CONTENTS DECEMBER 7, 2016 ▪ VOLUME 7, ISSUE 17 DAVID STLUKA DAVID REWRITING HISTORY National honors, postseason pushes, sold-out matches and one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. Lauren Carlini is leaving behind a legacy that will impact Wisconsin far into the future. FEATURES FOOTBALL DAVID STLUKA DAVID IN [FOCUS] SIGHTS ON DALLAS The week's best photos The Badgers’ next task? Ditch THE VOICE the disappointment of a loss in Bowl is feather in UW’s cap Indianapolis and turn their focus to the Cotton Bowl. BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW WHAT TO WATCH LUCAS AT LARGE Where to catch the Badgers BEYOND HIS YEARS ASK THE BADGERS Plans after winning lottery? Wisconsin freshman point guard D’Mitrik Trice’s early success is not STLUKA DAVID surprising to his family and coaches. BADGERING Greg Gard (Men’s Basketball) -SCROLL FOR MORE- INSIDE FOOTBALL Fleck’s record, ties to WMU 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 Trice playing, leading beyond his years DAVID STLUKA DAVID DAVID STLUKA DAVID hortly after taking a win- face Creighton at CenturyLink sive switch during last Saturday’s dow seat near the front of Center in Omaha, Nebraska. game, a 90-70 win over Oklaho- Sthe team bus, Wisconsin “It was my first road game,” ma at the Kohl Center. freshman D’Mitrik Trice took Trice recalled, “and I was a little Hayes was right about the a quick look around — like any nervous.” switch, he agreed. good point guard sizing up the It was a freshman moment for “In that (game) situation, he floor — and realized that he was someone who has rarely played told me what I had to do and I wearing his practice sweats over like one. respect his opinion,” said Trice, his uniform, a wardrobe mal- “I definitely feel like a fresh- who has appreciated Hayes’ function. man,” countered Trice, who has guidance during his transition “Wait,” he cautioned himself, been the target of good-natured to college basketball. “He has “should we be wearing some- ribbing from the upperclass- always been there to help. He’ll thing else?” men, a rite of passage. “If they’re always ask me randomly if I need Without drawing any atten- messing around and joking with anything or how he can help.” tion, he got off the bus, grabbed me, off the court or on the Coming off a near triple-dou- his travel bag from the under- court, I always tell the guys, ‘I’m ble against Syracuse last Tuesday neath baggage compartment, only a freshman once, so I’m night, Hayes had 28 points, 6 pulled out his game sweats and enjoying it.’” assists and 0 turnovers against returned to his seat, where he Timing is everything. As he Oklahoma and was named the nimbly changed into them and was getting the words out of Big Ten Player of the Week. waited for the rest of his team- his mouth after Monday’s prac- Trice, meanwhile, had a sea- mates to get on board for the tice, senior Nigel Hayes playfully son-high 16 points on Saturday. ride to the arena. yelled at Trice from the distance He was 4-of-4 from beyond the The Badgers were about to about failing to execute a defen- 3-point arc. LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 1 OF 4 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM DAVID STLUKA DAVID “THE GAME HAS NOT SPED UP FOR HIM BECAUSE HE’S UNDER THE LIGHTS IN FRONT OF 18,000 PEOPLE OR BECAUSE HE HAS A REALLY GOOD PLAYER GUARDING HIM. HE PLAYS AT THE SAME SPEED AND HE DOES THE THINGS THAT MAKES HIM … (PAUSE) … HIM.” Funny thing is, Trice entered the week leading the Big Ten in 3-point shooting but his perim- eter shooting wasn’t necessarily something that stood out during the recruiting process. “I really didn’t look at him with offense in mind — that it was what we needed from him,” said UW coach Greg Gard. “I wanted an insurance policy, someone to solidify the backcourt and give us a sound decision-maker. Anything “His confidence level is high this. Nor is his father. They are that was going to come on top of right now,” said associate head one in the same. Travis Trice Sr., that was going to be a bonus. coach Lamont Paris. “From a a former college point guard at “We recruited him to make basketball standpoint, he’s mak- Purdue and Butler, coached his good decisions and facilitate and ing shots. But he has continued son at Wayne High School in then have the other parts grow.” to make the simplest play — nor- Huber Heights, Ohio. They were Trice is sprouting. He’s averag- mally — and that’s what we saw a winning combination, too. ing 16 minutes per game, more in him (as a prospect) and that’s In late March of 2015, Trice than anyone else off the bench. what he has done since the day scored 19 points to help lead Of course, he’s got another great he got here. Huber Heights Wayne to a 65- mentor in senior point guard “He has played at a reasonable 57 win over Westerville South Bronson Koenig, who has taken pace. The game has not sped up in the Division I state champion- him under his wing and schooled for him because he’s under the ship game at Ohio State’s Value him on what he needs to know lights in front of 18,000 people City Arena. South coach Ed Calo and how to get better. or because he has a really good said afterwards of Wayne’s quar- “I’ve learned a lot from him,” player guarding him. He plays at terback, “He (Trice) controlled Trice said. “He always has my the same speed and he does the the tempo of the game.” back.” things that makes him … (pause) Four months earlier, Trice was, Such input and support from … him.” in fact, quarterbacking Wayne at Hayes and Koenig has seemingly Trice’s high school basketball the Horseshoe in Columbus. But accelerated his growth. coach is not surprised by any of his Huber Heights football team LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 4 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM came up short, 31-21, to Lake- and do anything incredible. He Because Huber Heights Wayne wood St. Edward in the state just knows that he has to go in was so successful on the grid- finals. It was a tough loss to get and fit in. That’s why he has had iron, Trice’s season would extend over since he didn’t lose often. so much early success — just into December and it would take As a two-year starter, Trice was seeing where he can make that a few months for him to get his 25-3. team better.” legs back for basketball. Playing When speaking of Trice’s lead- Intangibles aside, it’s hard to both sports took a physical toll. ership skills, Gard has frequently ignore that Trice is shooting 54 “He graduated from high school maintained that if he could lead percent from the field (20-of- weighing 158 pounds,” his dad 10 players in a football huddle, 37), 65 percent from beyond the noted. he should be even more at ease arc (13-of-20) and 89 percent It was a reason why recruiters leading four on the basketball from the free throw line (8-of-9). questioned his size resulting in floor. And that has come to fru- As previously mentioned, it has Trice spending a year at IMG ition during his first nine games been the bonus area for Gard, Academy in Florida. “What es- manning the point for the Bad- especially the 3-point shooting. sentially happened was that he gers. got a chance to concentrate on Once again, Travis Trice Sr. has basketball and his body,” Trice Sr. “THE ONE THING THAT IS not been surprised. said. “He put on 20 pounds and GREAT ABOUT D’MITRIK IS “The one thing that is great it made all the difference in the THAT HE’S ONE OF THE MOST about D’Mitrik,” said the elder world.” EVEN-KEELED GUYS I THINK Trice, “is that he’s one of the One of his son’s role models YOU’LL EVER BE AROUND. most even-keeled guys I think is Houston Texans wide receiver IT’S A GREAT QUALITY FOR A you’ll ever be around. It’s a great Braxton Miller, a former Wayne POINT GUARD. HE’S STEADY.” quality for a point guard. He’s High School and Ohio State steady. He’ll show a little emo- quarterback and two-time Big tion here and there. But he’s al- “To be honest, it doesn’t sur- Ten MVP.