Trav's Thoughts

Warning: This post is all sports. LOL!

Wisconsin is the team I thought should have had the 2 seed that Duke had. The Badgers aren't flashy. They are well-coached by Bo Ryan. They play the game the right way, inside and out, on both ends of the floor.

In fact, I have Wisconsin going to the Final Four in my bracket. They will be tested today against Kansas State and Michael Beasley, certainly the best freshman and arguably the best college player in the country this season.

One of the things I like about Beasley is his willingness to play defense and rebound, and to be an all around team player. He's more than just an offensive prima donna.



He'll likely head to the NBA after this season, and he's one kid I think is ready to make that move. But if he were to stay at Kansas State, I think he would join the list of the greatest college players. He has been quoted as saying he wants to create his own legacy in Manhattan, Kansas. To do that, he needs to stay another year or two.

Could college basketball fans be that lucky, to have an NBA-ready kid put the payday off and stick around to take full advantage of the college experience?

Wisconsin is really good. They play controlled. They make the right play most of the time. They get solid position and don't make a lot of mistakes. But even so, Kansas State is forcing them to scramble just a bit and creating foul situations. It's a close game right now, and the Wildcats are forcing the Badgers to go a little deeper into their bench to protect against foul trouble.

K State has much more going for it than just Beasley. They have some pretty good talent on the floor, and Bealey makes them better. This has been a terrific first half to watch.


During halftime of the K State vs Wisconsin game, I got to see a bit of Purdue vs Xavier. This will tell you how long I've been following the college game. I watched Xavier coach Sean Miller play at Pittsburgh (1988-92) and Purdue coach Matt Painter (1989-93) play for the Boilermakers. Xavier is up by three at the half, so I'll be switching over to watch this one in the second half.

Lucky me...we have two CBS stations and they've been showing different games!

Meanwhile, the Badgers have started to pull away a bit from K State in the second half, leading by 13 with about 11 minutes to play. Earlier I heard the pronouncers say that the Wisconsin guards have outscored the Wildcat guards 32-2! Beasley has 19 points and 11 rebounds, and K State is currently playing with four freshman.

Wisconsin is getting some starters in foul trouble now. K State is pounding the ball inside with success. It's still a double digit cushion for the Badgers.

Wow! Wisconsin doesn't panic on the press. They execute a standard press break offense and attack the basket for the hoop and foul to extend the lead back to 12. I think the Badgers are just a little too strong and experienced for the Wildcats. However, these freshman for K State could be special if they stay together for a couple of years.