Everyone has heard of the idea of separation of church and state. Well now I'm proposing a new one: the separation of church and sports.
Prior to the start of the season, the Wisconsin women's basketball team was picked to finish as low as 10th in Big Ten. Those early expectations are something the team has not forgotten.
It was easy for Ohio State and its fans to blame the 22-point loss to the Badgers in late December on the absence of junior guard/forward and Player of the Year hopeful Evan Turner. But Saturday night, with the roles reversed due to Wisconsin was without junior forward Jon Leuer, the Badgers could not pull out a victory,
Coming back from winter recess is typically strange when following the Wisconsin men's basketball team. Before the break, Wisconsin has usually only played games against one or two worthy foes, which means many questions about how good the team is in a given year remain unanswered. Then, many students leave Madison for a month, and by the time they return, the Badgers have then played in five or six Big Ten games, and fans now have a pretty good idea of how the team can play that season. Ironically, the period when most students are out of town is one of the most important stretches of Wisconsin's schedule.
After producing mixed results on the road last week and playing its first two games without injured junior forward Jon Leuer, No. 19 Wisconsin returns home for a two-game stretch, beginning tonight against Michigan.
The No. 3 Wisconsin men's hockey team blew out of the gate against No. 8 Colorado College Friday night, tallying its first goal less than a minute into the game en route to a dominating 4-0 victory. But the Badgers then gave up four first-period goals, and, despite a comeback, fell 6-5, splitting the series and missing a chance to gain ground in the race for the MacNaughton Cup.
The Wisconsin women's basketball team has seen its fair share of highs and lows this year. But since reaching its lowest point following a last-second loss at Illinois two weeks ago, the team has reached new heights.
Columnist's note: Last year at this time, this space was used to highlight Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema's responsibility for his team's troubling season. In light of his performance this year, it is only fair that the following is written.
The Wisconsin women's hockey team fell in a pair of close contests to the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on the road, coming up short in a comeback effort Saturday and struggling offensively Sunday. Those losses mark the first time the Badgers have fallen in a series sweep this season.
While most students head to cars, buses and airports and head home for a relaxing winter break, the Wisconsin men's basketball team's season trudges on with three more nonconference games, followed by the beginning of its Big Ten schedule.
When it comes to Wisconsin's recent bowl trips, the company keeps changing, but the place always seems the same.
Last Monday, a reporter asked Wisconsin men's hockey head coach Mike Eaves about his team ""flying under the radar"" when it came to their national ranking. But after hitting the road to North Dakota and taking three points from their series against the No. 3 Fighting Sioux, the Badgers might not be under the radar much longer.
Junior forward Jon Leuer's combined 50 points and 24 rebounds in two straight starts is a good way to get noticed in college basketball. If anything, it may get the media and opposing teams to stop mispronouncing his last name.
It's a strange spot, holding an opponent down, answering each small run, watching a lead bounce between nearly comfortable and just too uncomfortable. The Badgers were in that spot against Duke, holding off the Blue Devils and then saw the shoe on the other foot, never quite able to get over the hump against UW-Green Bay.
This past weekend, the women's basketball team collected two wins against non-conference opponents and helped head coach Lisa Stone to her 100th career victory at Wisconsin.
Last season, the Wisconsin women's basketball team won just five regular season games away from the Kohl Center. This Friday night, the Badgers have a chance to eclipse last season's road victory total with a win over Marquette. That game also marks the conclusion to a brutal 15-day, six-game road trip for the team.
The Wisconsin men's basketball team finds itself in the exact opposite position it was a week ago today.
Growing up as a sports fan in New York, I pretty much had it all—historic franchises, arenas, rivalries and most importantly, fans sincerely obsessed with every part of it. Really the only thing the area lacked was a classic college sports experience. And now, after three and a half years in Madison, I feel fortunate to have been a part of this unique environment.
They might play on ice, but the No. 6 Wisconsin women's hockey team is sizzling after a win and tie against Minnesota-Duluth with a chance to move into second place in the WCHA if they defeat Minnesota State this weekend.
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