Best of the Year: Green Bay Phoenix

With the season over for the Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team, it is time to reflect back on a season in which Green Bay overcame a slow start to finish with an 18-16 overall record and make it to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. The strong end to the season could signal a sign of things to come for next year's Phoenix squad, as it returns everyone but Brennan Cougill and adds transfer Alfonzo McKinnie.

Best performance: Keifer Sykes, at Valparaiso, March 9

Sykes started the season with a 31-point performance against Chicago State. Valparaiso is no Chicago State and the Horizon League Tournament is more important than a non-conference game. Sykes almost willed the Phoenix to an upset victory over Horizon League champion. He matched his career high with those 31 points, while going 11-of-20 from the field. He did not just score, though, as he hauled in five rebounds and dished out six assists while also picking up two steals. But Sykes and Green Bay was left thinking "What might have been" after Valpo's Ryan Broekhoff hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer and Valpo made the NCAA Tournament.

Honorable mention: Keifer Sykes, vs. Chicago State; Sykes scored 31 points on 7-of-14 shooting and shot 19 free throws, making 17 in Green Bay's 72-67 season-opening victory.

Best unexpected performance: Jordan Fouse, vs. Cleveland State, Jan. 19

Fouse is known for stuffing the stat sheet without scoring a ton, but against Cleveland State, he showed he can score a bit too. He scored a career-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds and had four assists and three steals in leading Green Bay to a 77-50 victory over Cleveland State, capping a four game winning streak.

Honorable mention: Sultan Muhammad vs. Illinois-Springfield, Muhammad scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting in an 84-43 win; Cole Stefan at Loyola, Stefan went 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point territory. He scored 13 points in all and added five rebounds in Green Bay's 73-65 win.

Best game: Green Bay vs. Marquette, Dec. 19

The Phoenix hosted Marquette for the first time at the Resch Center. Green Bay was coming in at 3-7 and had lost seven of its last eight. The lone senior, Brennan Cougill, also sat out the game. The good news was that it was 2-1 at home and it would be fired up playing against the eventual Big East co-champions. Green Bay started out strong, having a 25-16 lead with five minutes left in the first half. But the Golden Eagles dominated the final five minutes, going on a 15-2 run before a jumper by Kam Cerroni ended the half, as Green Bay trailed by two at halftime. The game was close throughout the second half, as the biggest lead of the half was just four points. With 35 seconds left and Green Bay ahead by a single point, Marquette's Vander Blue missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Marquette secured the offensive rebound. The Golden Eagles wound down the clock on the last possession and had an open shot with three seconds left. But Jake Thomas missed the 3-pointer in the corner and Alec Brown secured the rebound. Brown was fouled and made one free throw and Marquette's last ditch effort missed and the Phoenix secured the upset 49-47.

Honorable mention: Green Bay vs. UIC, 64-63; Green Bay at Cleveland State, 66-59

Best play: Sultan Muhammad's game-winner vs. UIC, March 8

In a close game throughout, Green Bay took a six point lead with six minutes left. But Hayden Humes took over for UIC, going on a personal 7-0 run to take the lead 59-58 with three minutes left. With the game tied at 61, Keifer Sykes fouled Gary Talton on a jump shot. Talton made both free throws to put UIC up 63-61. On the final possession, Sykes dribbled the ball up the court. He dribbled past halfcourt and found an open Sultan Muhammad on the right wing. Muhammad buried the 3-pointer, giving the Phoenix the 64-63 win to advance and play Valparaiso the following day.

Honorable mention: Sykes' one-handed jam vs. Chicago State, Jordan Fouse's basket and foul vs. Milwaukee in Horizon League Tournament

Best moment: Green Bay upsetting Marquette, Dec. 19

Ever since I became a student at Green Bay, this was the game I really wanted to go to. As a Phoenix fan/student and also a Badgers fan, I hate Marquette with a passion. This was my last game as a student, so there would be nothing better than to go out on a high note and see the Phoenix upset one of my least favorite teams. The last few minutes, my legs were shaking the entire time. On the final possession, Marquette had an open shot with Jake Thomas, which would have won the game. When Thomas put the shot up, my heart was in my throat because I thought that shot was going in. When it didn't, I was so pumped up. It was the most fun I have had watching a basketball game ever. I don't know if any game will top it. What a way to end my collegiate career. A snowstorm hit the following day, forcing me to not be able to move back until Dec. 21 when I could have gone home after graduation because all my finals were completed. I also lost my voice during the game. It was all well worth it.

Honorable mention: Sultan Muhammad's game-winning 3-pointer vs. UIC, Alec Brown joins 1,000-point club with dunk at Milwaukee

Same old, same old, from Packers fans on Thompson's FA inactivity

In 2007, it was Randy Moss. In 2010 it was Marshawn Lynch. In 2013 it was Steven Jackson. Every year, a lot of Green Bay Packers fans are up in arms over General Manager Ted Thompson's inactivity during free agency.

After Green Bay failed to sign running back Steven Jackson, fans on Twitter were fuming. Fans were calling for his firing. It was a little extreme for a running back who will be 30 by the time the season rolls around. Fans should know Thompson does not actually spend a lot of money during free agency. But every year, Green Bay still wins. Over the past four seasons, Thompson has compiled a 47-17 regular season record along with a 5-3 postseason record, including a Super Bowl win.

Signing big name free agents rarely works, just ask the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. What happened with big time free agent Albert Haynesworth and his $100 million contract? That marriage lasted just two seasons and he seemed to stop caring after his big payday. Philadelphia made big free agent signings in 2011 of former Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and highly coveted cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha as well as traded for another cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That team was called the "Dream Team" by quarterback Vince Young, who was all signed as a free agent that offseason. Well, all of those players are no longer with the Eagles and that dream turned into a nightmare after a 12-20 record in these last two seasons. If a team makes a poor free agent signing, it cripples a franchise and it takes them a few years to recover from it.

People wanted the Packers to sign Jackson as well as re-signing wide receiver Greg Jennings. I would have loved for that to happen, but there is a thing called a salary cap. At this moment, the Packers are comfortably below the salary cap. However, all that cap will be used up when they sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is a free agent after 2014, and linebacker Clay Matthews to hefty new contracts. That does not even include defensive tackle B.J. Raji and James Jones, who are also free agents after next season. There was absolutely no way Thompson would be able to re-sign all of them as well as sign Jackson. Would you sacrifice re-signing Matthews or Raji to re-sign Jennings and sign Jackson? I didn't think so.

