Micah Potter’s presence would have made a big difference in this game.
After watching his team last night, Greg Gard is probably thinking about how he can’t insert Potter into his rotation soon enough.
Simply put, the Badgers were completely manhandled by Rutgers in the grittier aspects of the game all night long. They were outrebounded by a 40-25 margin, including a whopping 14-3 on the offensive boards, which the Scarlet Knights utilized to finish with a 23-5 edge in second-chance points.
This was due in large part to Rutgers playing with much more intensity and effort than the Badgers, but it was clear that the physicality and size of the Scarlet Knights proved extremely problematic for a Wisconsin squad that currently features just one true post player, Nate Reuvers, in its rotation.
Speaking of Reuvers, the beating he was taking in the paint on both ends (especially from Rutgers center Myles Johnson) clearly took its toll on him throughout the night, to the point where the junior big man was a non-factor in the game. Reuvers looked off from start to finish, and the energy and intensity just were not there from a player we know can be a fiery competitor at times.
Sure, having Potter available wouldn’t have completely altered Wisconsin’s complete lack of physicality in this one, but this was unquestionably a matchup in which the presence of another big body would have gone a long way in taking a load of Reuvers’ shoulders and allowing him to make more of an impact on the game.