Bucky loses to UNLV

[Tugg Speedman]

So, how good is Wisconsin?

[Blackhat]

Lon Krueger's a good coach.

To answer your question, probably as good as usual.   Contend, grind out a lot of wins but never a real serious national contender.

[4everwarriors]

UW is traditionally very good.

[whodem]

Wisconsin will be fine. Going on the road to beat a very good UNLV team who returns 5 starters from the previous season is tough thing to do.

[GB Warrior]

UNLV is a very good team, and they were at home. This wasn't a blowout; this wasn't Wisconsin dropping the ball and losing focus. Disappointing for them, I'm sure, but hardly devastating. Bo Ryan only knows how to coach one way, and he'll get them to rebound and grit out similar games like this.

[avid1010]

Typical Wisconsin....always good, never great.  At this point they look better than MU...man was I disappointed in the way MU played today.  Really the UW-GB was much the same, two games in a row that they didn't do anything very well.  I hope they are playing down to their competition, or their next two games could be ugly.

[chapman]

Brings back the fond memory of UNLV beating the best team ever assembled in Madison in the second round of the tournament a few years back.

[Lennys Tap]

They'll go as far as Gasser can take them.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Typical Wisconsin....always good, never great.  At this point they look better than MU...man was I disappointed in the way MU played today.  Really the UW-GB was much the same, two games in a row that they didn't do anything very well.  I hope they are playing down to their competition, or their next two games could be ugly.

+1

[Jay Bee]

Gasser started and played 37 minutes.  2/8 shooting (1/6 from three)

Becky started 4 traditional players along with a kid from my high school.  Not sure that recipe works well enough to be an elite team. 

[HoopsMalone]

You can always find players who were missed in recruiting, especially if they went JUCO.  See DJO and Jimmy.

However, Wisconsin is going to find that it is tough to win with players who did not have stars next to their names in the same way MU found that out when we had those 2 NIT years where only Diener, Novak, and D Mason were really any good and D Mason underacheived.

Bo Ryan is an underrated recruiter and overrated coach.

[NCAARules]

UW is traditionally very good.

"traditionally" very good? Love the word choice!

I thought I heard on the telecast that Bo took the team to the locker room during the UNLV starting lineup introduction? I didnt catch the whole story - anybody know what happened there?

[HoopsMalone]

"traditionally" very good? Love the word choice!

He has been traditionally very good when he has all 4 and 5 star players out there.  Funny how Wisco has dropped off since Butch and Krabbenoff, his two 5-stars, have left.  Last year he had Hughes and J-Bo in his backcourt, two really talented players.  Not so anymore. 

Recruiting is half the battle so he is definitely one of the better guys to lead a program.  But don't be surprised that he is losing to mid-majors when he doesn't have the same talent. 

[marquette99]

Mu is almost exactly where they were last year in the computer (www.kenpom.com) - 5th in the big east, 32nd in the country.  Duke is number 1, then it goes:  4 pitt 5 syracuse 12 west va 15 villanova 32 marquette

[avid1010]

Mu is almost exactly where they were last year in the computer (www.kenpom.com) - 5th in the big east, 32nd in the country.  Duke is number 1, then it goes:  4 pitt 5 syracuse 12 west va 15 villanova 32 marquette

Interesting as from memory/observation I was more confident in their progress last year at this time...hope I'm reading them wrong thus far.  They certainly have the talent to play at a level equal to or better than last year.  Also felt college bball as a whole was less talented last year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Gasser started and played 37 minutes.  2/8 shooting (1/6 from three)

Becky started 4 traditional players along with a kid from my high school.  Not sure that recipe works well enough to be an elite team. 

They were trailing by 1 point at UNLV with 9 seconds left and the ball.  They shot below 40%, Taylor was sick, and they still almost won.

They will be a load again for MU this year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

He has been traditionally very good when he has all 4 and 5 star players out there.  Funny how Wisco has dropped off since Butch and Krabbenoff, his two 5-stars, have left.  Last year he had Hughes and J-Bo in his backcourt, two really talented players.  Not so anymore. 

Recruiting is half the battle so he is definitely one of the better guys to lead a program.  But don't be surprised that he is losing to mid-majors when he doesn't have the same talent. 

Again, tell me how they've "dropped off"?

[Brecht]

Bo Ryan is a good coach. I loved to watch his UW Milwaukee teams play. I'm just not a big fan of him wisconsin teams with three quarters of the roster 6'9" or better slowly grinding it out. That's why bucky's best chance at going anywhere in the tourney was during the Devin Harris years. Loved to see them lose today and hopefully the Golden Eagles can put a hurting on them this year!

[77ncaachamps]

UNLV channeled the spirit of Kaspars Kambala for this win.

[HoopsMalone]

Again, tell me how they've "dropped off"?

I think they have dropped off in recruiting and standing in their own conference from my point of view.  In fairness to them, the B10 might be the best this year. 

You are right.  They do lose to mid-majors consistently.  However, they do have a good record (winning) against MU so I am not totally hating.  They are still a good program.

I guess just put me down as saying that Wisco will not do as well without 4 and 5 stars in their lineup.  It's hard to say in November if they have "dropped off" but I don't subjectively see talent in their lineup.  Who knows. 

I am not as impressed with Bo and their program as others are on this board.  The won't always get to play Bucknell in the NCAA's.  They won't always have two 5-stars (Butch and Krabbenoff(sp?)) starting for them.  Let's see what the swing does without the talent they have had in the past.

[karavotsos]

I'm just happy Wisconsin lost.  I don't care about UNLV, or how good they are, or Lon Krueger.  Wisconsin lost.  They weren't even playing a top 25 team, and they lost.  It makes me happy when Wisconsin loses. 

[DaCoach]

Regardless of feelings for UW, it is in the best interest of MU that every team we play has a high ranking.

[downtown85]

Mu is almost exactly where they were last year in the computer (www.kenpom.com) - 5th in the big east, 32nd in the country.  Duke is number 1, then it goes:  4 pitt 5 syracuse 12 west va 15 villanova 32 marquette

Kenpom predicted that UNLV would beat Wisconsin in this game.  This isn't an upset. 

[TVDirector]

it was a tough one to listen to on the radio-

bucky announcers whined about each and every call that went against them.

guess that they just couldn't believe UW could actually foul.
or more likely, be called for a foul.

annoying couple of guys.

[MUEng92]

I caught a couple minutes on the radio and thought the same thing.  Several times saying the refs were screwing the Badgers.  Well I don't know how much intelligent basketball commentary you can expect from a retired pro golfer.