Snow fell during what he knew as summer. The rainy season
of his homeland was mostly dry. The 19-hour time change meant his morning
classes occurred when his body was used to sleeping.
Penney didn't just pack up and go to college when he left
Wednesday, fans will thank him for making the journey.
Penney, the lone senior on the Badgers men's basketball
team, will be honored before the game against
"I don't know how I'm going to feel," he said.
"I don't know what is going to happen. I'm just going to have to make sure
I keep my focus."
Penney couldn't ask for better circumstances surrounding
his final home game. With a victory over the second-place
Penney's four years as a Badger have coincided with the
program's greatest moments in the last 50 years. As a freshman, he came off the
bench and averaged 3.7 points and 12.7 minutes per game on
Last year, he was the leading scorer on an improbable
conference championship team.
There have been plenty of memories off the floor, too, many
involving his father Paul, who moved to
"Usually (I see him) on the weekends because on the
weekdays he's working and I'm busy with school," Penney said. "But on
the weekend, it's hang time, just chilling out or going to the movie together
or going to dinner and just catch up on the week. Father-son
type of stuff."
Paul Penney has watched his son evolve from a standstill
shooter to a player who must be defended all over the floor. Perhaps, Kirk
Penney's biggest improvement has come in handling the ball and creating shots
for himself and others.
He has sculpted a 205-pound body into the 220-pound mass of
muscle it is today.
"He is the strongest guard in this league,"
Penney has left an impression on his teammates, too.
Junior Freddie Owens remembers the encouragement Penney
provided when he was discouraged by his playing time as a freshman. Sophomore
forward Mike Wilkinson recalled how well Penney interacted with recruits.
Freshman Alando Tucker, Penney's roommate on the
road, has talked to Penney about adjusting to life away from home.
For others, Penney's play evokes memories.
"The way he works in the off-season," sophomore
Devin Harris said when asked what he learned from Penney. "I've seen some
of the things he does. He goes at everything full speed and everything he does,
he does hard."
Penney has enjoyed many special moments for the Badgers.
Last year, he scored 27 points in the second half against
And this year, he hit the winning shot against
Penney is hoping for a few more highlights Wednesday and then
in the NCAA tournament.
After that, who knows? There presumably will be a chance to
play professionally. There is also school. He has one
year left in his major of landscape architecture.
But just as he starts talking about his past or future, he
cuts himself short.
"I don't want to get caught up in it now," he
said. "I'd rather just enjoy the situation and make the most of this
opportunity."
A version of this story appeared in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on