BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's cold and snowy in Buffalo N.Y. for the opening rounds of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, but the day is heating up for
Wisconsin's gameday against Virginia Tech (8:40 p.m. CT on CBS).
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer Mike Lucas is on the ground in Buffalo checking in as the eighth-seeded Badgers prepare for tonight's tip-off against the ninth-seeded Hokies.
GARDO AND BUZZ
They first crossed paths in Hawaii, the 2002 Big Island Invitational in Hilo. Greg Gard was an assistant on Bo Ryan's first coaching staff at Wisconsin. Buzz Williams was an assistant to Dale Layer at Colorado State. Gard and Williams met in a hotel room to share their scouting reports on upcoming opponents. "He was very inquisitive and very detail-oriented," remembered Gard who immediately recognized Williams' affinity for numbers/analytics and "Rain Man" qualities. There were a number of "What the heck are you talking about?" moments, according to Gard. There was also instant respect and appreciation for a career trek that paralleled his own journey. "He was sweeping floors at junior colleges in Texas," Gard said, "when I was sweeping floors at junior highs in Wisconsin … He had to work his way up. He had to do it the hard way. He hasn't had anything handed to him."
SIZE MATTERS?
The Hokies, who have just one player taller than 6-foot-7 in their rotation, have found ways to compensate for their lack of size throughout their 22-win season despite ranking last (15th) in the ACC in rebounding margin with a minus-2.1. Since losing their second-leading rebounder Chris Clarke (7.3) to a season-ending knee injury in a double-overtime win against Virginia (Feb. 12), they have been outrebounded in five of their last eight games. They're 5-3 during this closing stretch. Their tallest player, 6-10 freshman Khadim Sy, averages just 11 minutes and 2.7 rebounds. Their leading rebounder is 6-7 Zach LeDay (7.4). Nobody else is averaging more than 3.3 per game. In their first meeting against Virginia, a 71-48 loss, the Cavs had 11 offensive rebounds and outscored the Hokies, 18-3, in second-chance points. In the Big Ten, the Badgers ranked No. 3 behind Indiana and Purdue in rebounding margin with a plus-6.3. They were also No. 3 in offensive rebounds (12.4).
GARDO SEZ
"Experience may have been a bigger thing in November … It will be a matter of who does what they've done well all year better for the 40 minutes all night."
BUZZ SEZ
"I know I'm not the best-looking guy in the world … but I'm just working real hard." (He was addressing how much he sweats on the sidelines during games and why he wears vests.)
HAVE WE MET BEFORE?
Williams compared Wisconsin to Tony Bennett's team at Virginia. "It's UVA. They just happen to wear red and they have really good players that have experience this time of year." Williams also noted the Badgers have had 70 or more possessions only three times in 34 games, all in overtime; whereas the Hokies have reached that number 15 times in 32 games. Regarding the more deliberate style of play and slower tempo, Williams reiterated that the Badgers are "very UVA-like." Guard Seth Allen believes Wisconsin is more willing to play "one-on-one ball" than Virginia. Posed Allen, "Are we going to play like Virginia Tech or is Wisconsin going to control the pace and we're going to play their style?"
Gard compared Virginia Tech to John Beilein's team at Michigan. Moreover, he compared Allen to the Wolverines Derrick Walton as far as "how he controls the ball in ball-screen situations." Michigan was No. 3 in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.381), while Virginia Tech was No. 1 in the ACC (.403). The Hokies can spread the floor with multiple players who can shoot the 3. Justin Bibbs was No. 3 in the ACC in 3-point FG percentage (.425) sandwiched between Duke's Luke Kennard and North Carolina's Joel Berry. Fast company. The Hokies leading scorer, LeDay, gets a good portion of his points from the line: the free throw line (159-205), not the 3-point line (11-40; 113 fewer attempts from the arc than Bibbs).
ACHILLES HEELS?
Wisconsin's free throw shooting: The Badgers finished 13th in the Big Ten in FT percentage (.644). The stripe has not been an issue for three starters: Bronson Koenig (.898), Zak Showalter (.830) and Vitto Brown (.759). But the two players who get to the line the most have struggled the most — Ethan Happ (.500) and Nigel Hayes (.585). In the Big Ten Tournament, Happ had a stunning reversal in form by making 10-of-14 (.714). On the season, the Badgers have shot 148 more free throws than their opponents. In the ACC, Virginia Tech was No. 4 in FT percentage (.734) with 186 more FTAs than their foes.
Virginia Tech's low-post defense: This speaks, in part, to the size differential again, but more so to the matchups against Happ and Hayes when they're attacking the rim on initial shots and second-chance opportunities. "Very unique guys," LeDay said. "Happ likes to back you down and get you under the basket. He's really good at pivoting and going different ways. Hayes is very versatile." He emphasized keeping them off the offensive glass. Williams said that Hayes and Happ will likely represent a "constant stress" to his defense. "Both of these guys are better than our guys," said Williams, who will try to neutralize their effectiveness in the paint by "doing multiple things."
Wisconsin's 3-point FG percentage Defense: The Badgers ranked 12th in the Big Ten (.377).
Virginia Tech's depth: The Hokies use seven players. "Zero maneuverability," Williams said.
GARDO FLASHBACK
Gard has nothing but fond memories from his last trip to Buffalo. In 1995, Gard was a Ryan assistant at UW-Platteville when the Pioneers won the Division III national championship by defeating Manchester (Indiana), 69-55, at the Buffalo State Sports Arena. It marked the first time that undefeated teams had met for the title. Ernie Peavy was the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Manchester was coached by Steve Alford, now at UCLA. On Platteville going 31-0 and winning it all in only his second year of coaching, Gard confided, "I got spoiled pretty quickly."
