Tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, our beloved Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team will tip off against the Blue Devils of Duke in the NCAA championship game. For UW, it was a long road to finally reach this point. The Badgers compiled an impressive record of 31-3 in the strong Big Ten conference during the regular season, clinching the number one seed in the tournament. They also managed to secure impressive tourney wins over North Carolina and Arizona as well as an astonishing upset over a heavily favored and undefeated Kentucky squad.
The Badgers are led by senior power forward Frank Kaminsky, junior forward Sam Dekker, and sophomore forward Nigel Hayes -- all of whom will likely hear their names called at the NBA draft in the near future. With a talented roster coached up by the well-respected Bo Ryan, Wisconsin has their sight set on capturing its first national title since 1941.
Duke had an equally impressive season with a 29-4 record, including an 80-70 defeat of the Badgers at the Kohl Center earlier in the year. They blazed their way to the final almost unobstructed as they faced easier match-ups and eliminated Michigan State in the national semifinals with a surprising 20-point blowout. The Blue Devils are also led by a core of very young yet wildly talented players. These leaders and future NBA prospects include a trio of freshmen in forward Justice Winslow, point guard Tyus Jones and center Jahlil Okafor. While the Badgers starting line-up has far more experience, Duke makes up for this with greater overall raw talent in their roster. Duke has won all four of its previous national championships under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. A fifth title during Coach K's 35-year reign would only further cement his legacy.
This battle between two basketball heavyweights should be closely contested. The presence of big men like Kaminsky (7-foot) and Dekker (6-foot-9) who have the athleticism to make all the shots really opens up the court and allows the Badgers greater scoring opportunities. Coach Ryan's emphasis on instilling fundamentals in his players helped make Wisconsin one of the nation's leaders in free throw percentage and turnovers this year. On the other side, Duke has the ability to shoot with incredible efficiency and with great accuracy outside the three-point line, as exemplified by their 65 percent shooting against the Badgers in December. In the end, I predict that the Badgers -- through their talent and experience -- will defeat Duke and clinch the national championship.
Regardless of the outcome, this game should be one for the ages. UW students and people all across the state of Wisconsin should have nothing but immense pride for our team. If we lose, it must be done so with class and dignity. If we win and pack State Street with our jubilance and pride, we should do it in a “Wisconsinble" manner. Finally, let's cheer on our team and hope they cap off an historic season. On Wisconsin!
