Bucky Gets a Dance Partner

Minnesota v Wisconsin. 2/13/14 dwm photo

Going into the B1G tournament, the Wisconsin Badgers were in a bad place.

They had lost 8 of 11 games down the stretch, stumbling into the conference tournament looking for positive vibes before joining a field of 68 teams pursuing a national title.

The Badgers ran Maryland off the court in their first game in Minneapolis before playing Northwestern in the quarterfinals. It was closer than the Maryland game but the Badgers won, setting up a match with the top team in the league, Purdue.

Wisconsin played their hearts out, tying the game at the buzzer and defeating one of the best teams in the country in overtime. It was a break-through win, giving players, coaches, and fans an idea that Bucky's boys can compete in the madness of the month after all.

Wisconsin lost the championship to Illinois, 87 - 93. They put up a fight and had a chance before the game got away.

Their reward is earning a 5th seed (considered as one of the teams ranked between 20 to 24 out of 64) with a date against the James Madison University Dukes, champions of the Sun Belt Conference.

It's a first-round game where the Badgers will be favored. However, the Dukes are one of four teams with 30 wins this season. They will be a tough team, looking to make a splash in the tournament. The Badgers better be ready Friday if they hope to advance.

My other team in the tournament, Drake, is a #10 seed which plays #7 Washington State Thursday, March 21.

If you're up later tonight, the seasonal spring blog goes live at 10:06 tonight CDT.