Thompson has a proven track record and has proven to make the right decisions more often than not. Green Bay is in the mix for former New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw. If he signs, great, but if not, I am not worried. Thompson knows what he is doing and I would not trade him for any other GM in the league. No matter what happens, the Packers will be fine.

Top 10 Wisconsin NCAA Tournament Moments from the Bo Ryan era

Before Bo Ryan became the coach at Wisconsin, the Badgers had only seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Since he got to Wisconsin, the Badgers have made the NCAA Tournament all 12 years. In those 11 prior years, the tournament has provided thrills for the Badgers which has seen five Sweet 16 appearances and an Elite 8. Here is my list for the top 10 Wisconsin moments from the NCAA Tournament under Bo Ryan.

10. Mike Bruesewitz hits a crucial 3-pointer vs. Kansas State, 2011

After a steal by Jordan Taylor with less than two minutes to play and the game tied at 64, Taylor dribbled up the court and found an open teammate. That teammate was Bruesewitz on the right wing who buried a 3-pointer to put the Badgers in front for good, 64-61. Wisconsin never relinquished the lead as it went to the Sweet 16 with the victory. More from this game coming up.

9. Wisconsin comes back from big deficit to beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2007

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored the first 10 points of the game and took a 25-7 lead with 5:29 left in the first half. Wisconsin ended the first half on a 12-2, led by Alando Tucker's eight points in the run. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took a 12-point lead, 40-28, early in the second half, but Wisconsin went on a 24-8 run to take a 52-48 lead with a little less than nine minutes left. Wisconsin scored 57 in the second half and pulled away down the stretch as the Badgers avoided the upset with a 76-63 win against the Islanders. Wisconsin would fall two days later to UNLV.

8. Jared Berggren's deflects away Vanderbilt in the final seconds, 2012

With Wisconsin leading by three with 1.3 seconds left, Vanderbilt had one last chance, having to go the length of the court for the tie. Lance Goulbourne looked and tried a long pass, but Berggren got his paw in the way and deflected the ball in the air and celebrated the big 60-57 win in the round of 32 No. 4/5 matchup.

7. Jason Bohannon's crucial 3-pointer vs. Florida State, 2009

With Wisconsin trailing by one point with less than a minute left and the shot clock winding down, Joe Krabbenhoft drove down the lane, but was cut off and passed it to an open Bohannon at the top of the key. Bohannon launched a deep 3-pointer and nailed it to take a 52-50 lead. That set the stage for one of the best tournament finishes under Ryan. More from this game coming up later.

6. Wisconsin comes back vs. North Carolina State, 2005

Wisconsin struggled in the first half against the Wolfpack and trailed by as many as 10 points before trailing 30-21 at halftime. Wisconsin started the first half on a 26-7 run to turn a nine point deficit into a 10-point lead. Alando Tucker scored 12 points in that run, which included an eight point run of his own to help the Badgers build a 47-37 lead. North Carolina State cut the lead to four points, but could get no closer as Wisconsin won the Sweet 16 matchup 65-56 to set up a showdown against North Carolina in the Elite 8.

5. Jon Leuer shoots Wisconsin to victory vs. Wofford, 2010

With less than a half minute left and No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 13 Wofford tied at 49, Wisconsin had the ball and needed a basket. After an offensive rebound by Keaton Nankivil, the Badgers nearly used the entire shot clock as Leuer was open on the baseline and nailed the open jumper to give Wisconsin the 51-49 lead. Wofford turned the ball over on the next possession and Leuer stepped to the line and calmly sank two free throws to give Wisconsin the 53-49 win.

4. Taylor blocks Pullen, 2011

With Wisconsin leading the Kansas State Wildcats 66-63 late in the game, Kansas State star Jacob Pullen pulled up for a 3-pointer to try to tie the game. Taylor fouled Pullen on the shot and sent him to the line for three free throws to try to tie the game. Pullen made two of the three free throws. Taylor made two free throws on the other end, setting up the same scenario. Pullen scored 38 on the night and would certainly get the ball. Taylor knew he would draw the assignment of guarding Kansas State's best player. Pullen received a handoff and tried a 3-pointer from the left wing. Taylor tried to contest the 3-pointer again. This time, Taylor got all ball and the ball floated down to Josh Gasser, who was fouled. He made both and Wisconsin went onto the Sweet 16 with a 70-65 win over the Wildcats.

3. Chambliss to Tucker, 2005

This is the only moment from a losing effort. Wisconsin was a heavy underdog against the eventual National Champion North Carolina Tar Heels. Wisconsin played right with the Heels and used an 11-0 run to tie the game going into halftime. North Carolina tried to pull away multiple times in the second half, but every time North Carolina made a run, Wisconsin answered. Late in the game, Wisconsin trailed by five. Senior transfer Sharif Chambliss executed a beautiful alley-oop to Alando Tucker to pull the Badgers within three points. Wisconsin would get no closer and would lose 88-82, but Tucker's alley-oop is one of the signature tournament plays in Ryan's tenure.

2. Hughes quiets Florida State, 2009

I told you there would be more from this game. Here it is. Florida State controlled the entire first half, leading 31-19 at the break. After Wisconsin took a 10-4 lead, the Seminoles ended the half on a 27-9 run to go into halftime with all the momentum. But Wisconsin stormed out of recess with a 13-0 run, led by sophomore Keaton Nankivil, who scored eight in the run, including a pair of 3-pointers. Florida State would take a 7-point lead on multiple occasion in the second half, but Wisconsin responded each time. After the Bohannon 3-pointer, Florida State star Toney Douglas made a pair of free throws. Freshman Jordan Taylor missed a wide open 3-pointer at the buzzer and the game went into overtime. Wisconsin trailed by one point with 8.3 seconds to play. Tim Jarmusz inbounded it to Hughes and he went to work. The junior point guard drove into the lane and put up a tough shot. He hit it going glass, with a foul on top of it as Douglas grabbed Hughes' jersey. Wisconsin was the lowest seed ever under Ryan in 2008-09, but Hughes made sure it would create some magic before it was eliminated.

1. Owens caps the comeback, 2003

Wisconsin, led by Devin Harris and Kirk Penney, had won its first outright conference title in 56 years. The Badgers struggled with No. 12 Weber State before moving on. Before the second round game against Tulsa, people did not think Freddie Owens would play as he sprained his ankle in the win over Weber State. But play he did, and he sure made a significant impact. Wisconsin was down 13, 58-45 with 4:08 to play. CBS thought the game was over, so it switched to a different game. Wisconsin would go on an 11-0 run to cut it to 58-56. After a Tulsa basket, Harris scored on a layup to cut it to two. Tulsa would turn it over on a shot clock violation on its next possession to set the stage for the thrilling conclusion. With 12.1 seconds left, Harris took the ball up the court. He drove the lane and Tulsa's defense surrounded him. He found an open Owens in the corner. Owens drilled the 3-pointer with one second left and Wisconsin won 61-60 in one of the more improbable comebacks for Wisconsin in recent memory.

