Guarding Kaminsky

[brandx]

Juan.

Absolutely. JJJ has no chance at all - giving up around 5 inches and who knows how many pounds.

[Benny B]

Start a walk-on.  Have him "lose" the ball at Kaminski's knees, and when he bends over to pick it up.... BAM!  Elbow to the temple.

[Texas Western]

Your counter line up ensures our ass getting kicked. No offense.

So then what do you propose as the counter line up?

[JD]

Call me an optimist or an idiot, but I think MU keeps it within 4 points.  Anyone care to wager?

[bilsu]

Call me an optimist or an idiot, but I think MU keeps it within 4 points.  Anyone care to wager?

What do you want to wager? I give you two beers to one.

[MU82]

Call me an optimist or an idiot, but I think MU keeps it within 4 points.  Anyone care to wager?

I'd accept the wager -- and even give you 8 points -- but I NEVER put myself in a position to root against Marquette. When I've been in Vegas, even when we sucked under Dukiet, I wouldn't bet against us.

[We R Final Four]

Sounds like Chicos trying to diminish Bert's accomplishments.  The problem is, Wisconsin did play a home game against Oregon last March.  Those are the lamest arguments out there.  "If this team didn't do this then..."  Or, "If you take away these 3 (good or bad, depending on the argument) performances from this player, then his numbers aren't that (good/bad)!"  Bucky did play Oregon at "home," and then won 2 games after that on a neutral court, and went to a Final Four.  And this year they return everyone but one of their many 3 point shooters.  They're a dang good team and we frankly just won't be that good.

Thank you--a voice of reason.

[WarriorFan]

I think this will be the first real test of Wojo from a game strategy perspective.  I believe there are ways to beat Bo's system, and that one must beat the system, not any specific player or players, when playing against his teams.

In years past, the way to beat Bo was to run.  Last year's UW team could run with anyone, but you could tell Bo only let it happen reluctantly. 

What would I do?  I'd put JJJ on Kaminsky (backed up by Juan) and would run a full court press with a half court trap and force as many turnovers as possible by going for every steal and getting in the passing lanes.  I'd try to turn the whole game into Chaos so they get their (deadly) offense set up on less than half of possessions. 

I'm sure Wojo will come up with something even better.

[willie warrior]

So then what do you propose as the counter line up?

Guys who can score. We already know that Juan and Derrick can't, and to a lesser extent Steve. That line-up would be offensively challenged. If you get 16-20 points from those 3, you would be lucky.

[tower912]

I think this will be the first real test of Wojo from a game strategy perspective.  I believe there are ways to beat Bo's system, and that one must beat the system, not any specific player or players, when playing against his teams.

In years past, the way to beat Bo was to run.  Last year's UW team could run with anyone, but you could tell Bo only let it happen reluctantly. 

What would I do?  I'd put JJJ on Kaminsky (backed up by Juan) and would run a full court press with a half court trap and force as many turnovers as possible by going for every steal and getting in the passing lanes.  I'd try to turn the whole game into Chaos so they get their (deadly) offense set up on less than half of possessions. 

I'm sure Wojo will come up with something even better.

I agree in principle with what you are saying.  If you are more athletic, f with them.   I don't think it works this year because (A) MU has only 9 scholarship players, (B) Wiscy IS athletic, (C) their athleticism is disciplined, (D) I am not assuming Wojo has superpowers. 

[swoopem]

When looking at the schedule I'm marking this game a loss. That said I don't think it'll be a blowout or an embarrassment as some of you have mentioned. Everyone worries that Steve will get in foul trouble, what happens if Kaminsky gets in foul trouble? I assume we'll be attacking the rim and that can lead to some fouls on that goon. If he has to sit for a period of time that would be huge. Also, you guys are saying if Dekker goes off we're done. Well if we're hitting our 3s then I like our chances a lot. This is a two way street and I don't see a reason to automatically assume the worst. Either way I see it being a close game and having home court could be a key factor. We'll also be battle tested after playing in the Orlando classic. It's not like this will be our first game, ala Ohio St last year (Grambling St. doesn't count).

[GGGG]

When looking at the schedule I'm marking this game a loss. That said I don't think it'll be a blowout or an embarrassment as some of you have mentioned. Everyone worries that Steve will get in foul trouble, what happens if Kaminsky gets in foul trouble? I assume we'll be attacking the rim and that can lead to some fouls on that goon. If he has to sit for a period of time that would be huge. Also, you guys are saying if Dekker goes off we're done. Well if we're hitting our 3s then I like our chances a lot. This is a two way street and I don't see a reason to automatically assume the worst. Either way I see it being a close game and having home court could be a key factor. We'll also be battle tested after playing in the Orlando classic. It's not like this will be our first game, ala Ohio St last year (Grambling St. doesn't count).

Well yeah.  I mean really that might be our only real hope here.

But it's not as though this group of players have shown they can consistently do this yet.

[4everwarriors]

Probably gotta play like our hair's on fire, hey?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11710007/wisconsin-unanimously-picked-win-big-ten

I think this is the first time Bo Ryan has ever managed this.

And to no one's surprise, the Badger Troll Myron Medcalf is all over this one.

