Frontcourt scoring was a problem for Wisconsin in its first game against Michigan State two weeks ago. This might seem weird or even wrong to say, given that Nate Reuvers had one of his better games of the season on that night versus the Spartans. Reuvers scored 19 points on 3-of-6 3-point shooting. He pulled down seven boards and blocked two shots. He did his part.
The frontcourt scoring problem wasn’t related to Reuvers at all. It was related to the fact that all other Wisconsin frontcourt players scored a combined total of just four points, while Michigan State sent forwards at the Badgers in waves and got into the paint. Michigan State’s frontcourt produced 48 points from five different players. The final tally in frontcourt points from that game: 48-23 in favor of Michigan State. Depth, balance, and general physical superiority all carried the day for the Spartans against the Badgers, who didn’t have many answers.
A big part of this frontcourt disparity on Jan. 17 flowed from Aleem Ford playing just six minutes. With Kobe King and Brad Davison (who both played in that game) now unavailable for Greg Gard, one can expect Ford to play a lot more minutes on Saturday in Madison. How he performs will be one of the central keys to this contest.
It isn’t just Ford, however, who figures into this larger story. Micah Potter often gives Wisconsin good offense to offset his limited defense, but against the Spartans two weeks ago, Potter was ineffective at the offensive end of the floor. He scored just four points on 2-of-7 shooting and coughed up three turnovers. If Ford has to become a much more involved player against Michigan State (and he does), Potter has to become a much more efficient player. Then we could see the scales even out in the frontcourt battle between the two teams.
Wisconsin would also need backcourt help in this game, given that it lacks two starting guards. We will deal with that topic later. For now, simply appreciate how little Wisconsin got from its non-Reuvers frontcourt players against Michigan State. Changing that equation on Saturday is essential to a Wisconsin victory.