BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's Bronson Koenig would like to start a trend. And it's not what you're thinking. But, yes, it would be nice if he could make five triples in every game like he did in Thursday night's convincing 89-66 win over Ohio State at the Kohl Center.
Koenig, who went just 1-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc in Sunday's loss at Purdue, the one make coming on the final possession, scored 21 points against the Buckeyes, marking his Big Ten season high and only the second time in the last six games that he has reached double-figures.
But that's not the trend that he was talking about, either.
"I'd like to wear these warmups all year," Koenig said afterwards.
The Badgers wore special warmup tops each bearing the No. 8 and "Nicholas" on the back to honor the memory of the late Ab Nicholas, a former first-team All-Big Ten player, and beloved donor. A "Nicholas 8" banner was raised to the rafters over the Wisconsin sidelines during a halftime ceremony.
In addition, the court will be renamed the "Ab Nicholas Court" starting next season.
"It means so much to me," said Koenig, a senior from La Crosse, Wisconsin. "Ab was pretty much at every single home game and I talked to him after every one. He was such a big backer of Wisconsin. And it just means so much to have had a personal relationship with him. He was such a great guy."
His UW teammates felt the same way about Nicholas who passed away in August.
"It was really great how much he loved the school," said Jordan Hill, a redshirt junior from Pasadena, California. "He was always there for us, whether donating or just showing love to us. It's really important that we recognize him for that. He deserves all the respect in the world."
Vitto Brown, a senior from Bowling Green, Ohio, admitted that it was sad to lose such a close ally, win or lose. Nicholas, who passed away last August, was a trusted friend and confidant to all the players, starters or subs. But in recognizing the Nicholas legacy, Brown said, "That's something that we can all celebrate."
There was plenty to cheer about Thursday night.
After a Nigel Hayes layup had given the Badgers an early 16-7 lead, the Buckeyes went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to two points. It would be as close as they would get. D'Mitrik Trice and Hill re-energized the offense with 3-point baskets, Koenig scored nine straight points and the rout was on.
"I got down on myself a little bit," confided Koenig after missing his first three shots against Ohio State. "But I couldn't let myself fall into that trap again and defer to my teammates and not be aggressive. So I tried to stay on the attack any way possible."
True to his word, Koenig scored on back-to-back drives.
"If your shot is not falling," he said, "getting to the rim and seeing it (the ball) go in is always a good first step. Getting to the free throw line also helped. That got my confidence right back up. And that's what I need to continue to do because I'm not going to come out shooting well every game."
Hill hasn't shot well. His playing minutes have fallen off with the emergence of Trice, a true freshman, so he has had fewer opportunities to shoot himself back on track. He was 3-of-16 from 3-point range. But he had a season-high eight points on Thursday, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
"I haven't taken many (3-pointers) so when you don't make 'em, it feels worse," said Hill, who had nine points and three triples against the Buckeyes in last season's 79-68 victory at the Kohl Center. "It definitely felt good to see the ball go in. I just tried to be aggressive and it paid off."
Brown took the same approach after going scoreless at Purdue.
"I've been in a little rut," he said, acknowledging it helped to make his first shot, particularly since he was fouled in the process. "Even though I missed it (free throw), it was one of my goals before the game to draw a foul. Hopefully, I can get there (the line) more than once the next game."
That was the only negative on the night: free throw shooting. Ethan Happ (1-5), Hayes (0-4) and Brown (0-1) were a combined 1-for-10. As a team, the Badgers were 5-of-15. But they overwhelmed the Buckeyes in every other category (28-9 in second chance points) that it didn't affect the outcome.
Brown offered some sage words of advice on the value of resiliency in every facet of the game. In this case, he was speaking to the unpredictable nature of Big Ten basketball, the highs and lows, when he said, "You can't celebrate too long and you can't be down too long, either."
No. 8 couldn't have said it better.
Some Kohl Center carry-outs:
- Brevin Pritzl, who has enjoyed a couple of solid weeks of practice, was summoned off the bench with 6:53 left in the first half. He had played only one minute against Rutgers in the three previous Big Ten games. But he responded with a "hustle" play diving on the floor for a loose ball and steal.
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- Alex Illikainen is starting to see a little more playing time. On the recent road trip, he played 10 minutes at Indiana and nine at Purdue. Over the last 12 games, he had accounted for just five points. But in the second half, he drilled back-to-back triples matching his season total from that distance.
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- Khalil Iverson had six rebounds, the most since Maui, when he had six against North Carolina and seven against Georgetown. On a dime from Zak Showalter, he also had a rim-rattling dunk to go along with two assists and two steals. He even unveiled a step-back jumper though he missed the shot.
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- Former UW coach Dick Bennett took part in the halftime ceremonies and drew the loudest ovation. Bennett was among the many people that Nicholas touched. When Koenig was asked if seeing the Nicholas banner when he walked on the floor would provide added inspiration, he said, "Exactly."
