Final Four Team Preview: Wisconsin

Wisconsin Badgers, 35-3

• Conference: Big Ten
• Seed: 1
• Leading Scorer: Frank Kaminsky (18.2 points per game)
• Path to the Final Four:
• Round 1 - Defeated Coastal Carolina, 86-72
• Round of 32 - Defeated Oregon, 72-65
• Sweet 16 - Defeated North Carolina, 79-72
• Elite 8 - Defeated Arizona, 85-78

The Wisconsin Badgers have had a strange ride back to the Final Four. Last season, they defeated Oregon in the Round of 32 and Arizona in the Elite 8 to set up a game against Kentucky in the Final Four. This year, they beat Oregon in the Round of 32 and Arizona in the Elite 8 to set up a game against Kentucky in the Final Four. If that felt like deja vu to you, just think how Bo Ryan must feel. He and the Badgers are hoping things go differently this year in the Final Four, though. Last year, they came up just short, losing 74-73. If they're going to win this time around, they will need to play a near-perfect game. If anyone is capable, it's Wisconsin.

When fully healthy, the Badgers have lost just twice all season (they lost to Rutgers without Frank Kaminsky). A home loss on December 3 to Duke and a road loss against Maryland on February 24. How have they been so successful? By playing stellar defense and not turning the ball over. Wisconsin averages just 7 turnovers a game and gives up less than 58 points per game. Ryan would take offense if you suggested his team couldn't score, though. In their NCAA Tournament games, Wisconsin is averaging 80.5 points per game. They will most likely not be scoring that many points against Kentucky, but they're comfortable playing in lower scoring games as well. They won't be frustrated if they can't score with ease. They have won grind-it-out types of games all season. Wisconsin beat Marquette scoring just 49 points. They beat Penn St. by scoring just 55. If the Badgers beat Kentucky and advance to the national championship game, expect to see two very different types of games. It will be a low-scoring game against Kentucky and the Badgers will then put up points against either Duke or Michigan St. They are capable of winning either type of game.

So how do you beat them? There may not be a single strategy to beat the Badgers. They play fundamentally sound and are efficient on both offense and defense. They don't foul (they average just 12.7 per game) or turn the ball over (7 per game). In beating the Badgers, you have to start with Kaminsky. There are times when the All-American takes himself out of the game by not being aggressive enough. You can bet that won't happen on the national stage in the Final Four, so try to limit his touches. Make someone else on this team beat you. Kentucky should be able to disrupt him because of their size. He's not used to going against three 7-footers. On defense, go right at him. Make him defend. That will not be hard for Kentucky who will put pressure on Kaminsky. If he gets in early foul trouble, it will be a struggle for Wisconsin. The next step in beating the Badgers is to focus on Dekker. Sam Dekker has been perhaps their best player in the NCAA Tournament. He can spot up and drain 3s or blow by and go to the basket. Kentucky will, of course, try to force him inside so that he has to deal with their redwoods down low. That's a sound strategy and one that has worked for Kentucky all year. Then again, they haven't seen a combo like Kaminsky and Dekker all season.

And the prognostication? The Badgers will give Kentucky a game, that's for certain. If they win, it will be the story of the tournament. Will they be able to refocus by Monday night's Championship Game? These questions are impossible to answer. All that is certain is that there will be no quit in the Badgers. They will be in every game they play, and they will not give in.