Persistence helps Happ get the job done
Sophomore refuses to quit when down
Madison — Less than 48 hours before Wisconsin faced rival Minnesota, UW assistant Joe Krabbenhoft identified perhaps the No. 1 intangible possessed by Ethan Happ. Persistence. “He just stays at him and at him and at him,” Krabbenhoft said, referring to how Happ attacks his defender from start to finish. “Eventually, Ethan has been able to wear guys down.”
Two days later, the redshirt sophomore authored perhaps his best game at UW in the Badgers’ 78-76 overtime victory Saturday over the host Gophers. You want persistence? Persistence is staying the course after making just 2 of 6 shots and scoring five points in 16 first-half minutes.
Remember, too, that Happ hit a combined 8 of 23 shots in
UW’s previous two games. So when he came back out for the second half, Happ was on a 10-of-29 run. That mark of 34.5% was well off his norm, as Happ entered the game shooting 60.5%.
“I’m really proud of him,” senior guard Bronson Koenig said, “because he struggled a little bit in the first half and I just told him to keep playing. Just never lose confidence. Keep playing and keep being aggressive.”
Happ in 22 minutes after halftime recorded 23 of his 28 points, 11 of his 12 rebounds, three of his five blocks and two of his six assists.
In 22 minutes.
Happ on Monday was named co-Big Ten player of the week. His performance against Minnesota marked the first time since 2003 that a major conference player recorded at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in a game.
The redshirt sophomore hasn’t ever tried to mask his emotions. As a result, Happ sometimes struggled to push through an uneven start last season because he couldn’t forgive his miscues. That no longer appears to be the case.
“His maturity level ... he doesn’t fluctuate as much with his confidence,” UW coach Greg Gard said. “He is much more consistent.
“Maybe a year ago if he starts like that, where he is 2 for 6, that would have had an impact for a longer stretch. He is able to now put those behind him and keep and keep plugging.”
Plugging away is coming out, after you scored five points in the first half, and scoring 15 points in the first 9 minutes, 29 seconds of the second half.
Happ scored off crisp passes from his teammates. He grabbed rebounds and scored. He posted near the lane, from both the left and right side. He drove from both wings, once from the three-point line, and also drove from the free-throw line.
Neither Minnesota’s Reggie Lynch, who had five blocks but fouled out in just 20 minutes, nor Bakary Konate could contend with Happ.
Perhaps his best move came against Konate, with UW trailing, 48-47. Happ got the ball on the right wing, near the three-point line. He backed down Konate and spun right into the lane. When Konate shifted to cut him off, Happ spun back to his left and hit a hook shot while being fouled. He hit the free throw for the three-point play.
“It is a thing of beauty to watch,” Koenig said. “I’m surprised they didn’t change it up a little bit and double him.”
The 15th-ranked Badgers (16-3, 5-1 Big Ten) host Penn State (11-9, 3-4) at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Nittany Lions feature several talented freshmen, but they allowed 34 points in the paint Saturday in a 77-52 loss at Purdue.
Happ and Nigel Hayes (21 points) combined to help UW score 44 points in the paint against the Gophers.
Hayes carried the heavier burden early with 13 points in the first half. Happ shook off his sluggish start to put up ridiculous numbers after halftime.
“This guy didn’t start the greatest,” Gard said as he sat next to Happ, “but found a way to continue to have an impact and obviously had a heck of a game.”