Hopes were high for the Badgers coming into the Michigan game. This was a chance for Wisconsin to get a win against a top-10 team that really hasn’t been tested yet. Those hopes deflated pretty quickly.
First half
The game started out well; it was competitive. It’s the type of game you wanted to watch. Michigan would go up a few points, and Wisconsin would close the gap. It was exciting. Then things fell apart.
With 6:21 left in the first half, Nate Reuvers made a layup to make the score 26-23, Michigan. From then on, the Badgers scored a whopping zero points for the rest of the half. Michigan went on a 14-0 run to end the half and go up 40-23. They shot 30% in the first half and had seven turnovers.
Credit Michigan, they had a ton of energy on the bench and worked their butts off on defense, and made their open shots on offense. Wisconsin was the exact opposite. The 17 point deficit is the largest deficit Wisconsin had faced all season.
Second half
You’d think the Badgers would find a way to adjust and close the gap, but it was just more of the same. They came out in the second half completely flat and pathetic. Michigan extended the run to 43-6 before the Badgers started scoring again.
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The Badgers looked completely out of sync. They didn’t run the offense and forced a ton of tough shots. When the game really got out of hand, it wasn’t because Michigan was doing anything special, our defense just looked defeated. They gave up easy passes and shots. Definitely not what we are accustomed to seeing out of this Wisconsin basketball team.
Towards the end of the second half, shots started to fall. Trice hit a few threes and the defense started to make some shots, but it was far too late to make any sort of run. In the end, the Badgers got smoked. The worst part was seeing how they just rolled over and let this happen. By the time the game ended, the score was 77-54, a 23-point loss. Sadly, the game wasn’t that close.
Time to move on
But it is what it is.
First, I know it is frustrating to swallow this loss, but it’s just one game. The season isn’t over. There is still plenty of basketball left to play. In the Big Ten, these games happen. Now, we will get to see how this team bounces back. Will they buckle down and get a win at Rutgers or will they collapse and lose their second straight game?
Next, the best thing to do is to learn from this game and focus on the next game. There are plenty of games left. They will win more. Also, the Badgers will get another shot at the Wolverines this season.
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