Bo Ryan always goes with the same starters, but he'll probably go with a different rotation off the bench when Wisconsin faces Penn State and Northwestern this week. When the Badgers played Michigan State, a team loaded with bigs, 6-foot-11 senior Greg Stiemsma stepped up with 6 points and 3 blocks in 13 minutes. But the smaller Nittany Lions and Wildcats might force Ryan to keep Stiemsma anchored to the bench while giving freshman guard Tim Jarmusz more of a role.
PLAYER ROTATION
Usual Starters -- F Marcus Landry, F Brian Butch, G Trevon Hughes, Michael Flowers, G Joe Krabbenhoft. Key Subs -- G Jason Bohannon, C Greg Stiemsma, G Tim Jarmusz, F Jon Leuer.
GAME REVIEW
Wisconsin 71, Illinois 57
Wisconsin 58, Ohio State 53
Wisconsin 57, Michigan State 42
Wisconsin 77, Penn State 41
GAME PREVIEW
At Northwestern, Saturday, March 8
Vs. TBA in Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, Friday, March 14
IN FOCUS
There's something about playing at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena that doesn't suit Wisconsin. Though the Badgers squeezed out a 6-point win in Evanston last year, it marked the program's first win on Northwestern's home court since 2003.
Considering at least a share of the Big Ten title should be on the line Saturday when Wisconsin heads to Northwestern, the Badgers need to get into their comfort zone early. The Wildcats' plethora of perimeter players makes it harder for the Badgers to use Brian Butch (and Greg Stiemsma) as they usually prefer.
ROSTER REPORT
--The Penn State victory was the final home game for Wisconsin seniors Brian Butch, Michael Flowers, Greg Stiemsma and Tanner Brown. The senior class has an impressive overall record of 99-31, including 48-17 in Big Ten action and a sparkling 64-5 record at the Kohl Center.
--The Badgers shot 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from 3-point range against the Nittany Lions, with sophomore Jason Bohannon knocking down 3-of-5 and five other players making one triple apiece.
--Freshman swingman Tim Jarmusz made his first career 3-pointer to give Wisconsin a 67-33 lead with 6:31 remaining against Penn State.
--Senior guard Michael Flowers continues to build a case to be named as the Big Ten's defensive player of the year. He added his latest resume line against Michigan State on Thursday when he was the key figure in Drew Neitzel's 1-for-10 shooting night.
Flowers, however, might not have the sheer numbers to compete with Purdue sophomore guard Chris Kramer. Flowers owns just 40 steals in 28 games.
--Sixth man Jason Bohannon's free-throw streak remains intact. He didn't go to the line against Michigan State, so the sophomore has gone 11 games and 33 attempts without a miss. He needs to hit his next 3 free throws to break Wes Matthews' school record.
He did, however, miss both of his 3-point tries and went scoreless for the first time since Dec. 12 at UW Milwaukee.
--Wisconsin continues to be one of the most balanced teams in the Big Ten, if not the country. Junior forward Marcus Landry leads the Badgers in scoring in Big Ten games at 11.9 points per game. Sophomore point guard Trevon Hughes, meanwhile, ranks fourth at 10.6 per game.
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