Greg Gard's Wisconsin men's basketball team has found a formula for success on the road in the Big Ten and beyond
MADISON – The scene inside the Kohl Center on March 1 of last year was surreal:
Tyler Wahl stole Purdue’s last-second inbound pass and flung the ball toward the rafters to spark a victory celebration that included hundreds of Wisconsin fans storming the court to celebrate the Badgers winning a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.
Although the Badgers clinched a share of the title at home with the three-point victory over the Boilermakers, their ability to flourish on the road was arguably the No. 1 factor in winning a second title in three seasons under Greg Gard.
The Badgers last season went 8-2 in Big Ten road games, the best mark in the league, and 9-2 in all road games.
“I feel like we can’t flinch,” Wahl said of UW’s road prowess. “On the road the odds might be stacked against you…but we’ve just got to stay in the moment and take it play by play.
“There’s not one specific thing we’ve got to do on the road, other than showing up every day at practice and getting the job done.”
Greg Gard's Badgers look for redemption at Illinois
UW (11-2, 3-0 Big Ten) faces another road test at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Illinois (9-5, 0-3). The Badgers are 1-0 in Big Ten road games this season and 2-0 in all road games but Wahl's status is uncertain because of an ankle injury he suffered in the 63-60 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday.
Illinois, coming off an ugly 73-60 road loss to Northwestern, is 7-1 at home this season and went 13-3 at home last season. One of those victories was an 80-67 decision over UW.
“That was our only game we had against them,” sophomore guard Chucky Hepburn said. “We’re definitely looking forward to this game.”
UW’s last 11 road victories have come by four, five, one, six, eight, eight, five, one, five, three and three points, an average of 4.5 points per game. The nine road victories last season came against teams that finished a combined 100-53 at home.
The two losses last season came by 18 points to Ohio State and by 13 to Illinois.
Both victories this season came by three points in overtime, against Marquette and Iowa.
Wisconsin winning the free-throw battle on the road last season was key to success
UW’s formula for winning on the road last season wasn’t sexy.
The Badgers shot just 32.0% from three-point range and 43.1% overall – compared to 33.7% from three-point range and 45.3% overall by their opponents – but won three key categories. They had 36 more free-throw attempts than their opponents (217-181), which translated to a 27-point edge from the line (153-126). They had a 15-point edge in points off turnovers (109-94), and a 13-point edge in second-chance points (100-87).
“It’s the little things,” associate head coach Joe Krabbenhoft said. “Little things equal success for us.”
Getting to the free-throw line more than their opponents, limiting turnovers and offensive rebounds are staples home or away.
“The routine and preparation is very similar to what it is at home,” Gard explained when asked about UW’s success on the road. “You can’t exactly mimic it because you are in a hotel. But we’ve tried to do even the scouting reports here now. We used to pack all the equipment and do them on the road.
“There are still situations where we’ll do a film review (on the road) but by and large we try to keep everything as identical to how a home game is in terms of preparation.
“And I don’t talk about a road game any differently than I do a home game. ... The key is to stay as consistent as possible in your routine. I think players appreciate that. I never try to throw them surprises if I don’t have to. They know what’s coming, what to expect.”
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Badgers 'not flinching' in big moments on the road this season
UW’s formula for success in its first two road games this season has been white-hot shooting.
The Badgers shot 50.8% in the victories over Marquette and Iowa. That includes 36.7% from three-point range (18 of 49). Jordan Davis hit a huge three-pointer in the overtime against Marquette, and Wahl and Davis hit critical three-pointers in the overtime against Iowa.
“Give the guys in uniform the credit for not flinching and not wavering,” Krabbenhoft said. “You’ve got to have a certain level of toughness, and that isn’t always how much you bench-press. It is mentally how tough you are, to not get too high or too low.
“You’ve got to have a different level of grit.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin basketball looks to keep flourishing in Big Ten road games