[MU82]

When looking at the schedule I'm marking this game a loss. That said I don't think it'll be a blowout or an embarrassment as some of you have mentioned. Everyone worries that Steve will get in foul trouble, what happens if Kaminsky gets in foul trouble? I assume we'll be attacking the rim and that can lead to some fouls on that goon. If he has to sit for a period of time that would be huge. Also, you guys are saying if Dekker goes off we're done. Well if we're hitting our 3s then I like our chances a lot. This is a two way street and I don't see a reason to automatically assume the worst. Either way I see it being a close game and having home court could be a key factor. We'll also be battle tested after playing in the Orlando classic. It's not like this will be our first game, ala Ohio St last year (Grambling St. doesn't count).

Wisconsin just has to play its game -- or something resembling it -- to beat us handily. We need a whole lot of "ifs" to even have a chance.

But I do like your optimism, even if I am having trouble finding that inside myself for this game.

[dgies9156]

All right, here's the secret to beating Wisconsin. Teams that figure this out ocassionally beat the Red Rodent. Teams that don't lose.

The Rodent's coach is very good. He takes talented, smart players and disciplines them. You don't often see the rodent playing out of control. Just like you didn't see our teams often playing out of control when St. Al was head coach. Instead, the Red Rodent frustrates his opponent until they go mad and often lose it.

If you want to beat the rodent, you make him play your game. You get him out of sync, usually with speed, turnovers and threes. You make him run until he is falling over and you substitute freely because you have to. In other words, you throw the kitchen sink at the rodent. We win when we make the rodent play Marquette ball and get the rodent behind.

Can we do this in December? I don't know. But I am not writing us off just yet.

[Dawson Rental]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11710007/wisconsin-unanimously-picked-win-big-ten

I think this is the first time Bo Ryan has ever managed this.

And to no one's surprise, the Badger Troll Myron Medcalf is all over this one.

As we learned last year, there is no better time to worry than when your picked to take first place.

[Benny B]

Give Bo a taste of his own medicine.  He wants to slow the game down, let's slow it down.  Make a substitution at every whistle.  Ask for clarification from the officials on every close call.  Ask for a "2 or 3" replay after every 3pt shot.  Turn it into a 3-1/2 hour game.

Just like filling a balloon with too much air... eventually, Bo is going to pop.

[JakeBarnes]

Probably gotta play like our hair's on fire, hey?

Shoulda brought Malek in...

[Dawson Rental]

Shoulda brought Malek in...

nice

[MUfan12]

This could be a game where Duane really shines. UW had a hellish time keeping quicker PGs out of the lane last season. All it usually took was a high ball screen. Yogi went nuts on them in Bloomington, and they didn't run much other than that in the second half.

[mu-rara]

Consensus this year has to be Rodents.  We know what Bo has.  We have no idea what Wojo has, particularly this early in his first year.

Rodent / Marquette game often goes opposite of consensus.

Go Warriors.

[BCHoopster]

All right, here's the secret to beating Wisconsin. Teams that figure this out ocassionally beat the Red Rodent. Teams that don't lose.

The Rodent's coach is very good. He takes talented, smart players and disciplines them. You don't often see the rodent playing out of control. Just like you didn't see our teams often playing out of control when St. Al was head coach. Instead, the Red Rodent frustrates his opponent until they go mad and often lose it.

If you want to beat the rodent, you make him play your game. You get him out of sync, usually with speed, turnovers and threes. You make him run until he is falling over and you substitute freely because you have to. In other words, you throw the kitchen sink at the rodent. We win when we make the rodent play Marquette ball and get the rodent behind.

Can we do this in December? I don't know. But I am not writing us off just yet.

First, good points, but the only way to win is to turn them over early, as they will control the boards, and like you said make it a track meet.  The problem is that UW gets great coaching on
the defensive end and it is hard to beat them in a half court game.  I really believe if Wisconsin is going to win the NCAA it is this year, and Bo's last chance, talent and experience are there.
I do not care who he brings in the following year but he has 5 seasoned players who are in their last year, plus 2 really good sophs, I think Al usually went 7 deep, this is there chance.   Mu will compete better the following year with Ellenson and experience.

[JWags85]

Not sure how Badger fans, and the Badger board specifically, are going to be able to function this year without screaming every week about how disrespected they are in the media.

Also, I know potential is everything in the NBA, but I still can't figure how Dekker is still projected as a lottery pick.  He's now a Junior, so he's past the "raw, untapped talent" level where people like Noah Vonleh or Alex Lens would fall in, but yet I can't recall him dominating or taking over games like you would expect an older lottery pick to.  Not saying he's a bad player, of course we'd love to have him, but I'm not sold on him being one of those lottery pick studs.  Hell, I still think he's a good distance away from Gordon Hayward when he declared.

[Silkk the Shaka]

This could be a game where Duane really shines. UW had a hellish time keeping quicker PGs out of the lane last season. All it usually took was a high ball screen. Yogi went nuts on them in Bloomington, and they didn't run much other than that in the second half.

Ooooooohhh like the sound of that. Pretty sure Henry said that Wojo sold him on high ball screen pro-style offense. Could work wonders against UW with this guard-heavy roster this year. Holding out hope!