The Milwaukee Post

2 • Milwaukee County Post • April 10, 2015 volume 21, issue number 15 The Milwaukee Post (ISSN 1544-1776) is published weekly by Conley Media, Milwaukee County 3397 South Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 For all departments call: 414.744.6370 news display and advertising FAX: 414.744.6884 Classifieds: 800-762-6219 ext. 5005 Classified Fax: 262-334-6252 For display advertising inquires: Daryl Skaradzinski: General Manager - ext. 13 dskaradzinski@conleynet.com For editorial questions: Dan Muckelbauer Editor 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Milwaukee Post 3397 S. Howell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207 Periodicals Postage Paid at Milwaukee, WI. National transformation didn't happen overnight By MATT MASTERSON Conley News Service The dramatic rise of the Wisconsin Badgers men's basket- ball team over the past two seasons — from a pesky, defensive-minded Big Ten bother to a dominant national power before a painful loss to Duke on Monday night in the 2015 NCAA Tournament final — has been nothing short of breathtaking. But it didn't happen overnight. Coming off a 23-12 finish and a second-round upset loss to Ole Miss in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, few expected a 30-win season and a run to the Final Four last year. Even fewer expected Frank Kaminsky, a lanky 7-foot sophomore, to evolve from a bench warmer averaging 4.2 points per game into the best player in the country, but his development has largely mirrored that of the team itself. As a fifth-year senior at UW- Madison in 2013 — my last as a stu- dent and sports editor at The Daily Cardinal, one of the school's two student newspapers — watching the Badgers was largely a disap- pointment. But it was also the first season many of the veteran lead- ers on today's roster got to see sig- nificant playing time. Five-star freshman Sam Dekker started 35 games that season, aver- aging 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in a year that offered small glimpses of what was to come for the athlet- ic Sheboygan native. Sophomore guard Traevon Jackson played 27 minutes per game and averaged just under 7 points. Junior guard Josh Gasser sat out for the year with a torn ACL — an injury that allowed him to be granted an addi- tional season with the Badgers this year. That season, Wisconsin's paltry offense scored 50 or fewer points seven times and was powered most- ly by its strong defense. Turn the page to this season and you would hardly recognize these Badgers. In 2014-15, the team scored fewer than 50 only once — a 49-38 win over Marquette in December. Kaminsky, the odds-on favorite for the Wooden Award as national player of the year, averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds. Dekker has averaged 13 points on the season and had his two highest-scoring games of his career during this year's tournament run. Gasser has been a consistent force and Jackson, after missing more than two months with a broken foot, provided a spark off the bench. Most surprisingly though, is that the Badgers — a team that just a few years ago was known for win- ning games with scores in the 30s and 40s — had the most efficient offense in college basketball. But not just for this season, or last season, but for any year dating back to 2001-02 according to KenPom.com, which measures offensive efficiency for all Division 1 teams. And they didn't do it against cup- cakes either, scoring 156 total points against two of the stingiest defenses in the nation in Kentucky and Arizona. While the players and the team have grown, so too has head coach Bo Ryan. Known as a straight-laced, no- nonsense leader, Ryan has joined in with his team's bubbly, childlike personality. Just go back and watch any press conference over the last three weeks to see the difference. Kaminsky, Dekker and sopho- more forward Nigel Hayes have become media darlings thanks to their quirky, joking personalities — but so has Ryan. "The problem with my guys is they're too tense. Can't you see that?" Ryan said Sunday in a press conference that was punctuated by giggling and jokes, which has been par for the course with the team's loose attitude through March and April. Winning 38 games will do that. So, too, will beating an undefeated Kentucky and, despite the loss to Duke, the team put together its greatest season in school history. The Badgers lost 12 games in 2012-13, but have now only lost 12 total in the two seasons since. Once a team that was happy to get to the tournament and win a game or two, today's Wisconsin team is expected to win every night out. They transformed from an old- school, grind-it-out-team into a his- torically great offense. And Bo Ryan, sometimes known as a cur- mudgeon more than a Hall of Fame caliber coach, has put togeth- er another season that will cement his legacy as one of the game's all- time greats. (Matt Masterson is a reporter at The Freeman. Masterson Badgers changed in many ways, including adding potent offense Church Directory To advertise in this section, contact Julia at 414-744-6370 ext. 17 Milwaukee Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church 2015 E. 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