Buckeyes Destroy Lady Badgers

Sunday's match-up for the Wisconsin men's basketball team against Ohio State may be the biggest game of the year. Hopefully the Lady Badgers' recent trip to Columbus is not a tale of things to come.

To say that things were unpleasant would be an understatement for what happened against the Lady Buckeyes. With the Badgers failing to hit the ocean if they were on the beach, and the Buckeyes hitting from every inch of the court; Sunday's game looked like a clinic on how to win basketball games.

On the defensive side of the ball the Lady Buckeyes dominated the Badgers. Only allowing 25% from the field an just below 15% from behind the arch. Ultimately ending in the Badgers only mustering 47 points in the game.

In terms of offense the Lady Buckeyes looked unstoppable at times. Shooting over 50% from the field, and 40% from behind the arch to put the Badgers completely out of the game at halftime.

After the first intermission the Badgers trailed Ohio State by 25 points, but the Badgers were able to hang with the Buckeyes for most of the second half. Only losing the second stanza by eight points. A major 17 point improvement, and perhaps something the Lady Badgers can hang their hats on in the 80-47 defeat at the hands of the Buckeyes.

Another Tough Weekend on the Ice

Just a few weeks ago the Badger men's hockey team was beginning to look like serious contenders. Winning 13 of their last 15 the Badgers looked on the upswing. Now the Badgers look like they are stuck in a tail spin they can not fight their way out of.

With a four game winless streak heading into the road series versus St. Cloud State the Badgers were in desperate need of a victory. Something they would not find in Minnesota.

Friday night things looked to be heading in a better direction with the scoring remaining 0-0 heading into the first intermission. Then things would fall apart again in the second period.

Throughout the recent winless streak the Badgers have struggled in the second period. Friday night would be no different with St. Cloud scoring three goals in the period. Taking a 3-0 lead into the third and final stanza.

In the third period the Badgers would strike twice with goals by Justin Schultz, and Jordy Murray. But another St. Cloud goal would put the mark out too far for the Badgers in a 4-2 loss.

Coming into Saturday night's series finale the Badgers would need a better effort on both sides of the ice. An effort that would not show up.

St. Cloud State would come out with a first period goal to take a 1-0 lead heading into the break. A lead that Wisconsin would answer early in the second period with a goal by Patrick Johnson equalling the score up at 1-1. Until the Huskies would answer with two goals goal of their own to make the score 3-1 heading into the final period.

It's in the third period that things came completely unhinged for the Badgers. Midway through the period Jordy Murray was shoved in the box for a five minute major. A key point in the game after what happened next.

St. Cloud state after the penalty were able to rattle off four unanswered goals (two of which came on the five minute major) to salt away the game. Despite two late goals by the Badgers making the final score 7-3.

The end result of the weekend was another sweep of the Badgers, and an extension to the winless streak for the Badgers. Keeping the tailspin going for another week...

Badgers Finish Perfect at Home

The Kohl Center is becoming known as perhaps one of the hardest places to play in college basketball. After this season that theory is becoming fact after the season finale against Northwestern.

Coming into the final home game of the season the Badgers were an impressive 15-0 at home. Following Sunday's victory over the Northwestern Wildcats the Badgers finished a perfect 16-0 at home and kept the loss total under Bo Ryan at 11 in ten years.

The three pointer was a key part of Northwestern keeping the final score as close as they did. Despite losing by 15 the Wildcats were able to hang with the Badgers for most of the game, and even cut the Wisconsin lead down to as little as four.

But the old saying of "live by the three, and die by the three," came true in the end. With Northwestern failing to make enough three pointers to close the gap for good, and end the Badgers run at a perfect home record.

Rebounds were also key in the victory for the Badgers. With both teams shooting a relatively high percentage rebounds became more and more important as the game went on. With Wisconsin winning the rebound battle 24-18 the Badgers were able to cut into any Northwestern second chance opportunities.

Towards the end of the game another stat in favor of the Badgers proved to be pivotal in the Wisconsin victory....free throws.

In Bo Ryan style the Badgers made more free throws than their opponents attempted. Making 16 while the Wildcats only attempted 11. Giving the Badgers an eight point advantage in the victory, and salting the game away late when it mattered most. Another key aspect of Badger basketball over the ten years Bo Ryan has roamed the sidelines in Madison.

All in all another home victory for the Badgers, and another victory the Bo way as the Badgers defeated the 78-63. Sealing another perfect season in the Kohl Center.

Spit, Tweets, and Hadwood (Just Another Buckeye-Badger Story)

If the Buckeyes and Badgers needed another wrinkle thrown into the already heated rivalry they may just have found it. With a tweet on twitter involving spit and the hardwood.

According the Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger's twitter account the freshman was supposedly spit on both before and after the big game on Saturday by Wisconsin fans. Just another wrinkle in the rivalry between the two schools which has picked up steam in the last year after two upsets by the Badgers over number one ranked Ohio State football and basketball teams.

Monday the new twist took another turn with the Big Ten teleconference when both coaches made their statements about the claim.

Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan, understandably, stood on the side that it didn't happen citing that their is no evidence of that happening with all the cameras that are present in the Kohl Center missing the luigi.

