No. 22 Wisconsin tries to end skid on Senior Day (Mar 05, 2017)
Senior forward Nigel Hayes and other seniors for No. 22 Wisconsin will mark their final regular-season game when the Badgers host Minnesota on Sunday.
There will be family introductions, career highlight videos and Senior Day festivities to honor Hayes, senior forward Vitto Brown, senior guard Bronson Koenig and senior guard Zak Showalter before and after the game at the Kohl Center.
But the Badgers (22-8, 11-6 in the Big Ten Conference) won't be in much of a mood to celebrate, considering their recent freefall. Wisconsin, which squandered a nine-point lead to fall 59-57 to Iowa on Thursday, has lost five of its last six games.
The Badgers had difficulty making key baskets and free throws, and inbounding the ball in the Hawkeyes' full-court press in the closing minutes against Iowa.
Iowa freshman Jordan Bohnannon hit a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds left to lift the Hawkeyes to victory.
Hayes said there are many factors that have led to the team's problems. Finishing and competing for 40 minutes are two of the issues. The Badgers couldn't capitalize late with inbounding the ball against Iowa's press and Hayes took the blame for one of those inbound possessions.
"We come out and play well in spurts," Hayes said. "We're too spurty, if that's a word, of a team. We have our moments where we're really good.
"We'll give you a good five minutes and then we'll forget what we're doing for the next five, and then we'll let a team come back or extend a lead. We've got to focus on putting together a full game and, of course, that starts with your senior leaders."
There still are important stakes on the line for the Badgers and Gophers.
If Wisconsin beats Minnesota, it will claim the No. 2 seed and get a double bye in the Big Ten tournament, which begins on Wednesday at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.
A number of scenarios are in play with a loss for the Badgers, who could fall to the No. 6 seed.
Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said Wisconsin is a formidable opponent, despite its struggles.
"They didn't get a rebound and Jordan Bohannon hits a 3-pointer," Pitino said about the Badgers. "If they would've rebounded the ball, they win the game. It's not necessarily as complex as everyone makes it out to be. When we went through our five-game losing streak and then we started winning, it was like a made free throw here or a loose ball there. So it's just a fine line.
"They're still a very, very good team; terrific talent, well-coached and experienced. There are a lot of things going in (their) favor. I've got a lot of respect for them."
Pitino said sophomore forward Jordan Murphy and senior graduate student transfer Akeem Springs have improved during the Gophers' winning streak.
Murphy is averaging 11.3 points per game and a team-leading 8.8 rebounds per game. Springs has been dealing with a back issue of late, but averaged 9.9 points during the regular season, and scored 16 points against Wisconsin in the first meeting between the teams.
Meanwhile, the Gophers (23-7, 11-6) have won eight straight games. Minnesota's most recent victory was an 88-73 home victory on Thursday over Nebraska.
One interesting note about Minnesota's schedule is that the team has played five overtime games this season. The Gophers have posted a 3-2 record in extra session meetings, but suffered a 78-76 overtime setback to Wisconsin on Jan. 21. Sophomore forward Ethan Happ scored a career-high 28 points to boost the Badgers.
If Minnesota beats Wisconsin -- something the team hasn't done in Madison since 2009 -- the Gophers have a chance at the No. 2 tournament seed. That will occur if Maryland wins on Saturday against Michigan State.
The Gophers ascend since they own the tiebreaker over the Terrapins. A loss at Wisconsin could drop Minnesota to a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, depending on the outcome of other games.
Wisconsin will claim its 19th consecutive NCAA tournament berth and pundits are plotting the seeds, likely moving the team down in brackets.
Last season, the seventh-seeded Badgers -- competing in the East Regional -- were ousted by Notre Dame in the Sweet 16. Wisconsin reached the Final Four in 2014 and 2015, and lost the NCAA championship game to Duke in 2015.
Pitino, who was hired at Minnesota in April 2013, led the Gophers to the 2014 NIT championship. The Gophers are seeking the program's first NCAA tournament berth since 2013.
