We are now officially over a week into the College Basketball season. The Wisconsin Badgers are ranked #4 in the country, squeezed in between Iowa at #3 and Illinois at #5. In my mind, this is maybe the worst way the Badgers could have started the season, but it could pave the way for a best-case scenario if everything turns out perfectly. So, why is destroying three bad teams in your first three games, looking pretty complete, playing true Badgers basketball, all while being ranked in the top ten in the country the worst way to start the season? Well, I am glad you asked. If I know anything about Badger sports in general, we are always at our best when we are overlooked. Football, Basketball, Volleyball; the Badgers thrive when they get written off. Think of last year's basketball team: there were some people who wanted Greg Gard's head in January, they then lost a starter in Kobe King, and then they went on an 8 game win streak (against bad teams) to somehow grab a share of the B10. That is where the Brad Davison Badgers thrive, the underdogs who play to their competition. They can win any game and could also lose any game *cough cough* Western Kentucky. Now, this does not mean I don't think this team can handle the pressure of being #4- I think a team with experience would welcome the opportunity to defend their claim, however, this puts a BIG cardinal red target on their backs. This is especially concerning due to how stacked the B10 is this year. There are currently 6 B10 teams ranked in the Top 25, all with something to prove. Illinois has a very good team, with Kofi Cockburn, Dosunmu, and Giorgi the Georgian (who only played because of foul trouble but looks very intimidating and also just has a great name) fighting #2 Baylor hard for one half. As for Iowa, well, Luka Garza is really good, in their first three games they have almost averaged 100 points, and they can seemingly play defense against awful teams. Iowa and Illinois are the top tier talent out of the B10. Wisconsin is not as good as those two teams, in a 10 game series, the Badgers probably lose 7-8 times. For some reason though, that 20% chance of beating the better team always seems to be much higher come tip-off. Wisconsin could beat either of those teams, and I would not be shocked. The key though is for Wisconsin to be written off, to be cast aside from the Top 10 and have to claw our way back. A true badger lives underground, away from the spotlight, biding its time until it can strike out of nowhere. Eventually, the Badgers will lose to a bad team, it is an inevitability every year. This year though, when we lose to Nebraska, Penn St, or heaven forbid Northern Iowa, think of it as a blessing. We may not win the B10 championship, but this team will not be sleeping in March.
James' Badger Expectation
Realistic: Sweet Sixteen with a buzzer-beater from Nate Reuvers that rims out to end our run.
Slightly Less Realistic: Final Four as a 4 seed that sends Luka Garza home and then dies like Leonidas at Thermopylae to a team who rains down threes from on high.
Jon cuts this one from the article and calls the nearest insane asylum: Brad Davison is not the Herro we need, but he's the hero we deserve. He becomes Carsen Edwards, Cardiac Kemba, Kris Jenkins wrapped into one. Micha Potter becomes Shaq, Nate Reuvers is KD, and D'mitrik Trice is Steph Curry. The Badgers are the first B10 team in 20 years to win a National Title. The entire starting lineup has their jerseys raised to the rafters, they then go on to win TBT four years in a row. Nate Reuvers eventually wins G-Leagye MVP.
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