My thoughts on the tournament backet

The first thing that I noticed when the brackets came out is that the Midwest region is brutal. The top overall seed, the Louisville Cardinals, seemingly stole the No. 1 seed from the Indiana Hoosiers. A week or two ago, not many people had Louisville as a No. 1 seed let alone the top overall seed. Indiana had the top seed in the Indianapolis region all but wrapped up. That was until Louisville went on a hot streak and blew through the Big East conference tournament and Indiana was upset in the semifinals in the Big Ten Tournament by Wisconsin.

In addition to the top overall seed and arguably the hottest team in the country in Louisville, perhaps the best of the No. 2 seeds in the Duke Blue Devils. Before the upset loss to Maryland in the ACC Tournament, Duke had won every game it had played with Mason Plumlee in the lineup. Plumlee is back and I expect the Blue Devils to put the loss to Maryland behind them. The Michigan State Spartans are the No. 3 seed and they may be the best No. 3 seed as well. Michigan State finished a game behind Indiana in the Big Ten standings. Michigan State has the toughness and low post presence to go far in the tournament. And don't ever count out Tom Izzo's bunch come tournament time. St. Louis, the No. 4 seed, is a great team, who swept Butler in three games and beat Virginia Commonwealth twice, including the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game. The Billikens are coming in having won 15 their last 16 games.

Oregon has a gripe about their seeding. It is a No. 12, having swept UCLA and having a road win over UNLV and another win over Arizona. Oregon won the Pac 12 Tournament as well. This seeding made no sense to me, especially with teams like San Diego State, Oklahoma and Colorado receiving higher seeds than the Ducks.

I have yet another matchup between Louisville and Michigan State in the regional final with Louisville winning. It would be the second consecutive season and the third in the last five. The teams have split those two tournament meetings.

To me, the weakest region is the East. Indiana may have lucked out by not being placed in the Midwest region. The Hoosiers are placed in the region with perhaps the weakest of the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in Miami and Marquette. If Marquette gets past Butler and Miami into the Elite 8, it could set up a matchup between Indiana and coach Tom Crean against his former team, Marquette. I think Indiana should breeze into the Final Four.

As much as Michigan State and Louisville have met, Wisconsin and Kansas State could meet once again in the tournament. It would be the third time it has met since the 2008 tournament and second in three years. Both prior times the teams have met in the tournament, it has been in the round of 32. And it would meet once again in that round should the teams meet this year.

After the top two in the South region, the teams fall down considerably. Kansas and Georgetown are a worthy top two, but Florida struggles mightily away from home. The Gators also struggles in close games and there are bound to be some in the tournament. Florida has lost four of its past six road and neutral site games. I do not see Florida getting past the Sweet 16. This region has a Kansas/Georgetown Elite 8 matchup written all over it.

This tournament is sure to provide thrills, just like every other tournament. Now, it is time to just sit back and relax and enjoy the greatest two sporting days of the year.

Georgetown's Porter, not Burke or Oladipo, should win Player of the Year

When people talk about NCAA Player of the Year candidates, the two names that always come up are Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Michigan's Trey Burke. But the name that is brought up, but as an afterthought after Oladpo and Burke is Georgetown's Otto Porter. He is the player who should win not only Big East Player of the Year, but NCAA Player of the Year as well.

Porter is having a remarkable year for the Hoyas. This super sophomore was not being talked about as an option for NCAA Player of the Year for most of the year, but he had his coming out party Feb. 23 at No. 8 Syracuse in Georgetown's 57-46 victory. Against the Orange, he scored a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting and added six rebounds and five steals, while playing all 40 minutes. He followed that up with a 22-point effort in a big overtime win at Connecticut. He has led the Hoyas to big wins over Syracuse (twice), Louisville and at Notre Dame and now he has them on the verge of possibly being a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

He was the only player from Georgetown selected to either the All-Big East first or second teams. Michigan and Indiana both had two players named to the All-Big Ten first team. He has come up big in the biggest games. He has scored at least 15 points in six of the seven games Georgetown has played against ranked opponents. In the game he did not reach 15, he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds and dished out a career high-tying seven assists. He shoots 50 percent and 44 percent from behind the 3-point line. He also averages 7.5 rebounds per game and nearly three assists per game. His 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game lead the team. He is the go-to guy for the Hoyas and is by far the biggest scoring threat on the team and has almost single-handedly helped lead this team to a Big East title and possible No. 1 seed.

The Big Ten Player of the Year went to Burke, even though he missed a crucial free throw down the stretch against Oladipo's Indiana Hoosiers that would have given Michigan a share of the Big Ten championship.

Oladipo may be hurt by the fact that one of the preseason favorites to win the Player of the Year is on his team in big man Cody Zeller. Oladipo is averaging nearly 14 points per game while shooting a whopping 61 percent from the floor and earning recognition as the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year. Zeller, on the other hand, is averaging nearly 17 points per game to go along with more than eight rebounds per game. With Zeller being a preseason All-American, more attention goes to him, which gives Oladipo a chance to make plays without having to be double teamed like Zeller is constantly down in the post. Oladipo does not have those "wow" stats. He just consistently gets it done and is a worthy choice for the award, if he, in fact, does win it.

Like Oladipo, Burke also has plenty of talent surrounding him, led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who was an All-Big Ten first team selection. But when it comes down to it, when the game is on the line, Burke is the man who has the ball in his hands. That may not always be a good thing, though, as Burke has missed huge shots, either from the field or the free throw line, late in losses to Wisconsin, Ohio State and Indiana. Burke, however, did lead his team to a victory against rival Michigan State with a steal a steal and dunk with 22 seconds left to give the Wolverines the team the lead before sealing the game with a steal with two seconds left. He also took over late at Purdue, willing his team to a much-needed victory. Burke was second in the conference in scoring, only trailing Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas. Burke has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games, and the only game he didn't was an 18-point effort at Penn State. In addition to his scoring, he was also 11th nationally and No. 1 in assists per game. But I cannot overlook Burke's struggles late in the games that could have costed his team a Big Ten championship, especially missing the front end of a 1-and-1 against Indiana this past Sunday that came back to haunt Michigan. The Wolverines also finished tied for fourth in the conference and will have to play on the first day of the conference tournament Thursday in a rematch with Penn State.

