Unlikely heroes give Badgers OT victory over rival Gophers

[Da-news-now]

What would the Wisconsin Badgers be without Ethan Happ? For most of the season it’s been a scary proposition, but on Monday night his teammates picked him up in a major way and it led to a 73-63 overtime win against the rival Minnesota Gophers. Happ had 10 points, but made just two field goals in regulation in this one and the second was a big one, tying the game up with just under six...

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[TW]

They played great defense late in the game. They need to do that from the opening tip-off, to win. Their game isn't to put up big numbers, but control the game, and keep the opposition from scoring large.

I think Pritzl's sporadic play has more to do with the coaching staff. They instantly lose faith in him, and relegate him to a lesser role, if he misses two buckets. It's hard to maintain self-confidence when you believe the coaches don't believe in you.

Happ should not have to be the entire team. He should be the glue that keeps it together, and the guy who gets the tough work done inside, and puts up points around the bucket when the defense moves out, to protect against the outside shot.

 

[eyecatcher]

I watched the game on DVR last night not knowing what the outcome was. the last 3 minutes of regulation and OT were outstanding. Other than that it was meh. I found myself wanting to watch the olympics feeling like it was going to be another let down. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I don't see any way this team makes a 4 game run in the B1G tourney to make the NCAA tourney but at least they are showing some spark here late.

 

[57packer]

Have to disagree somewhat with blaming the coaches for Pritzl's issues TW. His issues are his. (Now the yo-yo roles and minutes for other players are a whole other story.) The coaching staff has given him consistent minutes all year. The exception being the Maryland game, where he was clearly moping after having gone 0-11 in the previous game, and 0-2 to start that game. Even in that 0-11 game, the coaches never lost faith in him and had him out there for 35 minutes. Other than against Maryland, Pritzl has consistently gotten 25 or more minutes a game - usually getting minutes in the lower 30's. He's #4 on the team in minutes played, and his minutes have been pretty consistent since the end of November. He just needs to work through his shooting inconsistency by playing hard and doing the little things even when his shot isn't falling. Seems like he'd figured it out the last few games. I expect good things from him next year.

 

[TW]

My biggest coaching concern with Pritzl came early in the season. They put him in the lineup as a starter, and I thought then, it was a mistake. I saw him as part of a rotation that would include Ford, to work in the 3 guard offense, and spelling the starters. His best games have usually been when he came off the bench, and didn't have to impress, as a starter. When he thinks too much, he's in trouble. He needs to believe in his ability to shoot threes, and let them fly, when the opportunities present themselves. He just doesn't play well when he has time to think about it.

 

[TW]

Here's my point about Gard and Pritzl, in a nut shell. It came out when both were interviewed. Pritzl felt Gard didn't trust him on the floor, and Gard was quick to point out he hasn't trusted him on the floor. This all adds up to a lot of tentative play on Pritzl's part. I think he just let it go in the Minnesota game, and decided to take it to the limit. Gard didn't even speak highly of what he did, he downplayed it to highlight his weaknesses, in a round about way.

If he was going to be critical about his play, why wasn't he as critical about the lousy play put up by Trice, game after game. Not only missed shots, but failed to drive the lane, and didn't move off the ball, and his defense was like a bull fighter, not someone who could stop someone driving to the bucket.

If I recall, Gard had commented how Trice was learning, then put the boom down on Pritzl, for mistakes, even when he had good games.

Personally, I don't see the glaring mistakes, and let downs, in Pritzl's game, like Gard says. I do see them with other guys, and it goes unspoken.

Maybe it's just me, but I think he's turned Pritzl into his punching bag, and might not even realize it.

Interviews

 

[57packer]

You might be right TW, but coaches say a variety of things throughout the season. I don't particularly recall the interview you are talking about but I'm absolutely sure it's true.

Do some players get in coaches doghouses - yes. At the same time, I find that different players need different motivation. Sometimes in a particular interview or article it seems like a player is the punching bag, but I would say that over the course of the season Gard has been pretty fair when talking about Pritzl, and that Pritzl himself knows his own head-space is part of his problem.

This article from December would seem to indicate that both Gard and Pritzl know he has things to work on:
Wisconsin State Journal - UW B-ball

Do I see coaches being somewhat critical - yes. Do I see a player who acknowledges that he has thing to work on, and that he's inconsistent, and needs to get out of his own way in his head - yes.

Similarly with this article:
Wisconsin State Journal article on Pritzl's shooting woes

I agree that Trice has gotten a bit of a pass on his play, but this year he hasn't played much so I don't know what Gard would have said about him over the course of a whole season. It's always been that way with certain players - I don't know why. Maybe it's because coaches know that some players handle things differently so need to be treated somewhat differently.

In the end, for me, it's not about what coaches say, it's about what they do. Players they don't trust don't get minutes, especially important minutes down the stretch in games. For me, Gard clearly has trust issues with guys like Van Vliet, Thomas and maybe a couple of others. They don't get consistent minutes because he knows they can't be trusted over the long haul. I think Gard's actions tell me he trusts Pritzl more than most because he gives him big minutes consistently and has him in the game during important stretches.

Next year could be a whole different animal. Trice and King come back and Trevor Anderson, the talented transfer from UWGB, becomes eligible. With 3 more guards among which to distribute minutes, it'll be interesting to see how things play out for Pritzl and everyone else. I suspect Davison starts at the "2" spot next year with Trice getting the start at the "1". Ford is likely purely a "3", getting minutes when Iverson comes out of the game and at the "4" when they go small. King might get some minutes at the 3 as well as the 2. Pritzl probably gets most of his minutes backing up the "2" spot when Davison is out, or when Davison slides over to the "1" to spell Trice. Too hard to predict what minutes Anderson will get, if any. Lots of guard options next year. We'll see where Pritzl lands.

 

[TW]

Next year could be a whole different animal. Trice and King come back and Trevor Anderson, the talented transfer from UWGB, becomes eligible. With 3 more guards among which to distribute minutes, it'll be interesting to see how things play out for Pritzl and everyone else. I suspect Davison starts at the "2" spot next year with Trice getting the start at the "1". Ford is likely purely a "3", getting minutes when Iverson comes out of the game and at the "4" when they go small. King might get some minutes at the 3 as well as the 2. Pritzl probably gets most of his minutes backing up the "2" spot when Davison is out, or when Davison slides over to the "1" to spell Trice. Too hard to predict what minutes Anderson will get, if any. Lots of guard options next year. We'll see where Pritzl lands.

This sure is a road block at the guard position. I don't see Pritzl getting too much time out there, except as you say, to spell Davison, and to put up the 3. Outside of that, I don't see him getting a lot of time. Anderson is an interesting situation. It could lead to major changes in the direction Gard goes. Not one of the guys, including King, and Trice, are guaranteed time.

This could work for the Badgers, or turn into a serious problem, with too many guys with too little floor time for all of them. I haven't got a clue as to where it will go, but I think the pecking order of "less floor time" goes to Pritzl, then Trice. I also see them using a lot of 3 guard offense, working with two big guys more than we'd normally expect.

I sure hope we get some help for Happ. He needs a guy going to the boards, and playing the part of the thug, who won't take the nonsense they dish out on Happ knowing he won't retaliate because he's too important to the team. Everyone needs that enforcer.