Big Ten Basketball: Illinois rises, Iowa falls in latest power rankings
493. . 9-2 (1-1). . Badgers . 5. team
Last season, the Badgers barely made the NCAA Tournament because they had a collection of solid players but none who were good enough to ever singlehandedly win a game they needed. That’s not the case this time around, as sophomore guard Jonathan Davis has become an All-American candidate so far, averaging a team-leading 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 2.3 apg.
Davis hasn’t had a bad game yet, scoring at least 15 points in all nine games played. That includes a career-high 30 points in Wisconsin’s signature resume win over Houston. And in the three games, he has missed so far, the team has struggled mightily, regardless of the competition.
It’s not to say that he has no help on the roster. 5th-year senior guard Brad Davison is enjoying his best season statistically, averaging 15.2 ppg on 36% from three-point range. The other three starters (Tyler Wohl, Chucky Hepburn, Steven Crowl) average between 7.0-8.4 rpg, while the bench doesn’t provide much in terms of offense.
Wisconsin is once again a solid defensive unit with a not-so-great offense overall. But as long as Davis continues to be a 20+ ppg for the season, that shouldn’t be a problem. It would be nice if the Badgers could have more support, as future Big Ten Basketball opponents are going to try and force the ball out of his hands. But so far, that’s been easier said than done.