Varsity Magazine Vol. 6 No. 32
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CONTENTS MARCH 23, 2016 ■ VOLUME 6, ISSUE 32 FEATURE STORY MAX SIKER LITTLE THINGS, BIG RESULTS Buzzer-beating shots are hard to miss, but it’s easy to look past the myriad “minor” moments that have made the difference in the Badgers’ return to the Sweet 16 for the third-straight year. FEATURES NCAA TOURNAMENT IN [FOCUS] FAMILIAR FEELING The week's best photos What’s it like to hit a buzzer-beater in THE VOICE the NCAA tournament? Ask Freddie March memories don’t fade Owens, who knows very well how Bronson Koenig is feeling. BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW WHAT TO WATCH LUCAS AT LARGE Where to catch the Badgers IN THIS TOGETHER ASK THE BADGERS Reactions to ‘The Shot’ The way the Badgers have rallied around assistant coach Lamont Paris STLUKA DAVID BADGERING in a difficult time is the latest exam Sam Ginouves (Men’s Rowing) ple of the team’s tight-knit nature. INSIDE -SCROLLMEN’S BASKETBALL FOR MORE Keep growing, keep going Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711 VIEW ALL ISSUES Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications Julia Hujet Editor/Designer Brian Mason Managing Editor Mike Lucas Senior Writer Andy Baggot Writer Matt Lepay Columnist Chris Hall, Jerry Mao Video Production Amy Eager Advertising Drew Pittner-Smith Distribution Contributors Paul Capobianco, Tam Flarup, Kelli Grashel, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Diane Nordstrom Photography David Stluka, Neil Ament, Greg Anderson, Bob Campbell, Max Siker, Cal Sport Media, Icon Sportswire Cover Photo: Max Siker 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 speaks to how resilient they are. kind of lose myself. That has in Madison around 1:30 a.m. “Xavier is a physically-superior been helpful to me.” Monday. That same morning, team to a lot of people. They’re Paris spent a couple of days Paris boarded a flight for Findlay. well-coached and tough. To with his mom before rejoining the He was back at practice Tuesday match their physicality, mano team Thursday in St. Louis. afternoon armed with the scout a mano, was a challenge and “When we’re not actually play ing report on Friday’s opponent, I thought our guys did a great ing in a game, my thoughts are Notre Dame. He had more posi job. I thought there were a lot of with my mom and family that is tive news, too. He talked with his toughness plays that we made. back there spending time with mom. “That included sticking your her,” he said. “It’s really chal Again, he was cautious about face in there and taking a charge lenging because I don’t process her condition. But the commu (Zak Showalter). That’s tough information as efficiently right nication, however limited, was ness. I’m not talking about now as I do normally. It takes a breakthrough. Last week, bench-pressing or throwing a guy longer to do things, but that’s OK. she wasn’t capable of respond down to the ground. To step in ing to his voice or touch. That front of a guy right there, to put made it all the more difficult to “I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE it on the line and risk everything, leave Findlay ― not knowing if that’s real toughness.” PEOPLE HERE AND THE PLAYERS he would get another chance to Lately, Paris has exhibited his ― THEY’RE REALLY AN EXTENSION communicate with her. own personal toughness in the OF MY FAMILY. THAT’S HOW I’VE “It was a tough decision as to face of adversity, real life adver ALWAYS VIEWED THEM.” whether to come back or not (to sity. It had nothing to do with a St. Louis),” said Paris, who lost poor shooting percentage, sloppy “You have distractions, so you his dad to a heart attack in 1996. ball-handling, fouls or uneven just have to stay on task.” Henry Paris was 46. “But with officiating. It had everything do Paris put together the scouting the relationship that I have with with the health and welfare of his report on the UW’s second-round her and how big basketball is be 62-year-old mother, Kathy Gutier opponent, Xavier. Not only did tween the two of us, I just felt like rez. the Badgers win the game on it was the right thing to do. Paris left the team last week Bronson Koenig’s clutch 3-point “It’s funny but when she to be at her bedside in Findlay, er but they held the highest-scor learned that you could voice your Ohio, after she was hospitalized ing team in the Big East to just text messages, she started to text and listed in critical condition. 63 points, 18 under its season me a lot more. I’d get them af Initially it was feared that she average. ter games about how proud she had a stroke. But it now appears After fielding a series of was of me and the team. It was that her condition was related to game-related questions, Paris a source of pride that she would a combination of things, includ also updated the media corps on at least be able to look at the TV ing pneumonia, he said. his mother’s status. He said that and see me (on the sideline). “It has been extremely chal he had received some “positive, “In fact, one of the texts that lenging, a very emotional time encouraging” information yet she sent me in January was after obviously,” confided Paris, who’s cautioned, “It’s baby steps and we had beaten someone and she completing his sixth season at there’s still a long way to go. But offered her congratulations and Wisconsin. “This arena, basket there has been some progress said that I was one step closer ball in itself, has always been a made physically.” to being a head coach. I’m just place where I’ve been able to The Wisconsin charter landed so grateful that we had those LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 3 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM exchanges. It’s so poignant how ways viewed them. When I came father to cancer in late October. much it could mean to you now.” back (to St. Louis), I didn’t know “I understand completely what Paris has been overwhelmed how I would feel and respond he’s going through,” Gard said by the support that he has re and whether I would interact the Monday. “He was there and he ceived. same way. gave me great advice way back “I’ve been very blessed to have “And within seconds of seeing last June when the diagnosis so many good people in my life, the guys again, you’re right back with my dad came out. We kind and that started with my parents into it with them. A lot of that is of knew talking to the medical and my family,” he said. “The because of the kinds of guys they people what was going to be the people of Wisconsin and just my are. Some of them texted. Some finality of everything. friends, particularly in this circle would come up and say something. “He said, ‘My dad never got where I spent a lot of time, have I just feel blessed to have these to see me coach a single pos been unbelievably supportive in people around me in what is one session … your dad has just thinking about and praying for of the toughest times of my life.” watched you coach in two Final my mom. Paris made it clear to everyone, Fours.’ It’s not maybe the mes “And I can’t say enough about “This is not about me.” sage you want to hear because the people here and the players But everyone knew how much you still wanted to find a way to ― they’re really an extension of he was hurting. save your dad or cure the cancer. my family. That’s how I’ve al Especially Gard, who lost his “But it also gave me per spective. Hey, everybody goes through some type of adversity in their life. Appreciate the good things that have happened and try to make the most of anything negative that is going on. The main thing, I’ve tried to reach back to Lamont and help him with that. “I know that he has felt support from the players, from our staff and from the people in our pro gram ― just like I had felt it over the last eight months ― and that has been a big part of helping me get through this and hopeful ly we can continue to help Lam ont, too.” There are a lot of great teams, coaches and storylines in the Sweet 16. But none may be greater than the one this team DAVID STLUKA DAVID and these coaches have au thored together. Resilient, in deed. ■ LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 3 OF 3 THE VOICE BY MATT LEPAY ■ VOICE OF THE BADGERS Not all March memories are fleeting id the Big Ten tournament greatest last-minute comeback ― thought that would be the case, game with Nebraska really or meltdown, depending on your and the defense left Owens alone Dtake place? Anybody re point of view ― in NCAA history. in the left corner. Harris found member it? Still, if you have been around him, and Owens took the triple.