My guess is Oladipo will win the NCAA Player of the Year, even though Burke won the Big Ten Player of the Year. But do not sleep on Porter. If I was given a vote, he would have it. Nobody thought the Hoyas would be in contention for a No. 1 seed and here they are in March, vying for the fourth No. 1 seed behind Duke, Gonzaga and Indiana.

Best of the Week

Well, it was a week that had it all, which saw a last-second shot, some great plays and some unbelievably bad basketball (thanks, Badgers). For this week's best of the week, one game will make an appearance more than once and deservedly so. Here is the best of the week:

Best performance: Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves vs. Washington

Rubio did not have the best shooting night, just making four of his 15 shots, but he made the clutch plays when it counted, including forcing a turnover in the last minute of the game and tipping it to J.J. Barea for a layup that sealed the game. Even though he only made four shots, he scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists as well. Once again, he provided spark with his quick hands, having six steals and seven rebounds. Once Rubio can improve his shot, which he was not able to do over the offseason due to the ACL injury, he will be an unstoppable force for the Wolves moving forward.

Honorable mention: Jordan Fouse, Phoenix vs. Milwaukee; Fouse scored 12 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and having three blocks and three steals in Green Bay's 62-46 win against Milwaukee.


Best unexpected performance: Charlie Coyle, Wild vs. Edmonton

Coyle tallied a goal and an assist in the Wild's 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers, including the eventual game-winning goal in the third period. With the Wild tied after two periods 1-1, Coyle assisted along with Jared Spurgeon on a goal by Mikko Koivu just nine seconds into the third period to put Minnesota in front 2-1. Coyle's goal made it 3-1 and Minnesota took home the victory. For Coyle, it was his second goal and is trying to provide a spark with the first line of Koivu, Dany Heatley and Zach Parise sputtering at the moment.

Honorable mention: Alexey Shved, Timberwolves vs. Miami; Shved scored 13 points, including a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points before the Wolves fell 97-81.


Best game: Phoenix vs. UIC

There was no other game that came close. The game was close basically throughout. Green Bay had a 10-point lead early in the second half, but a quick 5-0 run by UIC cut the Phoenix lead to five and completed the run at 14-4 to tie the game at 43-43 at the under 12 media timeout. Green Bay kept trying to pull away, taking five point leads on two separate occasions and a six point lead on a 3-pointer by Keifer Sykes to put Green Bay up 58-52 with six minutes to play. But then the Phoenix went cold, scoring just one point in a four minute stretch to let UIC back into the game. Hayden Humes, who scored 23 on the night, had an individual 7-0 run to put UIC up 59-58. After a Brown free throw tied it up, the teams traded baskets and Jordan Fouse was at the free throw line with 44 seconds left. He missed both free throws and UIC had a chance to take the lead. The Flames did just that as Gary Talton was fouled on a jump shot. He made both to set the stage for the thrilling ending. Sykes dribbled it across half court and found an open Sultan Muhammad, who buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1.7 seconds left. The half court heave at the buzzer was wide left and Green Bay advanced to tonight's semifinal game against Valparaiso.

Honorable mention: Minnesota Wild; 4-2 win vs. Edmonton


Best play: Sultan Muhammad's game-winner vs. UIC

Well, I already went over this play above, but it was so good, it needed to be relived again. With Green Bay down 63-61 after two free throws by Gary Talton, Green Bay looked to point guard Keifer Sykes to make a play. While Sykes dribbled the ball up the court, Phoenix coach Brian Wardle is begging for a timeout call. Wardle was never granted a timeout, as no refs saw him calling for one. It's a good thing too, as Sykes found Muhammad on the right wing, who knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Phoenix the thrilling 64-63 win to move onto the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament where it will play top-seeded Valparaiso tonight. The game will be televised live on ESPNU at 8:30 EST.

Honorable mention: Ricky Rubio's crazy layup vs. Washington, switching hands mid-air and making the layup in Minnesota's 87-82 victory; Derrick Williams and-one vs. Washington, Rubio passed the ball to a cutting Williams, who was hacked on the arm and flipped the ball up and it went in in Minnesota's win over the Wizards.


Best moment: Sultan Muhammad......once again

This is the third straight time this play has been mentioned, but it never gets old. Muhammad's big 3-pointer put the Phoenix into the semifinals in the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since 2009 when it had a double bye before losing to Cleveland State. Muhammad will have to come up even bigger if the Phoenix wants to knock off top-seeded Valparaiso. The Crusaders swept the season series, winning both by double digits.

Honorable mention: J.J. Barea/Ray Allen skirmish, Barea was not amused by Allen's flopping

Flashback Friday: March 8, 2008, Wisconsin 65, Northwestern 52

In this edition of Flashback Friday, the Wisconsin Badgers had a chance to win the outright Big Ten championship with a win in Evanston against the Northwestern Wildcats, who were 1-16 in conference. Nobody really gave Wisconsin much of a chance to do much in the 2007-08 season after losing arguably its two best players in Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor to graduation. The Badgers struggled early in the season, getting blown out at Duke and suffering a rare home loss to in-state rival Marquette, which left Wisconsin fans scratching their heads. The season turned around with a trip to Austin, Texas. After leading scorer, point guard Trevon Hughes was injured the day before the game, Wisconsin rebounded with an improbable win to set the table for a great ride in the Big Ten season. Wisconsin came into the Northwestern game 15-2 in conference and was looking to complete its incredible season with an outright conference title.

Wisconsin already clinched at least a share of the conference crown with a 77-41 win over Penn State March 5. Even though Northwestern struggled, it had some talent on the team, led by Kevin Coble.

Brian Butch was having none of that, though, as he scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, both were game highs and Wisconsin won 65-52.

Northwestern made it interesting throughout much of the first half, as a layup by Michael Thompson cut the Wisconsin lead to 21-20 with five and a half minutes to play in the first half. After that, though, Wisconsin went to work. Butch and Jason Bohannon each scored four points and Northwestern was held scoreless for the rest of the half after the Thompson layup and Wisconsin went into halftime ahead 29-20.

After two free throws by Northwestern's Nikola Baran cut it to 37-29, Marcus Landry went on a personal 8-0 run, including two 3-pointers, to put the game away. Northwestern would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way and Wisconsin won to clinch its first outright conference title since 2003.

