In case you've purged the memories from your mind, Wisconsin lost twice this week to a pair of solid Big Ten foes. Apologies for the dour reminder to begin the week, but we've all to move on eventually.
Perhaps, though, the damage isn't so bad. Polls in mid-January still don't mean a ton, but Badgers fans might take heart in noting UW fell only six spots to No. 9 in the AP Top 25 released Monday.
RANK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Arizona Wildcats | 18-0 | 1621 |
2 | Syracuse Orange | 18-0 | 1559 |
3 | Michigan St. Spartans | 17-1 | 1497 |
4 | Villanova Wildcats | 16-1 | 1377 |
5 | Wichita St. Shockers | 19-0 | 1368 |
6 | Florida Gators | 15-2 | 1303 |
7 | San Diego St. Aztecs | 16-1 | 1211 |
8 | Kansas Jayhawks | 13-4 | 1117 |
9 | Wisconsin Badgers | 16-2 | 1074 |
10 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 15-3 | 1041 |
11 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys | 15-3 | 971 |
12 | Louisville Cardinals | 16-3 | 804 |
13 | UMass Minutemen | 16-1 | 781 |
14 | Kentucky Wildcats | 13-4 | 769 |
15 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 17-2 | 736 |
16 | Iowa St. Cyclones | 14-3 | 644 |
17 | Ohio St. Buckeyes | 15-3 | 549 |
18 | Duke Blue Devils | 14-4 | 447 |
19 | Saint Louis Billikens | 17-2 | 421 |
20 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 16-2 | 419 |
21 | Michigan Wolverines | 13-4 | 362 |
22 | Kansas St. Wildcats | 14-4 | 221 |
23 | Memphis Tigers | 13-4 | 201 |
24 | Baylor Bears | 13-4 | 170 |
25 | Oklahoma Sooners | 14-4 | 111 |
That leaves the Badgers in the Big Ten, behind Michigan State (No. 3), Iowa (No. 10), Ohio State (No. 17) and Michigan (No. 21). Wisconsin gets Minnesota next, at The Barn on Wednesday night. A win there would do wonders in erasing last week's bad vibes. Minnesota's 3-3 in Big Ten play thus far, and 14-5 overall. The Gophers took down Ohio State Thursday for their first statement win of the season, and they'll certainly be eying Wednesday's game for No. 2.
For Wisconsin, the generous-on-paper schedule we've been maligned for having should also help matters. The Badgers get Ohio State (Feb. 1) and Michigan State (Feb. 9) just once each, and both at home. Their next three road games (Minnesota, Purdue and Illinois) are all fairly winnable, and a chance to payback Michigan in Ann Arbor Feb. 26 also looms nine days before Indiana comes to Madison.
Altogether, the sky has not yet fallen. Two ugly, frustrating losses in a row is certainly no good, but it's not like Wisconsin was about to run the table in Big Ten play. The fact remains the Badgers are a worthy top-10 team in the heart of Big Ten play, with a manageable schedule ahead and several chances to make statements reversing last week's ugly losses. Wednesday night, we'll see how quickly Wisconsin's able to respond.