David Stluka/uw athletics
Ethan Happ: Amazing stats.
If the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team is going to rebound this season after missing the NCAA tournament last March for the first time since 1998, it will do so on the broad shoulders of 6-foot-10-inch forward Ethan Happ.
Coming off a season in which he was the only player in the country to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals, the fifth-year senior was named to this preseason’s Associated Press All-American team — one of only a handful of Badgers ever to receive that honor, including Frank Kaminsky and Michael Finley.
In Wisconsin’s season-opening 85-63 blowout of Coppin State at the Kohl Center on Nov. 6, Happ posted the first triple-double of his career, finishing the night with a neat 10 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists — and did so under almost constant double-team pressure. (Only one other Badger in program history, Josh Gasser in 2011, has recorded a triple-double.)
On Nov. 12, Happ was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (with Purdue’s Carsen Edwards), then poured in 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 77-68 victory at Xavier on Nov. 13. It was Xavier’s first non-conference loss at home since December 2012.
Just how good is Happ? The website devoted to all things Badger, UWBadgers.com, trumpets his amazing stats: “Happ is in position to top 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocks for his Wisconsin career. Exactly four players have done that in NCAA history.”
Granted, Wisconsin will face significantly tougher competition as the season goes on, including the Battle 4 Atlantis at Paradise Island in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving. That eight-team field includes the Badgers’ opening-round opponent, Stanford, as well as No. 4 Virginia, Butler and Florida. Then comes the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at the Kohl Center, when Wisconsin hosts North Carolina State on Nov. 27, followed by a pair of early-season Big Ten games at Iowa and against Rutgers.
Another Badger off to a fast start is third-year sophomore D’Mitrik Trice (43 points after two games). His performance is particularly encouraging, as he missed the final 23 games of last season with a foot injury.
Also bouncing back from injuries are redshirt freshman guard Kobe King (season-ending knee injury) and sophomore guard Brad Davison, who played most of last season with a bum left shoulder. He was often seen wearing a sling off the court after games yet still managed to lead the Badgers in minutes played (1,028) and was second in total points (398) behind Happ’s 590.
If Happ and others can stay healthy this season, these Badgers aren’t likely to miss a second consecutive NCAA tournament.
Wisconsin hosts Houston Baptist at the Kohl Center on Nov. 17 before embarking on the Battle 4 Atlantis.
