BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin freshman point guard D'Mitrik Trice has seen some of the old newspaper clippings and a few of the black and white pictures of his dad, Travis Trice, dribbling a basketball in a Purdue basketball uniform.
In 1990, his senior year at Princeton High School, the elder Trice was one of the top players in the state of Indiana, a list that included Bedford North Lawrence's Damon Bailey, Lawrence North's Eric Montross, Anderson Highland's Linc Darner and Tipton's Matt Waddell.
Trice, Waddell and Darner wound up playing for head coach Gene Keady and the Boilermakers. Trice was a part-time starter during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. During his sophomore year, he had a career-high 21 points against Ohio State and nine assists on three occasions.
In Big Ten games, Trice led the team in assists and had 110 overall, one fewer than Waddell. Trice, who started 21 of 33 games, averaged 4.6 points; slightly more than a couple of his teammates, Darner (the UW-Green Bay head coach) and Matt Painter (the 12th-year Purdue head coach).
After two seasons, Trice transferred to Butler where he was the second-leading scorer (10.9) as a senior for coach Barry Collier. He also had 140 assists and 40 steals in 1995. As it was, Trice passed along his point guard instincts to his sons, Travis II, who played at Michigan State, and D'Mitrik.
Their grandfather (on their mother Julie's side), Bob Pritchett, was a gifted prep scorer at Princeton and the 1965-66 junior college player of the year at Vincennes, the national champ. He ended up at Old Dominion where he averaged 22.2 and 25.4 points, highlighted by a career high 67 in 1968.
When D'Mitrik Trice comes off the Wisconsin bench Sunday afternoon at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, he will have his family cheering him on; just like he did Tuesday night at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. "They will be there supporting me," he said.
The Badgers have been getting steady contributions from Trice, who's averaged 18 minutes, the most of any sub. At Indiana, he had five points, three assists and one steal in 20 minutes. But he was only 2-of-8 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc, far under his norm.
After two leagues game, Trice is starting to get a feel for the tougher competition.
"Everybody kind of talks about the toughness of the Big Ten, the defensive mindset and the physicality of the game," said the 178-pound Trice. "I didn't really notice until the start of the Rutgers game how physical it was and how the refs were going to change their calls (allowing more contact).
"You've got to shift from the focus of the non-conference to the conference mentality. Everybody is a little bit thicker, stronger and faster. And they know you very well because they scout you. But it's all good because it has helped me become a better player."
Although he still ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage (.543, 19-35) — behind Iowa's Brady Ellingson (.571, 16-28) and ahead of Purdue's Dakota Mathias (.493, 35-71) — Trice knows that he must have an answer off the dribble when opposing teams run him off the line.
"It's something that I've worked on — getting to the basket," said Trice, who's shooting 41 percent inside the arc. "The best part of my game is probably my mid-range. But I haven't gotten to show that yet, which is okay because I'm doing my part and what I'm supposed to do when I come in."
Trice has seen enough tape on the Boilermakers to realize that they will pose problems for the Badgers with their bangers in the paint and 3-point snipers on the perimeter. With multiple scoring options, inside and out, Purdue has accounted for at least 75 points in nine straight games.
"I think this is Purdue's best offensive team since the Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore days," said UW assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft, who played against those teams. "The IQ level of their guards is just tremendous. They do a great job of pass, pass, pass, knock it down. They shoot it really well."
The Boilers have registered at least 20 assists in half their games (8-of-16) and rank second nationally in assists per game (19.8). They've assisted on 66.5 percent of their made field goals. "They can throw it in and get a quick layup," Krabbenhoft said, "or they throw it up high to the big fella."
It doesn't take 20/20 vision to see that the No. 1 option on the block is 6-9, 250-pound sophomore Caleb Swanigan who has four 20/20 games, at least 20 points and rebounds. There have been eight nationally. Swanigan is averaging 18.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Since 1993, the only two players who have hit those numbers for a complete season are Wake Forest's Tim Duncan and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. In 50 career games, Swanigan has 21 double-doubles during which the Boilermakers are 18-3. It was feast or famine against the Badgers last season.
In Madison, Swanigan was held scoreless (0-for-5 from the field, 0-for-3 from beyond the arc) though he did collect nine rebounds in Purdue's 61-55 win in the Big Ten opener. In the final game of the regular season, he had 27 points (14-of-17 from the free throw line) and eight rebounds. Purdue also won that game, 91-80, improving its Mackey record to 38-4 against the Badgers.
"He definitely has our attention like he has everybody's in the country," Krabbenhoft said. "Just watching him go after defensive rebounds, it's like his life depends on them. It's kind of cool to watch. Sometimes he tries to take it from his teammates. He cares that much. He wants the ball. He's hungry."
Sophomore Alex Illikainen (6-9, 232) tried simulating Swanigan on the UW scout team.
Krabbenhoft instructed him to be "super-aggressive and be an animal."
It was more challenging to find someone to physically simulate 7-2, 290-pound Isaac Haas.
That would be the aforementioned "big fella."
Andy Van Vliet (7-foot, 224) drew the assignment and practiced well Friday.
"With his height, Andy can do a pretty good job of putting his arms up in the air," Krabbenhoft said, "and he's got a real good touch on his jump hook. But Haas might have him by 100 pounds. We just do our best on the scout team no matter who we're trying to simulate."
Against Ohio State, Haas came off the bench for the first time this season. The Boilers downsized with positive results, a 76-75 victory in Columbus, only the second win in 15 games at Value City Arena. Four players were in double-figures led by Swanigan and Vince Edwards. Both had 16 points.
"He has been the rock for them," Krabbenhoft said of Edwards, a 6-8, 225-pound junior. "He just produces. He has been a pretty good contributor throughout his career, but I think he's playing his best basketball right now. He's playing really confident and aggressive."
Another Edwards, no relation, has been a backcourt spark, freshman Carsen Edwards.
"He's lightning in a bottle," said Krabbenhoft. "He has the ability to score in bunches. Sometimes, they will be dragging, like they were at Ohio State, and, boom, he'll rattle off seven straight points. You have to do your best at containing him and making him shoot over you. He's dangerous."
The Boilermakers have a deep guard rotation with Edwards; Mathias; Ryan Kline; Spike Albrecht, the Michigan transfer; and P.J. Thompson, who destroyed the Badgers last season by knocking down 6-of-8 shots from beyond the arc. Earlier in the week, Thompson had a clutch triple against the Buckeyes.
How will Purdue attack Wisconsin? With the small lineup? Or with the bigs, Haas and Swanigan?
"We're preparing for any and everything," Krabbenhoft said.
One thing is certain: Sunday's game is big.
It's the only regular-season meeting between these teams.
