UW hopes players’ meeting can spark late push
MADISON – In the wake of a deflating loss to Iowa, a game in which they led for less than a minute and eventually lost by 15 points, Wisconsin’s players decided an informal team meeting was in order.
UW had lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and was sliding in the Big Ten basketball standings at 9-7 and 15-8 overall.
The Badgers had only four regularseason games remaining to build some type of momentum heading into postseason play.
“We just knew that we were in a place … with our backs against the wall,” senior guard D’Mitrik Trice explained. “We knew we needed to talk amongst each other and really focus on what we needed to do to turn this season around late.
“We have a lot of chances here late with really good teams … to not only end the regular season strong but to also have some momentum going into the Big Ten tourney.
“And then using that momentum to carry on in the NCAA Tournament.”
UW started on that path with a 68-51 victory at Northwestern, a game in which the defense was outstanding and five players scored at least 10 points.
The next challenge will be tougher as UW (16-8, 10-7 Big Ten) faces No. 5ranked Illinois (17-6, 13-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Kohl Center.
Illinois could be without guard Ayo Dosunmu, who suffered several facial injuries in a nine-point loss Tuesday at
Michigan State and did not play Thursday against Nebraska.
Dosunmu and center Kofi Cockburn dismantled UW in the Illini's 75-60 victory on Feb. 6.
Dosunmu had a triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds.
Cockburn had eight dunks, five on passes from Dosunmu, and hit 10 of 13 shots overall. He finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds.
“We're not going to do anything to jeopardize that young man's career,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said after Dosunmu sat out his team's 86-70 victory over Nebraska. “We'll do everything we can to expedite that process, but we will never jeopardize his health and well-being.”
After suffering back-to-back home losses to Michigan and Iowa, UW needed a victory against any team to re-establish confidence.
“That was really helpful for us to get everyone on the same page,” Micah Potter said when asked about the informal meeting between the Iowa and Northwestern games. “And I think it showed. Now, we've got to continue it. You ride the high of a win. That's awesome. But you've got to respond. We've got three huge games left.
“It means nothing if it's one game. It's got to continue.”
It won't continue if UW plays as poorly as it did in the first meeting with the Illini.
The Badgers made just 2 of 7 shots and had two turnovers on their first nine possessions in falling behind 13-4.
UW went 0 for 9 from three-point range and 9 of 30 overall in the opening half as Illinois built a 36-23 lead.
“Obviously, everyone knows what happened the last time we played them,” Potter said of UW's defensive breakdowns against Dosunmu and Cockburn. “In my opinion, that's unacceptable.”
Dosunmu and Cockburn combined to burn UW repeatedly on high-ball screens, with Cockburn rolling to the basket for dunks or lay-ins. As a result, the Illini finished with 38 points in the paint.
Andre Curbelo filled in for Dosunmu on Thursday against Nebraska and contributed 10 points 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Cockburn dominated inside by hitting 8 of 10 field-goal attempts and 8 of 10 free-throw attempts for a team-high 24 points.
“I think defensively we finally found our niche,” Trice said after UW held Northwestern to its second-lowest point total of the season. “We know the mistakes we did make in the Illinois game.”
Trice was also encouraged to see Potter and Brad Davison contribute from three-point range against the Wildcats.
Potter went 3 for 3 and has hit 6 of 9 three-point attempts in the past two games. Davison is 7 of 14 from threepoint range in the past two games. Both were 0 for 5 in the first meeting with the Illini.
“I don't think we'll shoot as poorly as we did,” Trice said, referring to the first Illinois game. “I definitely feel like guys are starting to get a little bit more confidence. Numbers are starting to rise the last couple of games. I think that is going to be key.”
Can UW build on its solid play against Northwestern or was that night an anomaly?
“The stuff that we talked about in that meeting helped us get really, really close and band together and helped us realize this is it,” Potter said. “For a lot of us, this is it.
“We want to make this a memorable year. We want to have fun with it.”