Along with Butch's 20 and 14, two other Badgers scored in double figures, Landry with 12 and Jason Bohannon with 15. Joe Krabbenhoft once again stuffed the stat sheet for the Badgers, scoring nine points and added six rebounds, four assists and a steal.

The Badgers finished the regular season 26-4 and 16-2 in Big Ten play, with the only two losses coming to the Purdue Boilermakers. Wisconsin won all three games in the Big Ten Tournament to win it and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers won their first two games by double digits against Josh Akognon and Cal State Fullerton and then Michael Beasley and Kansas State. But then they ran into a buzzsaw named Stephen Curry in the Sweet 16 and the Badgers fell to Curry's Davidson Wildcats 73-56 to end the season 31-5.

Horizon League Tournament Predictions (Quarterfinals and Semifinals)

There are six teams left. I went 2-1 in my first round predictions and came only a few points from going undefeated. This time, the tournament moves to Valparaiso, as the Crusaders are the top seed in the tournament.Valparaiso is considered the favorite with the home court behind it as well as five starters in the starting lineup. Here are my predictions for the next two rounds:

Quarterfinals

No. 5 UIC vs. No. 4 Green Bay

Green Bay made its way to the second round with a 62-46 victory against Milwaukee Tuesday night. The Phoenix did not play very well, shooting just 34 percent, but it was good enough to knock off Milwaukee. However, if it does not shoot better against UIC, the Flames will be moving on. UIC started the game on a 30-6 run against Cleveland State in the first round and coasted to an 82-59 victory. The teams split the two regular season games, with each team winning at home. The Phoenix posted a 53-47 victory in Green Bay, and UIC overcame a late second half deficit to beat Green Bay 60-57 in Chicago. Gary Talton only averaged 10.5 points against the Phoenix in the two meetings, so he needs to get going if the Flames want to win. Hayden Humes and Josh Crittle scored 33 points combined in UIC's victory this year over Green Bay. Alec Brown will need to slow Crittle down. In the first meeting, Brown scored 21 of the team's 53 points, while Sykes scored 18 in the second meeting. Both will need to be on their game to beat the Flames tomorrow night.

Prediction: Green Bay 57, UIC 51

No. 6 Youngstown State vs. No. 3 Wright State

Youngstown State won yet another thriller against Loyola when D.J. Cole banked in a last-second shot and the Penguins earned a 62-60 victory over the visiting Ramblers. Youngstown State beat Loyola three times on the season by a combined five points. Next up is Wright State, who earned a bye in the first round. The teams met in the last game of the season and Wright State ran away with it 72-45 in Dayton last weekend. Once again, all indications are that Youngstown State leading scorer Kendrick Perry will miss this game, which would be a huge blow to the Penguins chances. Wright State has arguably the best defense in the conference and for a team already struggling to score in Youngstown State without Perry, it would be that much harder to win.

Prediction: Wright State 64, Youngstown State 48

Semifinals

No. 4 Green Bay at No. 1 Valparaiso

The Phoenix had a chance to lock up the No. 3 seed and a first round bye, assuring itself of not having to face Valparaiso until the championship game. But all of that went away when Valparaiso came into Green Bay and rode the hot shooting of Matt Kenney, who scored 23 points on 7-of-7 shooting and 6-of-6 from 3-point range, and won 75-56, forcing Green Bay to play Milwaukee Tuesday night. I don't expect Matt Kenney to shoot like that again, but on the flip side, Ryan Broekhoff has shot just 33 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range in the two meetings against Green Bay so far this year. The seven points he scored in the regular season finale was his first game in single digits since having just eight points at Nebraska Nov. 15. Sykes and Brown need to play their best to have a chance. But with five seniors starting, I think the veteran Crusaders are too much.

Prediction: Valparaiso 70, Green Bay 58

No. 3 Wright State vs. No. 2 Detroit

Detroit is a weird team to figure out. One game it can go out and win at Valparaiso or clobber Youngstown State and UIC by more than 40, but then can also lose to Cleveland State, which finished eighth in the conference. It will be a matchup of good offense against good defense. Wright State leads the Horizon League in scoring defense, while Detroit leads the conference in scoring offense, led by Horizon League Player of the Year Ray McCallum. Wright State is last in the conference in scoring offense, but Detroit is last in the conference in scoring defense. Detroit and Wright State split their meetings in the regular season, with both teams winning on the road. When Detroit plays up to its potential, it is the best team in the conference, in my opinion. Detroit knows it is do or die time and the Titans come out on top, setting up a rematch of last year's Horizon League Tournament championship game.

Prediction: Detroit 71, Wright State 60

Timberwolves keys to victory vs. Washington

Coming off an emotional loss to Miami Monday night when they only dressed nine players, the Minnesota Timberwolves will look to end a six game losing streak when John Wall and the Washington Wizards come to the Target Center. The Wizards won the first meeting in January 114-101 at the Verizon Center. Washington is coming off a 90-87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams are struggling this year, and need to start winning now if either team wants to make a run at the playoffs. Here are the keys to end the six game losing streak for Minnesota:

1) Contain the rookie

Washington's Bradley Beal, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, has real come on strong recently. He has scored at least 20 points in five of his past nine games, including a 29-point effort last Friday against New York. It will be a struggle for Luke Ridnour and Alexey Shved to guard Beal. If Beal has a great game, it will be tough to beat the Wizards unless Minnesota has an unexpected great game from outside of Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams.

2) Win the rebounding battle

Washington's tandem of big men, Nene and Emeka Okafor, is a good pair and Minnesota's duo of Williams and Greg Stiemsma will have to at least match the Wizards' duo. Williams and Stiemsma are both not very good rebounders and in Williams' case, Okafor has a definite size advantage. It will be a tough matchup for Williams. Minnesota will have to rebound as a team. Rubio is a good rebounder for a point guard and will be even more important on the glass tonight.

3) The bench needs to produce

Last game against Miami, the bench shot just 34 percent. J.J. Barea is really struggling, and that was even before his altercation with Ray Allen. He shot just 1-for-11 against Miami. Alexey Shved actually had a nice game against the Heat, scoring 13, but that was his first game of more than five points since Feb. 22 against Oklahoma City. Minnesota needs Shved to produce more if it wants to be within striking distance for a playoff berth when Chase Budinger and Kevin Love return.

