Badger Thoughts

I wanted to put some of these to the keyboard during the game, but couldn't pry my ass off the couch to get the computer. Here we go:

1. Don't let this win define your season. My friends in downtown Milwaukee raised a banner announcing they beat Duke a couple years ago. My girls won a relay meet mid-season this past year and I told them the same thing...don't let this be the high point. I'm not old enough to call this the biggest win in school history, but it has to rank up there.

2. Senior guards carry a team. You hear the talk every March about the team with the senior guards, and this year the Badgers have those senior guards. Hughes was a monster tonight and if Bohannon finds his outside shot this team is a tough match-up.

3. Jordan Taylor looks lost without Hughes on the floor with him. There was a spurt at about the 3-5 minute mark of the second half where Hughes was out of the game and Taylor looked lost. Taylor was playing the PG position with Hughes in the game, but he just looked lost when Hughes was on the bench. Hopefully he builds some confidence.

4. Ryan Evans reminds me of Maurice Linton. Not just because they wear the same number, but because I want to scream "PASS!" every time he gets the ball. As a student in the late '90's I got into this habit every time Linton touched the ball. Evans is athletic, but he is raw. He doesn't seem to have a good handle on the ball and he forces shots. Strange to see such a lack of fundamentals on a Bo Ryan team. Even stranger to see him on the court at the end of the game. Good thing Bo has 3+ years with him. Did I mention he is athletic.

5. I saw offense-defense substitutions for the first time I can ever remember at the end of the game. Next thing you know the Badgers are going to come out in a zone. Hopefully Bill Raftery is not calling that game...he won't know what to do.

6. It is only December 2nd, but the Badgers have played their way into the tournament if they are on the bubble. Neutral court wins against Arizona and Maryland and a win against Duke look pretty darn good on a resume come March.

7. It was really hard to stay quiet during this one. Two sleeping kids and a sleeping wife upstairs, along with a sleeping dog next to me on the couch forced my silence tonight.