MIKE LUCAS Senior Writer Related Content • Varsity Magazine

BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin's Ethan Happ found himself in an unfamiliar, but familiar place. After picking up his second personal foul less than two minutes (101 seconds) into Saturday's game here against Marquette, Happ was anchored to the bench for the remainder of the first half.

"It was tough, but being a cheerleader is what I did all of my true freshman year, so I took on that role again," said Happ, who redshirted the 2014-2015 season. "At the same time, I knew that I had to bring some kind of spark in the second half."

UW coach Greg Gard made it clear what he wanted out of Happ by warning him to "stay in your lane," knowing the temptation for Happ to try and do more than he was capable of doing to make up for all of that lost playing time, especially since the Badgers were trailing, 40-35, at halftime.

"Just do what you can do and the things you do well," Gard instructed Happ.

In fact, Gard shared that message with everyone in the locker room.

"I kept referring to solid," he said. "Just do the fundamental things."

In the first half, the Badgers had several breakdowns that led to 3-point baskets.

"Three mistakes in a row," Gard lamented, "and they hit three 3's in a row."

Marquette's Katin Reinhardt came off the bench to hit two of those triples in transition, while 17-year-old freshman Markus Howard hit the other in that sequence. Reinhardt, a grad transfer from USC, ended up going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and produced 13 points in 13 minutes.

"Those things were uncharacteristic of us," Gard said.

Before leaving the locker room, Nigel Hayes also had something to say to Happ.

"Ethan, you got a lot of rest, so we're going to need you to come out and play well for us," Hayes recounted of his pep talk. "I think he took it personally, especially the way the game went last year at our place (a 57-55 loss). He came out in the second half and really played well as you saw.

"He was attacking (Luke) Fischer and taking everything to the rim."

With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he said, "Maybe Ethan should just sit out the first half …

"No, I'm just joking," Hayes promptly countered.

Happ's return to the low post was no laughing matter for Marquette, as the Badgers broke open the game with a 16-0 run and 58 second-half points on the strength of 64 percent shooting (18-of-28), including 5-of-8 from beyond the 3-point arc. They were also 17-of-25 from the free throw line.

That all funneled into a 93-84 victory at the BMO Harris Bradley Center — the most points scored by Wisconsin in this series. Six UW players finished in double figures, led by Bronson Koenig with 18. All eight who played got to the free throw line, led by Khalil Iverson who was 5-of-7.

"Khalil was definitely a sparkplug off the bench," Koenig said.

Iverson had a career-high 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist and 0 turnovers. His free throw shooting percentage was a surprise given that he was 26-of-49 (.531) in 44 previous games. A bigger surprise was Iverson making a 3-pointer — only his third in 15 career attempts.

"If it's open," Iverson insisted, "I'm not going to hesitate to shoot it."

Iverson's triple came in the midst of Wisconsin outscoring Marquette, 21-3, during the most telling stretch of the second half. Iverson started the half-court possession with a post feed to Happ, who skipped a pass out of a double to the right corner and Hayes.

From there, the ball moved from Hayes to Zak Showalter at the right point; from Showalter to Koenig at the left point; from Koenig to a wide-open Iverson on the left wing. It was unselfish textbook passing by the Badgers who ended up with 20 assists on 32 field goals.

"What I always try to do is just try to be the spark, no matter if it's the first half or second half," said Iverson. "Whenever Coach Gard looks down the bench and tells me to go get someone (replace a teammate on the floor), I want to stay ready and go in there and just do what I can do."

That was Happ's attitude in the second half.

"I was just trying to play like I usually do," said Happ, who finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. "As coach said at halftime, 'Don't do any super-human plays, just do every solid thing we do.' They worked the ball into me and I like my odds against pretty much anyone."

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Some Bradley Center carry-outs (noting that this will be the final time Wisconsin plays Marquette in the venue, barring any construction delays with the new arena):
 

• While Happ was sidelined with foul trouble, Vitto Brown showed his versatility by playing some low-post defense against Marquette's 6-foot-11 center Luke Fischer. Charles Thomas also contributed in that area during his seven minutes in the first half. Fischer was averaging 14 points. He finished with 11.
   
• In the Syracuse win, Hayes used his size and length to shut down Andrew White in the second half. After Reinhardt made his first four shots for Marquette from beyond the arc — At USC, he once had nine triples in a 35-point game against Colorado — Hayes took him out of his comfort zone and forced back-to-back air balls.
   
• Marquette freshman Sam Houser, who was averaging 10 points, was held scoreless. On Wednesday night, the Badgers will run into Green Bay freshman Trevor Anderson, who teamed up with Houser and led Stevens Point Area Senior High to an undefeated season and the state championship last year.
   
• Anderson, who has started all nine games, is the second-leading scorer for the Phoenix. Green Bay last played on Tuesday night and scored 97 points, but still lost at Central Michigan (107-97). Anderson had 12 points and was one of five players in double figures.
   
• A year ago, Gard made his head coaching debut against the Phoenix at the Kohl Center. The Badgers led by as many as 30 points in the second half. But a furious Green Bay comeback, spurred by full-court pressure, resulted in a 33-6 run and some anxious moments before UW sealed Gard's first win. What a difference a year makes from where the Badgers were then and now.