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CONTENTS OCTOBER 26, 2016 ▪ VOLUME 7, ISSUE 11 BOB CAMPBELL LONG ON LEADERSHIP Senior safety Leo Musso has proven that big plays can come in small packages. His play thus far this season has helped the Badgers defense stay among the nation’s elite. FEATURES FOOTBALL IN [FOCUS] REMEMBERING SAM The week's best photos Losing a friend and fellow Big Ten BEHIND THE DESK player has provided Wisconsin’s Door’s open for alumni specialists with greater perspective about life and football. THE VOICE Badgers have a chance DAVID STLUKA DAVID LUCAS AT LARGE BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW MEN AT WORK WHAT TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers Wisconsin’s sophomores are reaping the rewards of the past year’s dedication to their craft — greater ATHLETES OF THE MONTH confidence, speed and accuracy. UW’s best and brightest -SCROLL FOR MORE- ASK THE BADGERS Childhood Halloween costumes Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711 VIEW ALL ISSUES Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications Jessica Burda Director of Digital Content Managing Editor Julia Hujet Editor/Designer Mike Lucas Senior Writer Andy Baggot Writer Matt Lepay Columnist Chris Hall, Jerry Mao, Brandon Spiegel Video Production Max Kelley Advertising Drew Pittner-Smith Distribution Contributors Paul Capobianco, Kelli Grashel, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Brian Mason, Diane Nordstrom Photography David Stluka, Neil Ament, Greg Anderson, Bob Campbell, The Players Tribune, Cal Sport Media, Icon Sportswire Cover Photo: David Stluka Problems or Accessibility Issues? [email protected] © 2016 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM Men at work: Badger freshmen no more l McGuire, the flamboy- Charles Thomas IV. As true from my first year as far as com- ant basketball coach and freshmen, they each went ing out and competing as hard as Aphilosopher, used to through some normal growing I can to help my team win,” said encourage young people to get pains while getting a taste of Iverson, a 6-foot-5, 212-pound a college degree. But he would competition at the Big Ten level. wing from Delaware, Ohio. “But also implore them to spend six And now they’re ready to apply I’m 10 times more calm, because months as a bartender and six what they learned to their next I know what to expect already, months as a cab driver for a real step of development. so I don’t have nerves coming education. He always contended “We’re all a lot more confident into the games.” “the world is run by C students.” in our game,” said Illikainen, a Iverson appeared in 34 games If winning weren’t important, 6-foot-9, 232-pound forward and averaged 13 minutes, 2.6 nobody would score, he rea- from Grand Rapids, Minnesota. points and 1.9 rebounds. soned. It was obviously import- “We’re more comfortable on the “With the experience, I feel ant to the late McGuire who court and can communicate with like I’m a lot more into the flow coached Marquette to a national the other guys and not be scared of things and the offense,” said championship in 1977 and gave out there. It’s a big change from Thomas, a 6-foot-8, 252-pound us, among his many lines, this last year. We’re all looking for- forward from Highland, Mary- memorable one, “The best thing ward to this season.” land. “I learned the speed of about freshmen is that they be- Illikainen appeared in 33 games the game and have a better IQ come sophomores.” and averaged 9.8 minutes, 2.2 reading things. You have to read So it is with Wisconsin’s Alex points and 1.5 rebounds. a pass and know where a guy is Illikainen, Khalil Iverson and “I feel like the same rules apply cutting. Just be smarter.” DAVID STLUKA DAVID Khalil Iverson LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 1 OF 3 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM worked on his outside shooting. son become more of a perimeter “AS A GROUP, I THINK THE TRIO “I wouldn’t necessarily count threat? OF SOPHOMORES HAS REAL- them,” he said of the exact num- “Guys like Nigel (Hayes) still LY GROWN AND THEY’RE GO- ber of shots that he took each dare me in practice,” said Iver- ING TO CONTINUE TO GROW day. “But I’d just be in the gym son, grinning. “But I’ve been THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,” for certain amounts of time, knocking some down (from 18 MOORE SAID. “BUT THERE ARE sometimes two times a day with feet and in) and trying to get ASPECTS TO THEIR GAME THAT my brother (Kevin Jr.) back home them to respect me some more. EACH GUY HAS TO WORK ON and along with Charlie (Thomas) I’m not really worried about AND GET BETTER AT.” when I came back to school.” threes. I have an advantage Iverson had some special mo- down low scoring and I like dis- Thomas appeared in 31 games ments above the rim last season. tributing the ball.” and averaged 9.1 minutes, 2.3 At Illinois, he had a career-high In Sunday’s Red-White scrim- points and 2.0 rebounds. 