Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
March 1, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State
March 1, 2015
Kohl Center - Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan
On if he ever gets misty for a senior class and how this one compares to the rest:
"I was definitely misty before the game. It didn't hit me until they started walking out with their parents. Just thinking about the recruiting process of each one of them. First time meeting them, first time seeing them - that's what flashes through your head. What a class. You have Duje (Dukan) and Josh (Gasser). Duje with mono and Josh with the knee injury...they get to play in a fifth year, get to come back and be a part of this. Frank (Kaminsky) deciding that he enjoyed college a lot more than the other alternative. Traevon (Jackson), going through a really tough time not being able to dress or play. You just look at the four of them, and really, a book could be written about the four of them. Not that the other guys in the past weren't the same, but you just think of the experiences that these guys have had and what some of them have been through, and how they're battling things right now. I couldn't be prouder of a group of seniors than this group."
On if Frank Kaminsky looked locked in before the game:
"All I know is that he said, `Can we go to the locker room now?' He's tired. His background - I keep mentioning this, and I truly mean it, the way he was raised, the way he's handled things athletically, and academically, he's grounded to the point where I don't have to worry about Frank. I don't really have to worry about any of these guys. He was ready to play. He was not going to be denied."
On how they're better this year heading into the postseason from last year:
"I don't compare like that. I can say that we're only as good as our next 40 minutes. We've got two tough places that we have to head to this week coming up, so we'll get ready for Minnesota. (Minnesota is) A team that shot lights out against Michigan State, at Michigan State. They're very talented. I think that Minnesota team is every bit as good as the one they had last year. Sometimes the ball goes in here and doesn't go in there. This game can be crazy at times, but I can't say we're better or not as good or anything else because I'm just living in the moment."
On what Josh Gasser has meant to the program:
"I think anybody that watched Josh go through the rehab, if you weren't amazed at the work and what he did to get himself ready...I've seen people rehab, and then there's Josh Gasser's rehab. He really was dedicated. He really worked closely with Henry Perez-Guerra, of course. Especially coming back from it, because you never know how much pressure you can put on it. Along with Scott Hetenbach the year before that, and the year that it happened, (he had) a lot of people around him. He trusted them and they trusted him. He came back stronger than ever. How does that affect the other players? I think they marveled at his comeback."
On how he likes the attitude of the group even with a title:
"When you put in the work that they have, and you have players that have been as dedicated as these guys are, it's fun to want. I hope that each day they come to practice they're working on satisfying the want. That is being successful and continuing to play as long as we can."
Frank Kaminsky
On driving to the basket:
"We knew they were a physical team so we had to get something going inside. Against Maryland, we settled for a lot of shots and we didn't want that to happen again. The second half of the Maryland game, we got the ball inside and some good things happened for us. We just tried to get that going from the start of the game. It helped to push a lead out and never look back."
On arriving on the court at the Kohl Center early:
"Before the game, it's my last game here. I wanted to do something special. I was in my own thoughts. I was just sitting there thinking about everything. I was trying to mentally psych myself up."
On securing at least a share of the Big Ten Championship on Senior Day:
"To go out on Senior Day and win the Big Ten title, is unbelievable. I know Josh (Gasser), Duje (Dukan), Traevon (Jackson) and I have talked about all four of our years and Josh's 16 years. It's just an unbelievable feeling to do it in front of our fans, families and friends."
On using the Go Pro to document the day:
"The Go Pro was something for the chronicles, the archivists."
On how far he's come throughout his college career:
"It's been an unbelievable journey. When I think back to just my mindset when I was younger, it's completely different than it is now. I just have way more confidence. I know I can do a lot of different things on the court. I have to do whatever I can to help the team. It was a struggle at times, coming up in this program, but I knew at the end of the day that I wanted to become a really good player and win the Big Ten Championship and make it to the Final Four and do a lot of things in my time here. Four years go by fast and it definitely has. It's just been an unreal journey. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
Josh Gasser
On the importance of the game today:
"When the schedule came out, the first time I looked at it I had this day circled. I envisioned this exact same scenario happening-- on senior night, our last home game, against a really good team to close out the Big Ten. I didn't know for sure that it was going to happen. It's been rough at times especially when Traevon went down. We were able to stick together as a team. Anyone on the team, not just the four seniors, we all had the same goal of winning the Big Ten Championship. We were hungry and worked really hard at it. It's definitely fulfilling, but we have a few more goals."
On the team's post-season goals:
"Last year was heartbreaking what we went through (losing to Kentucky in the Final Four). We want to get back to that point and more. We have a veteran group so we don't need to talk about how much that would mean. We all know individually and as a team what we want so we'll rest today and tomorrow and then we'll go back to work."
Nigel Hayes
"As we all know, Frank is extremely good as we saw. He had a terrific display of post moves as well as showing his outside touch. As we see, Frank's a very versatile player and he easily should be Player of the Year and if I had a vote, he'd have my vote."
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
Opening Statement:
"I'm very disappointed, but on a positive note for Wisconsin, you've got a Hall of Fame coach and what I think is the best player in the nation. We didn't play great, but Frank Kaminsky, that kid made some plays. He hit some shots with his right hand and with his left hand, he made passes, he played pretty good defense. I've never been so impressed with a player in our league since maybe Big Dog (Glenn Robinson) back in the day. I thought the kid was sensational. Some of it was our fault. We clamped up the second half and had some chances, but he just kept making big shot after big shot, whether it be a 3 or on the floor. He's the most versatile kid that our league has seen in a long, long time. I'm very disappointed in missing free throws and not giving ourselves a chance, but as I told my team, you have two or three best players, and every team has got them. I'd like to play that game without Kaminsky, or with Kaminsky playing badly. They've earned it and they deserve it. Bo has done a heck of a job, and it's a good team, a team I think is a Final Four team. I would like to give my early vote that Kaminsky is no question the best player in the country this year."
On the comparison between Kaminsky and Jahlil Okafor:
"I love Jahlil, I really do, but you have to talk about the versatility of a player. I recruited Jahlil for four years, and I love everything about him. I wouldn't have even put them close when you look at Kaminsky a year ago. But Kaminsky is phenomenal right now. I just think he does it in so many different ways. He's become a better passer, he's become a guy that just has a knack for drawing the defense, and he's a hard cover. Unfortunately we had a couple of other ways we wanted to cover him, but we ran into some snags. We had a rough couple of days here between travel and illness, and we just didn't get to do it. I would say that there's no doubt in my mind -- and that's not slighting Jahlil or the kid from Ohio State, who is sensational too -- but when you talk about someone who is consistently solid and great at many different areas, there's nobody like him."
On what makes Wisconsin a Final Four team:
"Kaminsky and Bo Ryan. Those two things are really big. A Hall of Fame coach and one of the two or three best players in the country. Wisconsin has a pretty solid cast. You love a guy like Josh Gasser. He's been here five years and just knows his role and plays his role. I think they have some issues they need to deal with, like dribble penetration at times. Their depth is a little suspect. I hope they get Traevon Jackson back, because I love him. Some teams can screw up in March, but I don't think Bo will let that happen and I don't think Jackson or the team will let that happen. They need one more sub if they're going to get into certain games against certain teams. They have some things to continue to work on, but I just think they have all the ingredients to be a Final Four team. But, it all comes down to matchups, as we all know."
