Takeaways from Wisconsin's 54-52 loss to Northwestern

MADISON, Wis. - Returning to the Kohl Center after playing three of four away from Madison, Wisconsin (13-9, 5-7) was hoping to build on its win over Ohio State this past Thursday. Instead, the team failed to improve to .500 in league play and found itself back in 11th place.

Here are a handful of takeaways from Wisconsin's seventh loss in the past nine games.

Coming off a win over Ohio State, which snapped a string of six losses in the last seven games, Wisconsin started a stretch of four of its next six games at home. Contests against Northwestern, Penn State and Nebraska represented three winnable games for UW as well.

"It definitely felt like we were there," Chucky Hepburn, who led UW with 17 points, said after the game. "Whenever it’s a low possession game, you can’t turn the ball over and you have to convert on free throws. We failed to do that so that’s what happens when you don’t do that stuff."

The prevailing feeling Sunday evening was that the Badgers let one get away.

In just over a minute and a half, UW had managed to rattle off a 7-0 run and turn a 42-48 deficit with just over five minutes to go into a one-point edge with 3:21 left to play. Just as it had done to start this season, it felt as though it would be able to pull out a close game. Instead, the team would hit just one more field goal over the final three minutes and was unable to come through late.

With the game going back and forth down the stretch, Greg Gard let Hepburn go to work each of the final four possessions. After pulling UW ahead by one, the sophomore point guard would hit just one of his last four shots.

"Yeah, just the shots need to be better," Gard said after the game when asked if he was comfortable with Hepburn's looks.

"He’s made winning plays for us through his year and a half so far, so you trust his judgment to get the best shot that he can get. But at that point we’re in a position to draw contact and if not contact, then you’re at the rim. But we’ll show those things tomorrow and help him get better with it."

"First off, I consider him a leader. Just him being a point guard and being here a year, almost two under his belt - I trust him with everything he does," Connor Essegian added. "He’s earned that right. He works hard, he does the right things. He’s able to put the ball on the floor… and I really trust him with whatever decision he makes."

After getting swept by Northwestern in the regular season series, the inability to convert from the free throw line very well could have been the difference in flipping both results.

Wisconsin lost both games to the Wildcats by a combined five points and were a combined 14-27 (51.6 percent) from the line in the two games.

"It's not a secret you have to convert (free throws) and like I said, when you're in such a close game, those things that magnified so much," Gard said. "Got to shoot at the line better and have a chance to get there more."

Attribute it to mental issues, fatigue or simply regression. Whatever the case may be, as a team that has struggled offensively, the group simply has to better from the free throw line. Coming into Sunday, UW was 12th in the conference with a free throw percentage of 65.8. That mark won't get any better after a 5-for-11 (45.5) outing against the Wildcats.

It's been an alarming trend for Wahl since returning from an ankle injury three weeks ago against Penn State. In the six games, he's averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. Those numbers dwindle to 6.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in the last three outings.

That kind of an impact is a far cry from the assertive big who nearly led UW to an upset of Kansas (23 points) and willed the Badgers to a road victory over Iowa (21 points). Part of the trend has been alarming pattern at the free throw line. Over the past six games, Wahl is a brutal 8-for-21 (38.1 percent) from the line.

Through just under 30 minutes of playing time, Wahl finished 2-for-5 from the field for five points and added one rebound and four assists against Northwestern. With eight regular season games left to play, Wahl's field goal percentage (41.0) and free throw percentage (59.8) are down. He's also rebounding (5.6) at a lower rate as well.

"He's got to find a way whether we run stuff for him or find his way to get his hands on more balls off the glass," Gard said. "One rebound - I think he can help us more than that and he has to finish in the paint, too... He's got to be able to convert and he has to command it more. He should be finding a way to get more than five field goal attempts."

It wasn't the prettiest of starts for Wisconsin on the defensive end. Through the first six minutes of play, Northwestern opened play 6-for-8 from the field to score 14 quick points. From there, the defense found its form, holding the Wildcats to 15-of-37 from the floor and 40 points over the final 34 minutes.

Overall, the defense allowed just 1.019 points per possession, which is right around the mark the group strives for. Missed free throws and poor results (7-15 on layups) around the rim, however, proved to be too much for UW to overcome.

"I think earlier in the year we shot from the line a little bit better. If you look at individual numbers, they were higher," Gard said when asked what the difference has been since the hot start to the season. "You get into league play and teams know you so well. They know what we're doing and we know what they're doing, so easy baskets are hard to get."

As has been a trademark of the program, this year's team does an excellent job of taking care of the ball. Nine turnovers is often mark that can applauded by a staff. With the slim margin this team has to win games, it's one that could have been better, according to Gard.

"That's where all those possessions - you have nine turnovers, well, what if you have six?" Gard said after the game. "I know you're starting to split hairs here but when you're in that type of game knowing we're typically in a low possession game with Northwestern, you don't get a lot of do overs. In the first half, we were 5-for-9 and in the second half we were 5-for-13 from the paint. And then between that and the foul line, you have to find other ways to score and we've had a hard time doing that consistently."

During the slide, players and coaches have consistently brought up a need to get back to the stingy defense it played to start the season. While part of its 11-2 record to open the year included a 43-42 win over Dayton, among other defensive gems, Wisconsin likely won't be able to stymie opponents in that manner against the talent and caliber of Big Ten foes.

"We have to establish our identity on defense," Hepburn said of what it'll take to start a turn around. "I think that’s what we were really good at in November and December and that just translates to our offense... I think once we establish our defensive side, our offense will come much easier for us."

"I think we’re fine... I don’t think we’re too far off track," Steven Crowl added. "We just have to clean up some of those little things and like I said, we held them under point per possession, which is our goal, so I just think it’s the little things."

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