10 points, five rebounds, two mage, Iverson had four assists “They’re all being more aggres- assists, one block and one steal and zero turnovers. But that’s sive for one thing and they’re in 30 minutes off the bench. At not what got the attention of more comfortable in how they Iowa, he had three impressive Paris, who excitedly pointed out, believe they can contribute to dunks to go along with a ca- “Khalil had some really good the team,” Wisconsin associate reer-high three assists. Can Iver- plays — two rebounds, where he head coach Lamont Paris said of the trio. “That’s one of the STLUKA DAVID biggest things. Their confidence level is just so much higher.” Illikainen, Iverson and Thomas were members of the 2015 re- cruiting class that also included Brevin Pritzl, a guard from De Pere, Wis.; and Andy Van Vliet, a forward/center from Belgium. Pritzl missed most of last season with a broken foot. Van Vliet was sidelined by an NCAA eligibility ruling. “As a group, I think the trio of sophomores has really grown and they’re going to continue to grow throughout the year,” UW assistant coach Howard Moore said of Illikainen, Iverson and Thomas. “But there are aspects to their game that each guy has to work on and get better at.” They each used the offseason Ethan Happ & Alex Illikainen to develop their skills. Iverson LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 3 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM went above the crowd with two just my all-around game in trying STLUKA DAVID really committed to doing that.” Illikainen didn’t miss a shot in the scrimmage. He was 4-of 4 from the field with one hit from three-point range. To go along with his nine points, he had sev- en rebounds. In last season’s Big Ten opener, he knocked down a couple of triples and finished with 10 points in 11 minutes against Purdue. “One thing I worked on this summer was a lot of down- low work in the post, but what showed from this game (Sun- day’s scrimmage) was my outside play,” said Illikainen. “I’m just trying to move without the ball, come off screens and get open shots. A big thing, too, is going Charlie Thomas & Andy Van Vliet hard to the boards.” One of Illikainen’s baskets hands like a grown man would.” came from a tip in the paint and Added Moore, “Khalil under- “THEY ALSO BRING SOME he said that validated the impor- stands the speed of the game THINGS TO THE TABLE THAT tance of crashing the glass and now and how he has to ad- GIVE US AN ADDED BOOST attacking. “Alex has been much just. With his athleticism and WHEN THEY GET INTO THE improved offensively in a lot of strength that he has added, he different ways,” Moore noted. GAME,” MOORE SAID. “THEY understands how hard that he “He’s quicker. I think he’s in bet- CAN BRING SOME THINGS has to play and what he has to ter condition.” THAT OTHER GUYS MIGHT bring to the table mentally, as As a team, the Badgers are BE ABLE TO BRING.” opposed to just the physical as- in better shape with the sophs pect of it.” growing into clearer roles. Iverson isn’t the only soph- to be more versatile.” “For the most part, they un- omore seeking to expand his Thomas had a clutch triple to derstand that they have glaring shooting range. go along with three rebounds at things they can get better at,” “I’m not afraid to take a three Iowa last season. Moore said. “But they also bring at all, I’ve been working on that “Slowing down and reading sit- some things to the table that a lot,” said Thomas, who made uations a little better will help him give us an added boost when the only three-pointer that he and he’s trying to do that a little they get into the game. They took in the scrimmage. Last bit more,” Moore said. “He’s con- can bring some things that other season, he was 4-of-15 from tinuing to work on getting better guys might be able to bring.” DAVID STLUKA DAVID beyond the arc.

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