UW’s Davison battles through adversity
MADISON – Brad Davison’s focus and faith have been tested this month.
And Wisconsin’s losses to Michigan and Michigan State, in a span of four days, were far from the most painful moments the sophomore guard has faced in February.
“I think he is doing well,” teammate and confidant D’Mitrik Trice said. “I know he is hurting on the inside. I know him and his family are super close.”
Davison is set to be in the starting lineup again when UW (17-8, 9-5 Big Ten) hosts Illinois (10-15, 6-8) at 7 p.m. Monday.
He was back home in Minnesota on Thursday and Friday to attend the funeral of his grandmother, who passed away last Monday after a lengthy illness. Her death came one day before UW suffered a 67-59 loss to Michigan State.
“Been walking with a Heavy Heart,” Davison wrote on his Twitter account before returning home for the funeral. “To Soon to Let you Go.”
According to a UW official, Davison was able to visit her on Feb. 6 before UW’s 56-51 victory at Minnesota.
Davison struggled in his return home, hitting just 1 of 5 three-pointers and 2 of 12 shots overall.
He hit 4 of 8 shots and finished with nine points and five rebounds three days later in UW’s 61-52 loss to Michigan but did not play well in the loss to Michigan State.
Davison hit 2 of 8 three-pointers and 3 of 12 shots overall and made a key defensive mistake late that led to a threepointer by Kenny Goins.
“He did a pretty good job of not showing it, but I could definitely tell his mind was with his family,” Trice said, referring to the Michigan State game. “His family wasn’t there and it is tough because his family has been at every game. And then he doesn’t see his family in the stands. It is a little different environment. We definitely feel for him.”
Davison enters the week third on UW in scoring at 11.0 points per game and second among the starters in threepoint shooting at 41.7 percent.
In the three games since he hit 4 of 6 three-pointers and 6 of 11 shots overall in a 69-61 victory over Maryland, however, Davison has shot 26.7 percent from three-point range (4 of 15) and 28.1 percent overall (9 of 32).
“I don’t want to talk about personal issues,” UW assistant Dean Oliver said when asked about Davison’s state of mind. “He just has to keep playing hard and playing the way he does. He will be fine.
“But he is able to play through anything. A bad shooting night and he is back in the gym. He knows to handle it. He is probably one of the more mature kids I’ve ever been around.”
Questionable shot selection and finishing near the basket have been issues in recent games for Davison and Trice.
Trice is shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range (5 of 14) and just 28 percent overall (7 of 25) in the last three games.
“I thought we got a little jump-shot happy when they made a run in the first half,” head coach Greg Gard said after the loss to Michigan State. “Our offensive possessions fed to that in transition. Some of those were quicker possessions where we took jump shots.
“And also we didn’t play inside-out. When we did that we were able to get our defense set. When we didn’t, they obviously made us pay for it.”
Both Trice and Davison have struggled to finish after driving into the lane.
Trice has been working on a pull-up jumper rather than a floater.
“It is just something that I’ve got to think about more in the game, getting to the pull-up more than the floater,” he said. “They want me to get to that.”
Davison has been battling a rightfoot/ankle injury for most of the season. He generally wears a protective boot after games and although he has downplayed the injury it appears he isn’t as explosive on drives.
“Some of it is concentration, getting it higher on the backboard,” Oliver said. “A lot of his misses are low on the backboard.”
Davison appeared worn out in the loss to Michigan State. Being away from basketball and with his family for a couple days to celebrate his grandmother’s life could rejuvenate him.
“For me, it would probably weigh on me losing someone important in my life,” Trice said. “It was a big loss for him.”