MADISON, Wis. – It was the eighth question posed by Big Ten Network anchor Dave Revsine Tuesday morning but it was easily the most important. After two uneasy days, Wisconsin fans wanted to know how Badgers sophomore Johnny Davis was recovering from his injured ankle with the postseason beginning days away.
“I’m feeling fine now,” Davis said after being named the fourth Badgers player to be named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year. “There’s a lot of time left until the Big Ten Tournament, but I’m just going to take it one day at a time, and I should be good to go.”
Davis’s impact on Wisconsin has been immeasurable, averaging 20 points per game in the regular season (the most by a UW player since Michael Finley in 1994-95) and finished in the top six in the conference in scoring and rebounding.
His absence was noticeable Sunday after leaving the game with 17:32 remaining following a Flagrant-2 foul by Nebraska’s Trey McGowens in Sunday’s 74-73 loss to Nebraska, a defeat that cost the Badgers the outright conference championship and the top seed in this week’s conference tournament in Indianapolis.
Davis appeared to tweak his ankle on a fast-break drive to the basket when his foot got clipped by McGowens, who was trailing the play, just outside the perimeter. Davis continued to stumble and attempt a shot after the whistle, which was when McGowens’s forearm struck Davis in the face as he jumped in an attempt to block the shot.
Davis landed on the court underneath the basket, was eventually helped to the locker room, and did not return to the bench.
Head coach Greg Gard, named the conference’s coach of the year Tuesday, was optimistic on Sunday that Davis was going to be fine entering the tournament. Games from Gainbridge Fieldhouse begin tomorrow but the Badgers – as the No.2 seed – earned a double bye and won’t play until Friday evening.
Davis was already hobbled entering the game, having suffered a right-ankle injury in practice prior to the Purdue game. On that injured leg, Davis played 34 minutes and finished with 16 points and eight rebounds to help the Badgers earn a share of the conference title.
“That one (before the Purdue game) was very mild and this one (Sunday) was a little more mild, I would say,” Davis said. “It’s nothing serious at all.”
In eight games this season against ranked teams, Davis has averaged 24.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
“I think I’ve always been this type of player, but I’m just really getting the opportunity to showcase my abilities this year,” Davis said. “I wouldn’t be the player I am without my teammates. They do a really good job playing with me and finding me in my spots, and I do the same for them.”
In addition to being named the conference’s player of the year, Davis was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten pick by the coaches and the media. He was a unanimous pick by the coaches but not by the media.
The Badgers (24-6, 15-5 Big Ten) are the No.2 seed in the conference tournament and will play at 5:30 p.m. CT against either No. 7 Michigan State or No. 10 Maryland.
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