Here's The Silver Lining

[4everwarriors]

Odd as it may seem now, today's loss is not nearly as damaging as the NDSU debacle.

[mu_hilltopper]

That's reaching pretty low.  "The silver lining is that we have an even WORSE loss."

[Big Papi]

the silver lining if there is one is that considering how we played we only lost by 4.  We hit 2 more 3 pointers and we have a legit chance to win the game.  We had wide open 3 point shots and we shot 3 for 18.  A 5 for 18 3-point shooting is a brutal stat but that would have been enough to make the end very interesting.  Badgers are a solid team but they did not impress me in the least.  One thing to take into account is that experience is huge.  This was Alando's fifth game against us and I believe Chris Rock's fourth game against.  Five of our top 7 players are sophs and freshmen. 

[4everwarriors]

On the contrary, I was very impressed with UW. They came into a hostile environment, controlled the tempo, shut down the quickness of our guards, made big baskets when they absolutely needed them, and bring in one big after another.
MU hasn't shot from both the outside or the FT line worth a crap all season and I don't see that changing any time soon.

[mutpm]

I'm not sure what to think of this team yet.  They have played downright terrible at times, yet has had the chance to be undefeated.  They have never been out of it.  There are some serious limitations to this team, but it is very hard to know them out.  They got down 11 in the 2nd half and still had possessions that could have cut it to 3 or 4.  If this team starts to execute consistently on the offensive end, they will become a very good team.  If they don't, this will be a roller coaster season.

[mikekinsellaMVP]

Gotta agree with mufanatic.  A team that has an amazing shooting night beating a team that has a horrible shooting night and can't catch a break from the black and whites by less than five?  This thing could have been very, very ugly if we didn't play so well.

Still very concerned about free-throw shooting.  The Badgers were even worse from the line than we were.  The outcome of this game wouldn't have been as slim if Wisconsin were 75% on FT.  The most glaring problem is the interior defense.  Namely the fact that it DOES NOT EXIST.  Was I the only one who lost track of how many times Tucker would walk past five white jerseys around the arc, call for the ball, and nail it home with the nearest defender standing seven feet away?

[NavinRJohnson]

THis loss was not all that damaging, because anyone watching that game understands that UW is just better. I am disappointed in the lack of a fight MU put up, but they were beaten by a better team.

[Big Papi]

Was I the only one who lost track of how many times Tucker would walk past five white jerseys around the arc, call for the ball, and nail it home with the nearest defender standing seven feet away?

I think at least half of Tucker's buckets were layups.  We are not very deep in the frontcourt and that is an understatement but having Fitz and Barro in foul trouble all game long didn't help matters.  It forced us to use Hayward and Matthews against Tucker and they were just outmanned.  Not that Barro and Fitz would have fared much better individually against Tucker but I think it would have helped with team defense against Tucker.

[tomahawkchop]

My God in Heaven!  UW came into the Bradley Center and completely controlled that ballgame.  There are no silver linings to be found.  To never really be in the game after halftime is staggeringly inept.

UW is a solid, very well-coached team, but certainly beatable.