An old, old cliché in sports says that “it is better to be lucky than good.” As antiquated as that notion seems to be, perhaps no team embodied that idea more than the 2012 Baltimore Ravens.
Despite notching a 24-point victory in their last meeting with Illinois, the Badgers were anything but comfortable heading to Champaign to face a desperate Illini team. But on the strength of breakout performances from Illinois natives junior Ben Brust and sophomore Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin was able to get back into the win column with a 74-68 victory.
After skating to a 1-1 tie Friday night, the No. 19 Wisconsin men’s hockey team (8-6-6 WCHA, 11-9-6 overall) had a much rougher go Saturday against No. 7/8 North Dakota (9-5-6, 14-8-6). The Badgers saw their 11-game WCHA unbeaten streak snapped and one of their leaders carried off the ice in a 4-1 loss in Grand Forks, N.D.
Track
The top players in the National Football League were honored Saturday night at the NFL awards ceremony. That night, the world found out whether Adrian Peterson or Peyton Manning would nab the Associated Press Most Valuable Player award and which rookie sensation quarterback would walk away with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
When the Philadelphia Eagles announced Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly was taking his talents to the City of Brotherly Love, it did not come as a shock to me.
The Wisconsin women’s basketball team (1-6 Big Ten, 9-11 overall) will be hosting No. 7 Penn State (7-0, 17-2) in a Big Ten contest Thursday night.
Wisconsin (5-2 Big Ten, 14-6 overall) may have ended its two-game slide with a win over then-No. 12 Minnesota Saturday, but it won’t be easy for UW to turn that victory into a winning streak. The Badgers will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a showdown with the No. 11 Buckeyes (5-2, 15-4) Tuesday at the Value City Arena.
Women’s Basketball
In the midst of the now-forgotten NHL lockout, much was made about what player were and were not taking advantage of the time off by playing in other leagues. Those who played in the American Hockey League or Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League were expected to come in and set the score sheet ablaze, while those who hibernated over the 119-day lockout would need some time to re-adjust to game speed.
The No. 20 Wisconsin men’s hockey team (6-5-5 WCHA, 9-8-5 overall) will look to bounce back from their first loss in twelve games and continue their run up the WCHA standings when they host Alaska-Anchorage (1-13-4, 3-14-5) at the Kohl Center this weekend.
The Wisconsin women’s hockey team (11-7-2 WCHA, 15-7-2 overall) faces the toughest challenge remaining this season as it hosts No. 1 Minnesota (18-0-0, 24-0-0) this weekend at LaBahn Arena. The top-ranked Golden Gophers have yet to fall this season and come into this series after tying the NCAA unbeaten streak last weekend.
Men's Hockey vs. Minnesota: Feb. 17
George Marshall: Men's Basketball
PASADENA, Calif.—In the end, Stanford senior running back Stepfan Taylor made just a couple more clutch plays than the Wisconsin defense.
PASADENA, Calif.—Since Montee Ball announced he would return for his senior season 360 days ago, almost nothing has been predictable for the University of Wisconsin football program.
PASADENA, Calif.—Wisconsin has lost its third straight Rose Bowl game, now destined to being nicknamed “the Buffalo Bills of college football.” As with both the 2011 and 2012 editions, the Badgers had a chance to win a Rose Bowl title on the game’s final possession, only to see their hopes crushed when redshirt junior Stanford cornerback Usua Amanam intercepted UW redshirt senior quarterback Curt Phillips with just 2:03 left.
PASADENA, Calif.—Wisconsin (4-4 Big Ten, 8-5 overall) head coach Barry Alvarez will take the field one last time Tuesday in an attempt to protect his unscathed Rose Bowl resume against No. 6 Stanford (8-1 Pac 12, 11-2).
PASADENA, Calif.—With just over two hours before kickoff at the Rose Bowl, here are some pre-game notes about Wisconsin and Stanford.
PASADENA, Calif.—When the Wisconsin football team meets No. 6 Stanford in the 99th Rose Bowl later this afternoon, there appear to be more known qualities about the matchup. The Badgers’ opponent is not a little-tested but very talented Texas Christian team or an exotic, high-powered Oregon attack. This is power against power. Strength against strength. Each team relies on fundamentals to power stout front-sevens on defense. Each team has an offense built around a cornerstone talent at running back—Montee Ball for UW and Stepfan Taylor for Stanford (11-2).
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