Wisconsin Basketball: Whats Next for the Badgers?
By Tyler Hunt
After a Heartbreaking Loss at the Buzzer, A New Chapter Begins for Wisconsin Basketball
The moment the shot from Florida’s Chris Chiozza’s Shot went through the net, the world of Wisconsin Basketball was officially turned upside down. To see the reactions of the players, coaches, and fans was almost surreal. For the fourth straight year Wisconsin Basketball fell victim to the gut wrenching loss that so many fans are accustomed to across the board as a fan of all Wisconsin Sports. But this one was unique, the pain felt deeper. Especially when you realized it was the last time we would see a coloration of this group that did so much for Wisconsin Basketball.
You’ll never see Zak Showalter take a charge in a Badger uniform again, you’ll never see Nigel Hayes or Bronson Koenig hit a jumped in Cardinal and White again. While those two sentences may again gut punch you, its a reality. These faces that brought so much enjoyment and some agony to Wisconsin Basketball will never be there again. Its officially the end of an era of Four Sweet 16’s, Two Final Fours, and one National Title appearance. Hat tip to them. But as the faces turn into memories, the page turns to a new era of Wisconsin Basketball. Whats next?
Its hard to say what is next for the Badgers, but its safe to say that its doubtful they’ll be making a run like they have over the past four years. The Badgers do return Ethan Happ, but after that its really tough to imagine where this roster will be. New faces will have to emerge, and new expectations will have to form. Sure there is talent on the roster, but the Badgers went from the most experience and battle tested team in College Basketball, to a roster full of players who have barely dipped their toes in the water. Guys like Brevin Pritzl, Khalil Iverson, and D’Mitrik Trice will have to elevate their game to another world, while new faces like Freshman Kobe King and others get their chance to develop.
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While many of us will always cherish the run the Badgers had over the past four seasons, its time to expect that this type of success may not happen for awhile. Its impossible to sustain, and with such spoils of enjoyment, the new faces of Wisconsin Basketball will have impossibly high expectations to meet. The good thing is that the Wisconsin Badgers are raised on tradition and while they may not meet the goals of those like Nigel Hayes and Frank Kaminsky set before them, they will continue to meet a certain standard of Wisconsin Athletics. While Badger fans must be patient and come to the realization, I wouldn’t suspect that you’ll be able to keep this program down for too long.