Prediction: Minnesota 88, Washington 85

Keys for Phoenix against Milwaukee (Tournament Edition)

After falling flat on its face in the regular season finale against Valparaiso, the Phoenix must play tonight as the No. 4 seed against the No. 9 seed Milwaukee Panthers. Green Bay won the two regular season meetings by a combined 37 points. Green Bay comes into the game 16-14 overall and finished the conference schedule with a record of 10-6, while Milwaukee finished 8-23 overall and 3-13 in Horizon League play. The winner of tonight's game at the Resch Center will play the winner of No. 5 UIC and No. 8 Cleveland State Friday in Valparaiso. Here are some of the keys to beating Milwaukee tonigh:

1) What can Brown do for you?

I sound like a broken record, but Alec Brown needs to get the ball this game. Brown has dominated the Panthers in the two meetings, averaging 25.5 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the two contests during the regular season. He shot an impressive 63 percent to score the 51 points in the two games, and 71 percent from 3-point range. Alec Brown should be the focal point of the offense and Milwaukee has no one who can slow Brown down. Milwaukee also struggled on the glass, finishing last in the Horizon League in rebounding. If Brown can get going with his scoring and getting second chance points due to his rebounds and putbacks, Milwaukee has little shot of moving onto the next round.

2) Slow down Milwaukee's back court

Milwaukee had a down season this year, but its back court of Paris Gulley and Jordan Aaron are capable of going off at any time. Both players average nearly 15 points per game and Aaron, a junior college transfer, was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team yesterday. Aaron has scored 34 on one occasion and scored 28 in Milwaukee's 95-88 double overtime victory at IUPUI Feb. 23. Gulley, on the other hand, has scored in double figures in each of Milwaukee's past eight games. He has struggled from the field as of late, including going 6-of-17 against Green Bay last week, but he has shown he has the ability to get to the free throw line as evidenced by shooting 16 free throws in a 71-53 victory over Loyola last month. If these guards get hot, anything can happen, especially in a one-and-done scenario.

3) Dominate the glass

There is no reason Green Bay should not be able to do this, as Milwaukee is dead last in the league in rebounding by a wide margin, while Green Bay is first. The Phoenix has three players in the top eight in rebounding, led by Jordan Fouse, who led the league with 7.6 rebounds per game. In the battle against Milwaukee at Milwaukee, the Panthers kept the rebounding edge somewhat close, only losing 39-33, but in the rematch at the Resch, the Phoenix dominated the battle of the boards 35-21. Three players in that game had eight rebounds, which was three more than Demetrius Harris, who led the Panthers in that category. Green Bay should, not only win the rebounding battle, but dominate it. If it does like I think it will, it will be a long day for the Panthers, who have only won one game away from Milwaukee this season.




Prediction: PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, that was a Rocky reference) Seriously, though, Green Bay 76, Milwaukee 60

Horizon League Tournament Predictions for round one

The Horizon League Tournament starts tomorrow with three games to decide who moves on and who goes home. With Green Bay's loss and Wright State's win, the Phoenix will be the No. 4 seed and face last placed Milwaukee at 7 CST tomorrow. UIC will be the No. 4 seed and face No. 8 Cleveland State and No. 6 Youngstown State will host No. 7 Loyola. The byes in order of conference finish are Valparaiso, Detroit and Wright State.

No. 9 Milwaukee at No. 4 Green Bay

In a lot of ways, the two games they faced each other were alike. Green Bay took a narrow lead into halftime and took control of the game in the second half to win going away. These teams met last Tuesday in Green Bay with the Phoenix winning 78-61. I don't expect the Phoenix to drop this one, either. Green Bay is too talented for the Panthers. Alec Brown has dominated them in both meetings this year and unless Milwaukee finds a way to slow him down, I expect another double digit Green Bay victory.

Prediction: Green Bay 76, Milwaukee 60

No. 8 Cleveland State at No. 5 UIC

Cleveland State swept the season series from UIC, winning both games by double digits. Both teams have been struggling in conference play recently, as Cleveland State has lost five of its last six conference games, while UIC has lost five of its last seven conference games. Having been swept by the Vikings in the regular season, UIC will come out motivated, especially playing in front of the home fans. I think Bryn Forbes will keep Cleveland State in it, but UIC, playing at home, will come out on top.

Prediction: UIC 68, Cleveland State 60

No. 7 Loyola at No. 6 Youngstown State

Youngstown State won both meetings this year by a combined three points. However, Youngstown State had leading scorer Kendrick Perry in of those meetings. The Penguins showed how little fire power they have without Perry in the lineup against Wright State. Ben Averkamp needs to have a big day for Loyola and I think he will to lead the Ramblers to the road victory.

Prediction: Loyola 61, Youngstown State 54

With these predictions, I have UIC playing Green Bay and Loyola playing Wright State on Friday in Valparaiso. Let's see how these prediction fare tomorrow night.

Ode to the Seniors

It is Senior Day in Madison today as five seniors will be honored before and after the game. All have taken different paths to the University of Wisconsin, but today, they all will be celebrated today after four or five years with the program. I will share my favorite moment or moments involving each one of the seniors, and hoping the Badgers can pull the game out today against Purdue at the Kohl Center. Anyway, here it is:

J.D. Wise, guard

To be honest, I did not know a whole lot about Wise as he came into the program. But knowing how hard walk-ons have to work day in and day out with very little reward in terms of playing time is something to admire. Wise is one of the people who helped get guys like Jordan Taylor ready for the game with his work on the scout team. A lot of that goes unnoticed. Not by his teammates, though, so when Wise or Dan Fahey, who I will talk about next, get in the game, the regulars want so bad for them to do well. Wise scored a career-high five points last year in a 77-57 win against Northwestern, including going 2-for-2 from the field and making his only 3-point attempt. The senior from Milwaukee has only played 26 career minutes, but has made the most of them. He has shot 4-of-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point land. His second career 3-pointer came last game against Nebraska and seeing the bench get so excited when he and Fahey do well is something special.

Dan Fahey, guard

Like Wise, I did not know a whole lot about this walk-on either. Fahey has made the most of his opportunities and he is ending his career on a high note. He has scored in each of Wisconsin's past three games and has looked good doing it. He has scored six points in five minutes and has grabbed two rebounds and ending the game against Nebraska with a block. It was the first block of his career. That rejection would probably be my favorite Fahey moment. He could have easily just let Nebraska score there as the Badgers won handily, but Fahey was making the most of every single second he was given. With being on this little streak he is on, scoring in three consecutive games, even football players are impressed. Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland tweeted "Jordan's fade away, AI's crossover, Fahey's up and under" after Fahey's bucket last game. It also is a tough job to be the "hold back guy," a player who holds back the bench after big plays. He is also a co-president (along with Wise) of the "Bench Mob" for Wisconsin, When he leaves, he will be missed. I mean, who will be able to fill the role of "hold back guy?" Those will be tough shoes to fill.

