What are you thinking for this year, my Badger bro? I hopeful they can start a new NCAA streak, but I'm cautious. They need to stay healthy for sure.
I'm cautious as well. I'm picking 21 wins, with room for more. It used to be, we could trust people would grow and step into new roles. The last three years, I've seen faltering in that trust.
I think Happ will be good. I think Davison will be good in whatever role they use him in. I think Prtizl will be fine however he's used. Here's my questions:
1. Can Nate Reuvers be the player I think he can? If he can shoot decently, not foul off the floor and eat up backup center minutes, I'm pleased. If he's a strong No. 2 big and top-4 scorer, even better. But it took Leuer, a very good player, til year 3 to get stable.
2. How does the backcourt shake out? They have three heavy-minute guys. Davison will play a lot. Will Trice, even after a rough go last season? If Trice does, how does that effect Prtizl/Davison. Do they go three-guard
3. What happens with Iverson. I could see him play 30 minutes because he's a vet and stopper. I could see him fall because he can't shoot and makes hideous mistakes.
4. What are Ford and King? There's rumors Ford took a jump, and he's really the No. 3 big behind Nate and Happ. Can he be a 20 MPG power forward and occasional wing? Can he defend? Can he do something beyond shoot? (I don't know if UW needs much more). King feels like next year's SF. His skills right now seem like a UW shooting guard, only Davison and Pritzl are more than the minutes needed there, and Iverson is at the 3. My gut is King is in the 5-7 minute range, defends, spaces the floor, but there might be more there.
The schedule is a bear. If the league is good, that doesn't help. I think they make the dance. I'm hopeful they do it comfortably, but the last three years hurt my confidence.