In any sports season, one of the key variables of competition which affects outcomes and the evolution of a team (or an individual athlete) is the timing of a meeting against a specific opponent.
Do two teams play when one is clearly ascendant and the other is in decline? Do two teams meet when they are both struggling, or both rising? Does a team face a specific opponent at a point in time when its weakness is especially vulnerable against an opponent’s strength, or vice-versa? How do injuries or suspensions fit into the picture? Timing is so important in sports and sports schedules.
For the Wisconsin Badgers, Wednesday’s opponent is the ideal opponent to face — not in the sense that this game is easy, but in the sense that the Illinois Fighting Illini will test Wisconsin in the way the Badgers need to be tested. If Wisconsin turns in a solid performance and beats Illinois, we can tell that the Badgers are on the right track.
Here’s why: Wisconsin’s win over Ohio State was a classic “stay the course” win, a portrait of resilience and perseverance. This is how Wisconsin needs to win in Big Ten play. This is how the Badgers HAVE to win in Big Ten play. This is how Wisconsin will advance in the NCAA Tournament, assuming the Badgers get there (and they’re looking a lot better now than they did two weeks ago). Illinois is an opponent which requires — and often rewards — resilience. You will see what I mean in the next paragraph:
Illinois led Maryland by 14 points at halftime, but the Illini offense crumbled in the second half. Illinois faltered down the stretch, and Maryland was able to catch and pass the Illini for a 59-58 victory. Illinois is a team which will go through at least one lull in every road game it plays. The Illini are a headache to deal with when they are “ON,” but that switch doesn’t always remain on when Illinois plays away from Champaign. This could very well become a game in which Illinois gets out of the blocks quickly, much as Ohio State roared out of the gate to start the first and second halves on Friday.
The Badgers stayed the course against the Buckeyes. This might be a stay-the-course game against the Illini. Very simply, if Wisconsin takes Illinois’ best punch a few days after absorbing big runs by Ohio State, we can know with a lot more certainty that the Badgers have become what we expect UW to be: the more resilient team on the court when compared to its opponent.
Illinois will offer a stress test to make sure Wisconsin has really and fully become a tough team ready for the rigors of the full Big Ten season. If the Badgers pass this test, they will offer a convincing answer about their readiness for the road ahead.