UW’s Pritzl bounces back after rough outings
MADISON – Brevin Pritzl was vexed when he left the Kohl Center on Feb. 1.
“The Northwestern game sucked,” Wisconsin’s redshirt sophomore guard said when asked about his play in the 60-52 loss to the Wildcats.
“It wasn’t like I felt bad before the game. I just had a rough night and it was frustrating. I went back in the gym and tried to figure it out.”
Pritzl entered the night shooting 45.5% from three-point range and 46.6% overall in home games.
He missed every shot he took in the loss – 9 three-point attempts and 11 shots overall.
His mood wasn’t much better three days later on the return trip from Maryland, where UW suffered a 68-63 loss.
Pritzl was replaced in the starting lineup by
Aleem Ford and played a season-low six minutes – all in the first half. His day ended when an errant pass was stolen by Maryland’s Anthony Cowan Jr., who drove and scored to give the Terrapins a 10-point halftime lead.
Pritzl’s stat line that day: two missed shots, one rebound and one turnover.
“The Maryland game, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind,” he said. “I was just a little out of sorts. I wasn’t really focused on the game. I was trying to think too many things through.”
Pritzl’s mind should be right when UW (11-15, 4-9 Big Ten) hosts Michigan (19-7, 8-5) at noon Sunday.
He responded to the humbling day at Maryland by contributing 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in UW’s 78-69 victory at Illinois.
“Unreal,” freshman guard Brad Davison said of Pritzl’s performance. “He was awesome. He had a little bounceback game. He hit some timely shots, hit some big free throws.
“But his energy – he put his face on the ball. He got to some loose balls that were huge for us. Those are the little things that coach has been preaching.”
Pritzl scored 13 points in the second half – by hitting 3 of 3 three-pointers and 4 of 4 free-throw attempts.
Yet head coach Greg Gard and associate head coach Howard Moore were more impressed with his first-half numbers – five rebounds, one block and one steal.
“He did some of those other things that you talk about that can get a player engaged," Gard said. "That got him mentally into the game and then, lo and behold, shots go in. It’s amazing how that works.”
Pritzl left De Pere High School as the all-time leading scorer with 1,720 points. Yet he earned playing time last season by providing energy off the bench.
Pritzl started the first four games this season, came off the bench for the next six, and then started 12 of the next 13 games in which he played before heading back to the bench after his performance against Northwestern.
The coaches have impressed upon Pritzl, who missed the Indiana game after suffering a head injury during shootaround, the need to focus on rebounding, hustling and defending and the points will come.
“Every day,” Moore said. “Every day. It’s simple. There’s never anyone freaking out about missing shots . ...
“Those shots he hit against Illinois are big. But diving on the floor for loose balls, blocking out and rebounding down from the perimeter and helping the bigs, that stuff is huge.”
UW and Michigan met three times last season. The teams split their two regular-season meetings and the Wolverines then beat UW in the Big Ten title game.
Pritzl didn’t play in any of the three games, largely because he would have been a defensive liability.
“It comes down to the scouting report and sticking to our rules,” Pritzl said. “I was still kind of undisciplined when it came to the rules. I’ve done a much better job this year.
“I’ve had games where I’ve defended well. I’ve had games where I’ve defended very poorly. It is learning the rules and really sticking to them.”
The No. 1 rule Pritzl must follow? Don’t worry about your shot. Rebound, defend and dive on the floor and the points will come.