After a promising start to the Big Ten season, Wisconsin ended January by losing six straight games, leaving questions about what happened to last year’s Big Ten Tournament winner.
So far in February, those questions have been answered, as the Badgers (16-9, 7-6 Big Ten) have resurrected themselves in the conference by winning their last four games in convincing fashion, taking down Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa at home and going on the road to defeat Penn State by 10.
Suddenly, Wisconsin is right in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten, and is getting hot at the right time. Only half a game separates the fourth through seventh place teams in the conference, meaning down the stretch teams will be jockeying for position heading into the conference tournament.
The Badgers were not getting blown out during their losing streak either. Aside from the 13-point loss at Purdue to start the losing streak, the team lost their following five games by a combined 19 points.
Because Wisconsin was close in all its previous games, coach Bo Ryan said his team practiced the same way they had done before, and did the little things they needed to do to get the win.
“You just get ready for the next competition,” Ryan said. “We didn’t do anything different, we just prepared for the next 40 minutes.”
The Badgers are going to have to show they can win on the road as well as at home if they want to continue their streak. They travel to Bloomington to face Indiana (6-18, 1-11 Big Ten) on Thursday and then go on the road to take on Michigan State (20-4, 10-2 Big Ten) on Sunday.
Golden Gophers losing their gild
Halfway through January, Minnesota looked as if they were in the top class of the Big Ten, being ranked as high as No. 17 in the nation.
However, since losing at Northwestern on Jan. 18, the team has lost five of their last eight, with two of the three wins coming at Indiana’s expense.
Minnesota coach Tubby Smith has been particularly disappointed in his team’s ball handling, and said taking care of the basketball has been one of the reasons they have been losing their past few games. The team had 17 turnovers and 27 fouls in their loss to Penn State (18-8, 7-6 Big Ten).
This is not the time of the season to be in a slump, as the final games will be fresh on the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s minds.
“Certainly anytime this time of the year, the NCAA or any other postseason opportunities are going to be dependent on how you finish the year,” Smith said. “If you’re not playing well and you’re not winning, then your chances are diminished as far as getting into postseason play. We understand that.”
Minnesota’s schedule for the rest of the regular season is not going to be easy. It has three more home games and two on the road, including at Illinois on Feb. 26. As for this week, the Golden Gophers travel to Michigan Thursday and then host Northwestern on Sunday.