"Every area of our facility is all videotaped and there is absolutely nothing that has come to my attention," said Ryan on Monday. "All I know is we won the game. Deal with it."

Ohio State head ball coach Thad Matta on the other hand stood by his freshman phenom saying that he has to believe what his player said. While at the same time responding that these kind of things happen in that environment.

"A student ran by and spit on him," responded Matta in his teleconference. "Nothing too major. What are you going to do? Those things happen."

Badgers Take Down No. 1 Buckeyes...Again!

October 6th 2010 is a day that will go down in Wisconsin athletic history as one of the greatest days in football history. Now February 12th 2011 will go down as perhaps the greatest day in Wisconsin basketball history...after another upset of number one Ohio State.

The atmosphere in the Kohl Center on Saturday could be defined only as electric. With the number one Buckeyes in the house the fans showed up early, and got loud often early in the game.

With the Badgers taking an early lead over the Buckeyes the crowd could feel that another upset was perhaps on the way. Until the Buckeyes made a mini run late in the first half to tie the game, and then taking the lead after a David Lighty layup in the closing seconds. Putting the Badgers down two heading into the break.

Coming out of halftime the Buckeyes would come out strong. Hitting nine of their first ten shots from the field and building a 15 point lead over Wisconsin. Not to mention taking the crowd out of the game for the most part. Until the Badgers made their own rally.

Starting with a double-foul against freshman Josh Gasser and Ohio State's Lighy the Badgers found new life with the freshman's toughness. Then junior guard Jordan Taylor took that energy and turned it into points...lots of them.

Starting with back-to-back three point jumpers Taylor would start to heat up, and so would the Badgers. Going on a 15-2 run over three minutes to tie the game up after a three pointer, ironically, by the freshman whose foul ignited the Badger rally...Josh Gasser.

From their the Badgers would go to build a seven point lead, but the Buckeyes would again come back. Bringing the score to 63-65 with just one minute left on the clock.

That's when the Badgers would once again strike from deep. With a wide open jumper by Mike Bruesewitz that not only would shake the building, but would shake the Buckeyes' season.

In the end the Badgers would make their free throws to lock it up, and the students would move closer to storm the court. Then the clock struck zero as a long distance heaf from David Lighty would fall short as the Badgers would upset the Buckeyes, again, 67-71.

Lady Badgers Move to Second

Following the 500th victory of Lisa Stone's career at Indiana the Lady Badgers returned home to take on a new task. Keeping pace in the Big Ten championship hunt with a match-up against Northwestern.

Against the Wildcats the Lady Badgers would find their shooting touch from long distance. Hitting on ten three-pointers for the first time this season, but the Lady Badgers did more than just score from deep. They scored from everywhere on the floor.

Led by Alyssa Karel's 19 points the Lady Badgers were dominant on the perimeter. In the paint it was junior forward Liz Zastrow controlling the blocks with her 17 points and five rebounds. Then add in the youth of sophomore Taylor Wirtz with her 13 points and 6 rebounds, and you have a complete game. From both the veterans and the youth of the Lady Badger basketball team.

Offense wasn't the only part of the game the Lady Badgers dominated against the Wildcats. Defense was also a key part of the victory with the Badgers holding the Lady Wildcats to a season low 41 points, and 16 turnovers in the Badger victory.

With a solid performance on the offensive side of the floor and the defensive side the Lady Badgers were able to put together perhaps their most impressive victory of the season. Not to mention hanging in a tie for second in the conference with the 62-41 victory.

A Rough Weekend in Omaha

Coming into this weekends series with one of the newest members of the WCHA, Nebraska-Omaha, the Badgers were riding a tidal wave. Winning 13 of their last 15 games the Badgers were charging towards the top of the conference standings. That is until the made that first trip to Omaha.

Friday night would be a record night for the Mavericks in Omaha. Setting a record for attendance at the Owest Center, and the Mavs would treat the crowd to a show. One that the Badgers would not enjoy.

Late in the first period the Badgers would strike first with a goal by Jordy Murray. Giving the Badgers a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

That lead would not last long in the second period though. With two goals by the Mavericks in the opening minutes of the period the Badgers would themselves down 2-1 heading into the final period.

In the third and final stanza the Mavericks would find the back of the net two more times. Beating the Badgers 4-1 in the first meeting between the Badgers and Mavericks in history.

Saturday night would be historic for the Nebraska-Omaha for a different reason, but a reason the Badgers would not enjoy either.

The Mavericks would strike first on Saturday night with a goal by Brock Montpetit giving Nebraska-Omaha a 1-0 lead mid-way through the first period. A lead the Badgers would answer though.

In the final minute of the period Jake Gardiner would find the back of the net for the eighth time this season. More importantly on Saturday locking the game up a one heading into the first intermission.

Once again the second period would not be kind to the Badgers in Omaha. With the Mavs scoring two more goals in the second stanza. Taking a 3-1 lead into the third and final period of the game.

Early in the third period the Mavs would strike again with Matt Ambroz's second goal of the night and sixteenth of the season. Putting the Mavs up 4-1 with just minutes left in the game.

The Badgers would rally to within a goal of the Mavs in the third period. With gaols by Murray and Craig Smith, but in the end they would come up just one short. Losing the series finale 4-3, and becoming the 300th victim of Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blias.