Wisconsin’s challenge: Bounce back from epic victory

INDIANAPOLIS - At first blush, the task appears daunting for Wisconsin.

Saturday, the Badgers (36-3) upset previously unbeaten Kentucky (38-1) in a national semifinal, a program-defining type of victory that often carries a hangover effect. That's dangerous against any opponent, and especially in an NCAA title game tilt against Duke (34-4) on Monday.

But Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan has no fear of a letdown. Nearly every winter Monday at the Kohl Center's media room, Ryan brushes past Wisconsin women's hockey coach Mark Johnson. Sometimes their conversations revolve around Johnson's own hockey-playing career where a tournament 35 years ago sheds relevance for today's basketball Badgers.

Johnson played for Team USA in the 1980 Olympics. On a Friday night in Lake Placid, N.Y., Johnson scored two goals against the Soviet Union in the renowned 'Miracle on Ice” game, which the Americans won 4-3. Two days later, Johnson assisted on the game-winning goal to beat Finland for the gold medal.

Similar to the Americans' win against the Soviet Union, Wisconsin's 71-64 win against Kentucky might rank as the greatest in school history. But history becomes legend only with championships. That's why a message discussed by Johnson - and since relayed to Ryan by dozens of Wisconsin fans - is simple and to the point.

'I don't know a lot about hockey, but I knew about the ‘80 team,” Ryan said Sunday. 'I said, ‘You know what, you're right.' Most people think that Russia was the gold-medal game. I think it was Finland, wasn't it?

'I've been reminded on a few text messages that Finland is Duke, both really good teams. Duke is a really good team. I think Finland was a good team because they got to the finals.”

Duke under Coach Mike Krzyzewski more closely resembles the old USSR hockey squads than Finland. The Blue Devils have qualified for nine NCAA title games under Krzyzewski with four championships. Both are the second most for any coach in NCAA tournament history.

The Blue Devils hammered Michigan State 81-61 on Saturday in the Final Four curtain-raiser to Wisconsin's upset victory. Duke's pedigree and the way it has dominated NCAA tournament competition (winning five games by an average of 17.3 points) makes it a formidable opponent. But Krzyzewski has been in Ryan's position himself. Back in 1991, the Blue Devils upset previously unbeaten UNLV 79-77 in a national semifinal. The win was one year removed from UNLV's 30-point demolition of Duke in the 1990 title game. UNLV featured a star-studded collection of talent and appeared more imposing than even this year's version of Kentucky.

'In 1991, we were not surprised that we could win,” said Krzyzewski, whose squad then beat Kansas for the 1991 title. 'We had three guys that could match up with them. We had the best player on the court in Grant Hill, but he was a freshman. Then we had (Christian) Laettner and (Bobby) Hurley. We weren't shabby. We were pretty good.

'In order to beat an undefeated team, you have to be really good.”

There are contrasts to this match-up such as Wisconsin starting four upperclassmen while Duke opens with three freshmen and a sophomore. But the perceived advantages associated with Krzyzewski's legacy have little to do with this meeting. The Badgers qualified for the Final Four last year before losing to Kentucky by one point. Duke was upset in its first NCAA game. Krzyzewski has won four Division I titles, and Ryan has won four Division III titles at Wisconsin-Platteville.

Duke beat Wisconsin 80-70 on Dec. 3 at the Kohl Center. But the Blue Devils shot a surprising 65.2 percent, easily the highest surrendered by the Badgers, who allowed better than 50 percent shooting just seven times.

But there always are questions of mental approach. Is it possible Wisconsin's grinding win against Kentucky and subsequent celebration took too much out of the Badgers? Are the Blue Devils rested and overlooked because of Kentucky's success and Wisconsin's upset?

'We know we've got 40 (minutes) more, as I've said a thousand times,” Ryan said. 'But we know we got some work to do. I think (Saturday) night's game simply says, ‘OK, it puts you in position now to go after the championship.'”

'I think for both teams, the team that moves on the best and the quickest will have a little bit of an advantage,” Krzyzewski said.

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