Badgers win 74-35

I'll have a few more details from this one once I get back to Eau Claire, but I wanted to share a few real quick thoughts.

*Bo Ryan didn't realize that Terry Gibbons was the one that handed him his last DIII loss. He talked for a while about Ken Anderson before asking recently retired UW-Eau Claire sports information director Tim Peterman how long he'd been at UW-Eau Claire. When Peterman said he'd been there for 40 years, Ryan was incredulous.

*The common theme coming from Gibbons and the Blugolds players was experience. This wasn't a game that they were going to win, but they still wanted to have a good time doing it. Although they shot 26 percent and were outrebounded by 26, it's safe to say the Blugolds had a fun time.

*It appears that the Blugolds won't have a very deep bench. If this game is any indication, the starting five will be Dan Beyer, Steve Hoelzel, Zack Ryan, Colin Boone and Rashann Goodwin. Geoff Probst and Ryan Shea are the first off the bench, but that's probably it. Amadou Fofana and Luke Meier both played eight minutes, but most of that came in the final part of the second half.

*As for Wisconsin, they are going to be solid down low. But consistent scoring is going to be a problem and teams with explosive wing players will create matchup issues. Trevon Hughes has the potential to be a very, very good player, however.

- John Casper Jr.