Rob Schultz: This time, Badgers didn't hit panic button
By Rob Schultz
December 24, 2001
Kirk Penney anticipated that he'd have a breakout game soon. He couldn't explain why, but he just knew it would happen.
"It's hard to understand," said the junior guard for the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team after he poured in a career-high 33 points during the Badgers' 86-73 upset victory over 14th-ranked Marquette Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center.
Penney shook his head as he looked at his big-time line in the box score that showed he had made 13 of 17 shots overall and 5 of 6 from 3-point range. It was the most impressive performance by a UW player at the Kohl Center and the most impressive by a UW player during a victory since Michael Finley scored 33 in an 87-62 win over Michigan State in 1994 at the UW Field House.
"It's a game you have to respect," Penney said as he continued to stare at the box score. "It's a game I love and I appreciate, too, because you never know what it's going to throw you sometimes. You have to work at it and play the smartest ball you can."
That's something all the Badgers (5-6) have come to understand this season. They've seen just about everything the sport can throw at them during a rugged training camp and 11 games. Much of it has been hard to handle.
They also proved with their most impressive victory of the season against the Golden Eagles (10-1) that they've learned how to respond to it and turn it into something good.
Never was that more apparent than after Marquette's David Diggs buried a 3-pointer to pull the Golden Eagles to within 61-60 with 7 minutes, 22 seconds left in the game.
Freddie Owens was thinking what just about everyone else inside an electrified and sold-out Kohl Center was thinking. It was Georgia Tech all over again. The score was even nearly the same.
Just like in Atlanta, where the Badgers lost, 62-61, last month, the Badgers were reeling. Another 20-point lead had just all but vanished.
But Owens refused to panic. Like Penney, he just thought about playing smart basketball.
"Of course, it crossed your mind, that Georgia Tech game," said Owens, the Badgers' versatile sophomore guard. "The main thing was to stay strong mentally and focus and don't let up, keep playing hard and not make any silly mistakes."
The Badgers responded to Marquette's challenge by playing their best and smartest basketball of the season, going on a 9-0 run over the next 2 minutes to take a 70-60 lead.
Freshman guard Devin Harris started it by making two free throws. Owens then put the run in overdrive with two outstanding defensive plays.
First, Owens picked Marquette senior guard Cordell Henry's pocket and raced in with the steal for a layup. He then forced Marquette star Dwyane Wade, who scored a team-high 23 points, into an offensive foul on a baseline drive. The foul was Wade's fourth.
Owens said he anticipated Wade would drive the baseline so he beat him to the spot. There was no question in his mind that Wade charged into him. But Owens was smart enough to make it apparent to the officials.
"You know," Owens said with a smile, "you have to throw a little flop in there to get the call."
Harris, Owens and Penney then combined for the play of the game. First, Harris blocked a shot by Wade from almost the same spot where Owens had forced the offensive foul. Harris had the wherewithal to grab the ball and throw it to Penney before falling out of bounds. Penney then found Owens, who was streaking down the floor for a layup.
Once again, Owens' anticipation helped finish the spectacular play that ended with him adding a free throw because he was fouled by Henry as he went to the hoop.
"Devin has long arms. When I saw him all over the ball, I had a feeling he was going to block it," Owens said. "I saw Kirk was in a position to be there for the save, so I leaked out, Devin saved it, Kirk handled the ball and he found me for the layup."
The run ended after freshman forward Mike Wilkinson forced Marquette sophomore forward Scott Merritt into an offensive foul. After Wilkinson missed two free throws, Penney out-hustled two Golden Eagles for the rebound and the possession ended with Wilkinson hitting two free throws.
The Golden Eagles never got closer than 7 points the rest of the way. After Marquette had closed to 61-60, the Badgers made 7 of their last 10 shots and committed just 1 turnover. Marquette made just 1 of their last 9 shots and committed 3 turnovers in the last 7 minutes.
Nearly 40 minutes after the game had ended, Marquette coach Tom Crean crossed paths with UW coach Bo Ryan and said, "Your guys played at another level."
Ryan's voice was nearly gone from coaching his heart out so he sounded like Marlon Brando in "The Godfather." But he still mustered enough of a voice to accept Crean's congratulations.
"They responded," said Ryan, who couldn't hide his emotion after the game. "I'm the happiest guy in the world if I have people who are willing to commit to a cause. And they've committed to the cause. They are trying to play as well as they can together. And they are playing together better."
Was it a corner-turning performance? Who knows? Ryan reduced his rotation so that just six players collected any significant playing time. That will work when the Badgers have a week off between games. But it will be difficult to do during the Big Ten Conference season when they play twice a week.
"Is that going to hurt us come Big Ten time? I don't know. But I can't wish for things we don't have," Ryan said.
One big wish came true for the Badgers with their victory over Marquette. And it made their trips home for the holidays that must sweeter.
Penney, who hails from New Zealand, went to Rochester, Minn., with Charlie Wills and his fianc. Owens went home to Milwaukee.
Once again, Owens was anticipating something special and was leaning toward making a quick getaway from the Kohl Center after the game to be with his family.
"I haven't been able to do that for a long time," he said. "I'm going to watch my brothers and sisters open presents. It will be very fun."
Almost as much fun as ending Marquette's unbeaten run.
Published: 5:06 PM 12/24/01