Mike Bruesewitz, forward

When Bruesewitz came to Wisconsin, people were thinking he would be the next Joe Krabbenhoft for the Badgers. Bruesewitz could do it all. He could shoot, rebound, defend and would do all the little plays to help the team win. He is one of those players you want on your team. First off, how could we not talk about him without mentioning his wonderful hair. From his his short hair days as a junior to his floppy curly hair as a sophomore and part of his senior year to his Cosmo Kramer look he currently has, Bruesewitz has had it all. Before the 2011-12 season started, I was at College Gameday when it came to Madison when the Badgers played Nebraska. I was backstage and then two basketball players came near us. One was All-American Jordan Taylor, but I did not remember who it was. I was thinking it was too short to be Jared Berggren, so I had to think of who it was. I had only remembered Bruesewitz from his sophomore year's hairstyle. I then remembered he had it cut for charity. It took me a few minutes, but then I remembered the player with Taylor was Bruesewitz. In speaking of those two players, no players had a bigger footprint on the 2011 Ohio State game more than those two. Bruesewitz has had a knack for hitting big shots throughout his career and this was no different. With Wisconsin down three, Taylor was trapped underneath the basket, but threw it to Bruesewitz in the corner for the game-tying 3-pointer. Then, with less than a minute remaining and the shot clock running down and Wisconsin ahead by two, Taylor found an open Bruesewitz in at the top of the key for the 3-pointer. He made it with with a half a minute to go, delivering the dagger through the heart of the No. 1 team in the land. Another big shot he made was in the NCAA Tournament that same year against the Kansas State Wildcats. With the game tied at 61 with less than two minutes to play, Taylor and Bruesewitz once again connected for a big play. Taylor came up with a steal and pushed the ball and found Bruesewitz wide open on the left wing for the 3-pointer. Bruesewitz came up big again, drilling the long range shot, putting Wisconsin ahead for good. And finally, who could ever forget his dunk at Ohio State that same year? He drove it and threw it down over a Buckeye defender, drawing the foul in the process. That is one way to remember Bruesewitz. He was fearless.

Ryan Evans, forward

This scholarship came out of left field. No one really knew anything about him, except for the fact he was very raw. He was one of those few who have had significant minutes as a freshman, though inconsistent. Some games he got three minutes, while he had between 10-15 in others. In his minutes as a freshman, you could see he had potential. In the game against Cornell, he had 27 minutes and scored 11 points and added six rebounds and three assists. That was a sign of things to come. In the 73-69 upset of Duke as a freshman, Duke's Kyle Singler was destroying Wisconsin throughout much of the game, but Evans did a nice job on him defensively, limiting him to one basket the last 12 minutes of the game, In crunch time, Wisconsin held a slim 67-65 lead and Duke had the ball. The Blue Devils called Singler's number, but was shut down by Evans, forcing Singler to take a difficult shot, which hit the side of the backboard. Evans rebounded it and the Badgers held on for the win. As a sophomore, Evans played a huge role in a victory against No.10 Purdue at the Kohl Center. Down one 51 seconds left, Evans drove and buried a free throw line jumper to give the Badgers the lead. He then followed that up with a tie up as Purdue's E'Twaun Moore drove to the basket and when going up, Evans made a play on the ball and forced the jump ball, which gave the ball back to Wisconsin and the Badgers won 66-59. He also was arguably the most athletic player on the team and had some memorable dunks. The most memorable came just a few weeks ago when Sam Dekker missed a 3-pointer, but Evans came in and reached back and slammed it in with his right hand. He also had a few in the Big Ten Tournament last year. With Wisconsin ahead 69-64, he drove to the lane on Indiana's defense and threw a one-handed dunk in, helping the Badgers to a 79-71 win. The very next day, he did the very same thing. This one, he drove the baseline, but the result was the same. He has had some very memorable moments as a Badger and will be missed when he leaves after this year. He has a great attitude and while he may not be a great scorer, he is the best rebounder on the team and plays solid defense. It was a pleasure to watch him grow as a player over his five years here. As a freshman, he really struggled shooting, but over the course of his career, has turned the mid-range jump shot into a weapon.

Jared Berggren, center

There are so many memories that flow to my head when I think of Berggren. From the dunks to big shots, he was just so fun to watch over the past few years improve and turn into the best shot blocker this university has ever had. The first year, he redshirted and the next two he had to back up two solid bigs in Keaton Nankivil and Jon Leuer, who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies. Like basically every other Badger, he has improved greatly since stepping foot on campus. Before I talk about the dunking display he has put on this year, one of his bigger plays as a Badger was a 3-pointer he hit his junior season in Columbus. In a matchup between Berggren and future NBA first round pick Jared Sullinger, the Badger big one the battle. Sullinger was held to eight points, while Berggren scored 18, including the eventual game-winning 3-pointer. With the clock winding down and the Badgers down one, Taylor found Berggren open for 3. Even after going 2-for-6 from deep leading up to that point, the Badger big man was not shy about shooting it. It's a good thing, too, as he drained it, giving the Badgers a two-point lead, a lead it would never relinquish in a crucial 63-60 win in Columbus. Later that season, Wisconsin played Vanderbilt in the round of 32. With Wisconsin holding on to a 60-57 lead in the closing seconds, Vanderbilt had one more chance to try to send it into overtime. Vanderbilt had to go the length of the court, but Berggren deflected the inbounds pass and the Badgers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season. Now, this season has been a dunk fest, many of which happened at crucial times and/or in crucial games. Three come to mind right away. First, Wisconsin was struggling with Penn State. Wisconsin was only ahead 54-51 against a below average Penn State squad, but Berggren slammed the door shut with a ferocious one-handed jam. Berggren got a pass from Ben Brust, made a spin move and slammed it down with one hand while being fouled by Penn State's Sasa Borovnjak. The next dunk came a few games later in a battle for first place in the conference on the road against No. 2 Indiana. Early in the game, the Badgers showed they would not back down from the No. 2 team in the land as Berggren drove the lane and threw a one-handed dunk over NCAA Player of the Year candidate Victor Oladipo (or as my dad calls him "Home Depot"). That dunk got the Badgers off to a nice start and they would hold on to upset Indiana 64-59 in Bloomington. And finally, the Michigan game was remembered for Ben Brust, but it would not have happened without a patented Berggren one-handed hammer. Wisconsin trailed by three and Berggren realized the shot clock was winding down. So, he drove the lane and threw it down over another NCAA Player of the Year candidate, Trey Burke. Again, he was fouled while he dunked and made the free throw, and the rest is history. Berggren was such a huge player the past two years, I don't know where the Badgers would be without him. It will be tough to replace him and Badger fans can only hope Frank Kaminsky can be as close to as productive as Berggren.

