Wisconsin Basketball: 2018-19 keys for the Badgers to upset Michigan
2. Wisconsin needs to limit late-game turnovers
Another thing you never would’ve guessed with Wisconsin basketball. Bo Ryan was one of the most underrated coaches off all-time. He started coaching the Badgers in 2001 and retired a few weeks into the 2015-16 season. Ryan made the NCAA Tournament every single season. He preached the fundamentals. We already touched on free throws. The other was sound defense and Wisconsin is still doing a decent job there. But the other was being protective of the ball.
The other thing Ethan Happ seems to have trouble with from time to time is throwing the ball away. A few times this season he has made a pass from the post only to have it land in the third row. He averages almost three per game, totaling for 50 on the season. You would have to combine the top-two turnover committers on the Wolverines to find that number.
When looking at it from the larger perspective, the Badgers are ranked fourth fewest in the country in committing turnovers and third among Big Ten teams. Three other Badgers are averaging at least one per game. Five Wolverines are averaging almost one per game. But no one for Michigan is averaging over two per game.
Once again, statistics are misleading at times. They might be careful with the ball all throughout the game, but in the closing minutes, Wisconsin tends to be accident prone. They did win the turnover battle with Maryland, but down the stretch, they gave it up in a couple of key moments.
More so the Purdue and Minnesota games are where turnovers killed. The Badgers coughed it up 17 times as opposed to only eight for the Boilermakers. Purdue was able to win by four in overtime from a couple Badger turnovers. Once again, the Badgers had three less turnovers than the Golden Gophers, but in the closing minute, a couple of key mishaps led to Minnesota points. The Badgers need to be extra careful with the ball against Michigan because six Wolverines have 10 or more steals on the season.