After an underwhelming loss to Maryland, the Wisconsin Badgers (2-8 Big Ten, 11-11 overall) crawl back to their home turf to scrap against the Michigan Wolverines (4-6, 13-9) in their first of two matchups this season.
Just when it seemed a raucous Kohl Center could scream no more, sophomore guard Brad Davison grasped the the ball with both hands, riling up the crowd into yet another round of cheers. He paced around the floor, reveling in a victory that could hardly have been sweeter.
All it took was a foul for No. 21 Maryland (8-4 Big Ten, 17-6 overall) to unravel.
In basketball, it’s common knowledge that having the best player on the court can allow a team to overcome an overall talent deficit. In football, the team with the best quarterback always has a chance. In hockey, it’s the best line.
Despite hanging around for a majority of the game, Wisconsin (2-8 Big Ten, 11-11 overall) was unable to pull out a win and fell on the road to No. 10 Maryland (8-2, 19-2) 75-57 Thursday night.
Wisconsin (7-3 Big Ten, 15-6 overall) needed a team effort at Nebraska (3-7, 13-8) on Tuesday, and it got one.
The Wisconsin Badgers (2-7 Big Ten, 11-10 overall) defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-5 Big Ten, 9-11 overall) in thrilling fashion Sunday with a 70-69 comeback victory capped off by a spectacular finish. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and marked the team’s first victory in 2019.
In 67 games at Wisconsin, sophomore guard D’Mitrik Trice has scored 586 points. He’s hit layups, floaters, step-backs and spot-ups galore — especially this season, where he’s averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game. But never against Nebraska.
After their sixth straight loss, the Wisconsin Badgers (1-7 Big Ten, 10-10 overall) look to salvage what remains of this season with a crucial homestand against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-4, 9-10).
How does one record a quiet triple-double?
Propelled by a euphoric crowd and yet another heroic performance from senior center Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (6-3 Big Ten, 14-6 overall) defeated Northwestern 62-46 (3-6 Big Ten, 12-8 overall) to win their third consecutive game Saturday. Happ scored the third triple-double in school history, his second of the year. In a victory similar to the early season successes, the Badgers took advantage of Happ’s all-around dominance, a strong defensive performance and hot three-point shooting to halt the Wildcats’ two-game winning streak.
The Wisconsin Badgers (21-3-0 overall, 11-3-0 WCHA) returned home to sold-out LaBahn Arena Friday night to host the St. Cloud State Huskies (8-16-2 overall, 3-12-0 WCHA). The Badgers shut out the Huskies 5-0 in the first game of the weekend, pouring in 44 shots on goal in the dominant victory.
Wisconsin (1-7 Big Ten, 10-10 overall) dropped its straight game in a close contest with the Penn State Lady Lions (3-5 Big Ten, 10-9 overall), falling 65-59 to continue a slide that has undone the excitement of the season’s strong start.
Wisconsin triumphed 72-60 over Illinois Wednesday night at the State Farm Center in Champaign to improve to 5-3 in Big Ten play (13-6 overall) — its 14th consecutive win against the Illini (1-7 Big Ten, 5-14 overall). Sophomore forward Nate Reuvers led the way with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. Illinois seven-footer Giorgi Bezhanishvilli paced the Illini with 20.
At the start of head coach Tony Granato’s tenure, Wisconsin went into opposing teams’ buildings and played like they had slept the night in their own beds. The Badgers went 14-13-1 away from Madison in the first two years under Granato — better than their 15-18-4 record in the Kohl Center — despite traveling to some of the toughest road environments in college hockey.
In its second series of the new year, No. 1 Wisconsin (11-3-0 WCHA, 21-3-0 overall) split its rivalry series with No. 2 Minnesota (12-3-1-0 WCHA, 22-3-1). The Badgers walked away with a 2-1 win on Friday night but dropped Saturday’s rematch 3-1 as the top two teams in the nation faced off at Minnesota’s Ridder Arena.
Wisconsin needed a change. The Badgers had just lost at home to Purdue in overtime — their second home loss of the season and third loss in four games.
Tai Strickland has always been the son of a household name. His father, Rod Strickland, was a first round draft selection, played 17 seasons in the NBA and ranked seventh all-time in assists when he retired in 2005.
There are some moments in a team’s history that live forever in the memory of its fans and those of us fortunate enough to cover its games. Saturday at the Kohl Center, against one of the only two unbeatens remaining in the nation, Wisconsin’s basketball team delivered just such a moment.
Forget the deflating losses to Minnesota and Purdue, or the schedule-fillers earlier in the season; Saturday morning was the Kohl Center in its purest form, the Badgers showing up for a big-time rival and feeding off of a raucous mid-winter crowd.
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