forming into a tight-knit unit. Combining the experience of Taylor and Smith with the fresh faces of Brust and Gasser provides UW with a group more than capable of filling the void.
Wisconsin will close out the exhibition schedule Wednesday against Division II Minnesota State-Mankato.
