Wisconsin Badgers Tickets

2007 Wisconsin Badgers Season Preview What once seemed like a promising season that could end at the Final Four ended up as one of the most disappointing finishes for Wisconsin in recent memory.

The Badgers knew they were in trouble when Brian Butch went down with an elbow injury midway through the season and was questionable to return the rest of the year. However, a two point loss at a sizzling Ohio State team late in the season, a game in which the Badgers probably should have won, showed that they still had what it took to compete with the best teams in the nation.

Their surprisingly strong play from the end of the season did not seem to carry over into the NCAA Tournament, as the Badgers fell behind by double digits in their first round game before clawing back to advance to the second round. They weren't as lucky in their second round game, losing to UNLV by six and failing to reach the Sweet 16 as a No. 2 seed.

The big loss for the Badgers heading into 2007 is senior Alando Tucker, who was a candidate for numerous player of the year awards and carried the team for much of the season.

Another underrated loss is that of guard Kammron Taylor, who was often overshadowed by Tucker but often picked up the slack whenever his senior teammate had an off night. The guards clearly carried Wisconsin once Butch went down, which makes filling their shoes that much more important.

The good news is that Butch is back and ready to show that the elbow injury is behind him and he can become the player everyone feels he can. The weight of the team will certainly be on his back to shoulder the scoring load and make things a little easier for the guards.

Head coach Bo Ryan employs a half-court style that relies on precise execution on offense and tenacious defense. This style is one of the main reasons that Wisconsin is typically a very successful team in the NCAA Tournament.

Finding replacements for Tucker and Taylor will be difficult if not impossible, but Butch and a host of others will be enough to get Wisconsin back into the NCAA Tournament and possibly challenge for the Big 10 title.