Starting Five Coming to Form Against UW-Green Bay

So far this season the Wisconsin Badgers have appeared to be a two man show. Mainly Jordan Taylor and John Leuer, but on Monday night against UW-Green Bay the starting five started to take shape. As the Badgers defeated the Phoenix to lock down the sweep in the in-state series.

Just like normal Leuer got his 22 points and eight rebounds, and Jordan Taylor knocked in ten points and six assists. Those appear to be the standard numbers for the two Badger stars, but it was the rest of the starting cast that took form.

The only other returning starter this season was Keaton Nankivil, but the big man from Madison struggled from the floor early on. Against Marquette the senior forward started to show glimpses of what everyone saw last year, but on Monday he repeated with another throwback performance. In 32 minutes Nankivil was able to hit for 16 points while recording four blocks. Numbers that Badger fans had become accustomed to last season, and many were expecting to see from Nankivil this year again.

The other two spots that needed to be filled heading into the season are also beginning to take shape. The biggest of those was finding a true shooting forward to take the spot of Jason Bohannon from a year ago. Against the Phoenix that player was Mike Bruesewitz who went for a career high 18 points. Not to mention rocking the red Afro at the same time.

Filling the shoes of Trevon Hughes is not as easy as it could be this season though. Freshman Josh Gasser has been getting the start in the shooting guard position, but scoring has been tough since his breakout performance against Prairie View A&M.

Although the scoring may not be there for Gasser quite yet he is filling in shoes that have been empty for a couple years. Many that follow the Badgers consistently point to only one Badger that Gasser is starting to look like on the floor...Joe Krabbenhoft.

Diving on the floor and making hustle plays that other players can't seem to make were a large part of what Krabbenhoft was able to do in Madison. Something that we already starting to see with Gasser. Especially when it comes to getting tough rebounds.

So far this season Gasser has racked up 42 rebounds including three against UW-Green Bay on Monday. But it is the statistic that isn't kept that shows what Gasser can do...get the ball on the floor. Getting after those loose balls was what made Krebbenhoft a starter even without the scoring and is what right now could make Gasser a starter as well. At least until he starts shooting.

The starting five may be set, but there are still questions when it comes to the bench. But with players like Ryan Evans, Tim Jarmusz, and Jared Berggren the Badgers are starting to show the depth that made them Big Ten contenders. Something the Badgers need with the conference schedule just a couple weeks away.