BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
ST. LOUIS — Wisconsin freshmen Charlie Thomas and Khalil Iverson had the same answer.
"We didn't plan on it or anything," Iverson pleaded.
They just happened to be on the same wavelength; products that they are of the Age of Jimmer.
"Jimmer Fredette," said Thomas, dropping his name. "When I think of the NCAAs, that's the main thing that pops up — when he went off in the tournament."
In 2011, the BYU guard took on the persona of Davidson's Stephen Curry.
Fredette scored 32, 34 and 32 points in three NCAA tournament games.
"I do remember watching Jimmer," said Iverson. "I remember him taking one or two dribbles past half-court and pulling up and hitting all types of shots."
When initially asked for his favorite Big Dance memory, Iverson had begged off by saying, "I don't necessarily have one. I watched it, but I didn't really have a favorite team or anything like that."
But the more he thought about Shining Moments, the more Jimmer Mania came back to him.
And the more he realized how special it is to be here today.
"I always watched the games with my family," said Iverson, who hails from Delaware, Ohio. "And I always thought it would be cool to go and play in the NCAA tournament someday."
Thomas had the same upbringing and frame of reference on the East Coast (Highland, Maryland).
"Every little kid dreams about this," he said. "If you want to go on to play college basketball at the highest level, this is the big stage that everybody wants to come to. I'm really excited."
So is Alex Illikainen, the third freshman in Wisconsin's playing rotation.
On the prospect of ever playing in the tourney, he said, "I always wanted to, but I never knew that I was going to. But I got recruited by and picked a school that puts you in this position all the time."
The Badgers are making their 18th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and how long they stick around may be predicated on the contributions that they get from their bench, which features the three freshmen and Jordan Hill, a redshirt sophomore.
Friday night, they will run into an opponent that relies heavily on its subs.
Pittsburgh is averaging 25.8 bench points.
"You never know when you're going to get called, but whenever you do go in, you have to play your hardest," said Iverson, who played 20 minutes at Iowa and 15 against both Michigan and Minnesota. Over the last two games, he has been limited to seven and four minutes.
"You want to contribute in any way that you can to give the starters a quick breather. If you understand your role, you'll do better at it. You don't have to go in and do anything extraordinary or anything like that. Just go in and contribute."
Since scoring nine points against the Hawkeyes, including some memorable dunks, Iverson has accounted for seven points in the last four games combined. He took only one shot against Purdue and Nebraska but he did have three assists in those losses.
Illikainen has not scored in the last five games (0-for-4).
Has he hit a freshman wall?
"Not so much a wall," he said. "But I've struggled towards the end of the season. I had to find myself again. I have to stay mentally strong and make decisions faster. No hesitations."
Illikainen did not hesitate when quizzed on his favorite Shining Moment.
"Watching Spike Albrecht hit all those 3s," he said.
In 2013, Albrecht came off the Michigan bench to score 17 points in the first half against Louisville in the national championship game. He buried four triples in a losing cause.
Illikainen, who's from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, also cited the memories/moments that the Badgers have created in each of their Final Four runs. The bench was a factor in both.
Last season, Zak Showalter had five points and five rebounds against Oregon. He also came up big in the North Carolina win by exploding for six points in eight minutes. Duje Dukan played an integral role, too, in giving the Badgers some added punch.
Thomas, for one, doesn't feel any pressure to produce.
"I just have to keep doing the same stuff that I have been doing — I have to stay ready and prepared," he said. "Nothing is really changing (with the postseason). Except the intensity and the expectations go up."
That's all. So does he still feel like a freshman?
"Not any more," he said, chuckling. "That's long gone."
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has no qualms about playing first-year players off the bench.
"We need to continue to grow from the standpoint of becoming deeper," he said. "Playing the bench will expand and expedite our growth of younger guys. As players come into the program that can be an incentive, 'Hey, if you're ready to play, I'm going to play you.'
"I might play nine, I might play 10, I might play 11. We'll find a happy medium here that is effective. I'll tell them, 'Do your job and understand what your role is going to be.' You might have a little role as a younger player but that role is going to expand as you go through the program."
That role could expand Friday night for Iverson, Thomas or Illikainen. Take your pick.
