Oct. 22, 2009
MADISON, Wis. -- Wednesday was Media Day for the Wisconsin men's basketball team. The Badgers players and head coach Bo Ryan spent an hour meeting with local media to discuss the first few days of the practice and the upcoming season.
Watch Ryan's press conference (video) | Hughes, Leuer, Nankivil and more (video)
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Don't forget to attend the men's basketball Red-White Scrimmage this Sunday, Oct. 25th at 5 p.m. at the Kohl Center. Golf legends Andy North and Steve Stricker will serve as guest head coaches. Complete information here
Beginning at 8:30am, Monday October 26, very limited quantities of single game tickets for Wisconsin Men's Basketball home games will go on sale to the general public. There will be a ticket limit set at 8 tickets per patron. Tickets are $26.00 for seats in 100 and 200 level sections and $24.00 for seats in 300 level seats.
For certain games, only $24.00 tickets will be available. Tickets may be purchased online at UWBadgers.com, over the phone at 1-800-GO-BADGERS or 608.262.1440, or in person at the McGinnis Family Wisconsin Athletic Ticket Office, located in Kellner Hall at Camp Randall Stadium.
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Here is a sampling of what the Badgers had to say at Media Day:
Bo Ryan:
"I'm just like every other coach, this is what we were raised to do, be in the gym with the guys and get them into drills and work them. So I've hit the lottery again. I get to start another year and get in there with the guys, and just deal with X's and O's and basketball. I tell you, it's fun. It still is. It's still what makes it. The relationships you're building right now with the players and work habits and work ethic, and the chemistry, all those things, this is what we do, and this is a lot of fun. So that's my impression of the first few days."
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"If you have (senior guards) and they're healthy, we certainly found out that not having a guy like Trevon on the court in the second half against Davidson, and it was a pretty competitive first half, and then Trevon couldn't go. So you know, if the two of them can stay healthy, having two seniors, that's pretty good stuff.
I think they're ready right now, but it's a long season and you don't know what can happen, but I really like the fact that we have them and the other guys ready to come in. In what kind of combinations and all, I'm not sure, but Tim (Jarmusz) and Rob (Wilson) and Jordan (Taylor), those three guys for sure have tasted it, they can contribute. Again, hopefully they stay healthy, because their leadership has already shown in the conditioning."
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"I really like the way Keaton and Jon ran the hill. And that's a start, from this standpoint, their feet, their drive, their stamina. Keaton couldn't do the hill last year. He had to end up doing Henry's walk up and walk backwards and walk sideways and cartwheel, and do whatever else you do at the hill. But now, Keaton, he went out there and just blew up the hill. So the stamina started there.
So our bigs are definitely stronger than they were last year, but it's got to be maintained and, again, they've got to stay healthy, which you'll see when you see the Red and White scrimmage."
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"If you think of what (Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft) did for four years, averaging about 25 wins a year, along with Kevin (Gullikson) and Mo (Cain), that's a pretty good class. They were the leaders in that class as far as what they did on the floor, needless to say, but in so many categories.
When I'm looking at all the film from last year, getting ready for this year, what I do every year, and you look at Joe and you look at Marcus - assists, steals, defensive positioning, rebounding, scoring - that's tough to replace.
The great part is I get kids here, get young men here that really could care less about what other people think about them, and, gosh, they seem to work hard and do well, and I just love that. So what these guys are going to do, they're going to do it as Tim Jarmusz, as Jordan Taylor, as Rob Wilson. So I don't compare and contrast the guys. What I'll say at times is, now remember, this is where we got hurt. This is an area that we have to improve on. And this player improved, so this guy better, but you don't have to be that person. Give us what you have. That's all we ask.
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"Jordan Taylor, after a year of learning how to chase and do that, which he didn't do a whole lot of, I don't think, in where he played, because maybe that wasn't his role, but he's becoming a pretty good chase guy. Tim Jarmusz, definitely he's healthier this year. He's ready to chase. And (Jason Bohannon) has to be a better chaser, (Hughes) has got to be, than they were last year. They were okay."
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"At this stage of the game, I don't ever have anybody behind or ahead of anybody else. How do you know Jared Berggren isn't better than Jon Leuer right now? Do you know that? Or Mike Bruesewitz isn't better than Keaton Nankivil. I know what some of you are thinking, well, Coach, if that's the case, then what happened to that experience you were talking about? Okay. I'm just saying, we don't know. There are still a lot of unknowns out there as far as what I'm trying to get out of them.