I enjoyed taking you down memory lane. If you have any more memories you would like to share about Berggren, feel free to post in the comments. This was a wonderful senior class and hopefully we'll see them again, either as a professional player or the coaching ranks like St. Louis assistant coach Tanner Bronson. No matter what they do, it was fun watching them grow as players the past four or five years. On Wisconsin!

Best of the Week from my teams

In my second installment of my Best of the Best, we look back at the week that was, which was a successful one for Green Bay and Wisconsin, as they both are trying to earn first round byes in their respective tournaments.

Best performance: Alec Brown, Green Bay vs. Milwaukee

After a slow start to the year, Brown has really turned it on down the stretch, scoring at least 15 points in nine of the team's 15 conference games. After a poor game against Drake, Brown more than made up for it with a career-high 28 points against Milwaukee on 10-of-12 shooting along with grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots. In the two games against Milwaukee on the year, Brown scored 51 points on 19-of-30 shooting and grabbing 16 rebounds and he blocked six shots. Brown will be needed again to produce against Valparaiso today if the Phoenix wants to earn a first round bye.

Honorable mention: Derrick Williams, Wolves vs. Golden State, 23 points and 12 rebounds in Minnesota's 100-99 loss; Dany Heatley, Wild at Phoenix, two goals in Minnesota's 4-3 victory; Ricky Rubio at LA Lakers, 13 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds in 116-94 loss


Best unexpected performance: J.J. Barea, Wolves at LA Lakers

With Minnesota having trouble scoring, it was J.J. Barea who kept the Wolves in the game in the first half. Barea scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting and dished out five assists in 25 minutes in Minnesota's 116-94 loss in Los Angeles Thursday night. Barea was one of only two players who shot it higher than 50 percent in the game (Luke Ridnour was the other).

Honorable mention: J.J. Barea, Wolves at Phoenix, scored 16 points in Minnesota's 84-83 overtime loss


Best game: Wild vs. Calgary

Minnesota had just dropped a game in Calgary over the weekend and another loss would be devastating as it tries to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff chase. It looked like it was headed for another Calgary win, as it had the lead with less than five minutes remaining. However, Jason Zucker had other ideas, as he put one past Joey MacDonald to tie the game with 4:19 remaining. After a Calgary penalty carried over to the overtime period, Zach Parise beat MacDonald to give the Wild a big 2-1 victory at the Xcel Energy Center.

Honorable mention: Minnesota Wild, 4-3 at Phoenix


Best play: Derrick Williams reverse slam vs. Golden State

With the Wolves ahead by 87-85, Minnesota needed a basket to gain separation. Barea drove into the lane and found Williams underneath, who sent down a reverse dunk in traffic. Williams was unsure if it went in or not at first, but it did and the Wolves took an 89-85 lead before falling 100-99.

Honorable mention: Ricky Rubio pass to Andrei Kirilenko for the slam and foul, Wolves vs. Golden State


Best moment: Zach Parise's overtime winner vs. Calgary

After a loss to Calgary over the weekend and a 1-0 deficit late in the rematch, Zucker scored to tie the game and send it into overtime. Calgary got a penalty late in regulation, so it carried over into overtime. Minnesota wasted little time capitalizing on the power play. Just 27 seconds into overtime, Mikko Koivu found Parise, who was parked on the doorstep of MacDonald and he lifted the shot over the Calgary goaltender to give Minnesota the much-needed 2-1 victory.

Honorable mention: Jason Zucker vs. Calgary, game-tying goal with 4:19 left to send it into overtime

Flashback Friday: March 2, 2004: "Banner Game" Wisconsin at Michigan State

With Wisconsin playing at Michigan State next Thursday and this being March 1 (close to the date that this game happened), this is a perfect game for the second flashback feature.

Wisconsin came into this game 19-6 overall and 10-4 in the conference, ranked No. 10 nationally behind star point guard Devin Harris. Michigan State could clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title with a win at home against Wisconsin. The Badgers had already beaten the Spartans earlier in the year, 77-64, in Madison and were looking for the sweep.

This was Michigan State's last regular season game of the year and was coming in 12-3 in conference. A win for Michigan State would clinch a share of the conference title. Illinois finished 13-3, but would have won the tiebreaker as it crushed Michigan State in Champaign in their only meeting.

Wisconsin would need some help to win a share of the title, but Illinois won its final two games of the regular season on the road by a combined three points to win the championship outright.

Anyway, Michigan State was ready to celebrate another conference championship, so much so that the Spartans had a Big Ten Championship banner ready to be unfurled once they knocked off Wisconsin. Or so they thought.

Wisconsin led at halftime 35-30 after it closed the first half on an 11-2 run. Mike Wilkinson scored the first nine points for the Badgers in the game and scored 11 of his 18 points in the first half. Harris also scored 18 for the Badgers.

With Wisconsin trailing 52-49 with less than 50 seconds remaining, it called on its star. And he delivered. Harris stopped and popped a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52-52.

But Wilkinson then fouled Chris Hill on the following possession. Hill, a 75 percent free throw shooter, missed both free throws. Harris missed a mid-range jumper at the end of regulation, so the game went into overtime.

Wisconsin scored the first three points in overtime and led by three on four different occasions in the extra session. But with the Badgers leading by one with less than a minute left, sharp-shooter Clayton Hanson stepped up. Michigan State figured late in the game, the ball would be in Harris' hands, and it was. But instead of shooting, Harris found a wide open Hanson from the left wing, who knocked down the 3-pointer to give Wisconsin the 62-58 lead.

The Badgers made all six of their free throws in the final minute of overtime and despite Hill's late 3-pointers in overtime to try to bring Michigan State back, Wisconsin held off the Spartans 68-64.

As Wisconsin play-by-play announcer Matt Lepay said, "And the Badgers have crashed the party in East Lansing."

Paul Davis scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but sat for the last seven minutes with a leg cramp.

Illinois won its final two games to win the outright conference title, with Wisconsin and Michigan State tying for second. Wisconsin won for a third time on the season against Michigan State, 68-66, in the Big Ten Tournament before crushing Illinois 70-53 to win the Big Ten Tournament.

Even with all of the success the Badgers had that year, this game is the one that will be remembered for a long time. And that begs the question, I wonder if they still have the banner?