Bucky's Minnesotans Take Down Gophers

It is not exactly a hidden secret that Bo Ryan likes to recruit in the state of Minnesota. Perhaps his two best players came from the Land of Lakes, and that would be why beating the gophers is so important. Especially in the opening game of the Big Ten schedule.

Early against the Gophers one of the Badgers that calls Minnesota home reached a career mark. That was when John Leuer hit his 1,000th point in a Badger uniform. Something that only seemed fitting coming against his home state team.

The other fitting part of his 1,000th point was how Leuer made it. Something that many Badger fans may forget is how Leuer made his mark with the Badgers when he first put on the cardinal and white. Hitting three pointers against Michigan in his first Big Ten game back in the 2007-2008 season.

On Tuesday night Leuer's 1,000th point would not come from the low blocks, but from behind the arch. Where is career started with the Badgers, and perhaps the only fitting way for him to knock in his 1,000th.

Against the Gophers Leuer accounted for 16 points, but it was another Minnesotan that would take over the game...junior point guard Jordan Taylor.

With a game high 22 points the native of Bloomington, Minn. knocked down most of his shots when they mattered most. Hitting shots late in both halves that would allow the Badgers to put away the Gophers, and lead to a 68-60 victory.

The victory would be the first of the Big Ten schedule for the Badgers, but it would also be the first quality for Wisconsin as well. A quality win picked up on the backs of Wisconsin's Minnesota duo.