But there are certain guys who will need to be on the floor because of their experience and the fact that they've worked hard and they've put themselves in position to be on the floor. Now whether they get 25 minutes or 32 minutes, that's what plays out now. If somebody would like to take some of those, it's always welcome in practice. But, boy, the way the bodies are flying around out there, I'm hoping Henry got his supplies in, because he's going to need them. Very, very competitive, and that's what we love."
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Trevon Hughes
(on the freshmen) "Jared Berggren's got a soft touch around the basket, if he can get the ball up, he'll make about every shot he takes. Mike Bruesewitz is a solid player just like Joe (Krabbenhoft). He lacks the experience right now and it's going to take awhile to fill those shoes, but he can do it."
(on filling Joe Krabbenhoft's shoes and whether he and Jason Bohannon can do it) "Yes, I think we can do it. That's part of being the point guard; it comes with the territory. Joe was more outspoken and I like to lead by example. The team always looks to the point guard so I have to be on top of my game each and every day. I need to be more vocal."
(things taken from Alando Tucker and Krabbenhoft) "I took things from each of them. Alando Tucker is more of a serious leader and funny at the same time, and with Joe, every play that you're on the court, make sure you're giving it 110%. If you see one of your leaders working hard, you know you're going to have a good team."
(increased pressure without Krabbenhoft and Landry) "I don't feel that there's any more pressure. We've got two experienced guards in myself and (Jason) Bohannon. We have Jordan (Taylor) and Rob (Wilson) coming off the bench, and one of them might even start. Jordan gave us great minutes off the bench last year and he's proven he can handle the pressure."
(realistic goals of team) "I believe we're an even better team because of experience; last year we were young. Now we've got more upperclassmen. We had guys in the first few days of practice go out there and show they want those minutes and that they want to compete."
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Jon Leuer
Bo Ryan has said he wants from his players this season) "For me, I have to focus on everything, not just concentrate on one aspect. Obviously with Marcus (Landry) being gone, that's a big hole to fill, so the guards have to step up and help with rebounding. There are so many things I want to improve on that I can't just focus on one thing."
"One thing I don't think he needs to ask and that's expected of me is to be a leader and to grow and mature in this program. I'm a junior now; I definitely feel that I have a lot of knowledge the younger guys don't have and I can help them out."
(on growth and strength versus last year) "I've put on about 15 pounds. Playing in the Big Ten, it's a physical league and there are a lot of guys that are bigger and stronger than you are, so you have to deal with that. If you haven't worked to get stronger, you're going to get pushed around. That was a major emphasis for us this offseason--getting stronger in our legs and core so we couldn't get bumped around, especially in the post."
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Keaton Nankivil
(on making up for the loss of Krabbenhoft and Landry) "The way Joe rebounded and the way Marcus scored, there's a lot of stuff we have to do, and as a team, it'll be easier to do it and spread it around instead of having one individual say `I need to make up for this.'"
"Hopefully I can take a big portion of that on my shoulders, and I think Jon (Leuer) will also do a great job with that. Tim (Jarmusz) rebounding off the wing is really good, but again, I think that it's an entire group that makes up for those numbers and you can't say an individual covers that spot because it's too hard."
(what he learned playing with the seniors) "I learned a ton. I spent two years playing with those guys, and a year playing with the guys before them. As a young player going through the Big Ten, in one season you can learn a lot just from being around them every day. The way they act, what they knew, it just helps so much to be around them."
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Jordan Taylor
(work in offseason and preseason) "I've tried to work on getting my shot more consistent and being a more consistent player overall. We've been working on getting in shape with the Hill and other preseason workouts. The Hill is good for your legs and lungs; it's a physical and mental workout."
(feelings on team) "I think we're pretty confident. We've got chemistry, we know what we have, and we know what we think we can have. Guys like myself and Rob (Wilson), Jon (Leuer), and Keaton (Nankivil) can step up and prove ourselves. We know we can rely on Jason (Bohannon) and other great players."
(who will step up to fill gaps and how to go forward) "We have two new, great seniors in Trevon and Jason who are obviously going to have big years for us. Jon, Keaton, Tim and Rob are all guys who can play, we've got Ryan (Evans) and a lot of other guys who can play. Whoever steps up--if one person doesn't, the next person will."
