Experience matters...Cougars have it.

To play good in the regular season is nice.....but right now they're playing the best basketball they've played all season.  What perfect timing. 

Go COUGS!

Experience absolutely matters!!  The thing is that Low and Weaver have been playing each oher for 4 years!!!  Thier chemistry is almost perfect not like other young teams.  In addtion, other players had been tourney last year so they are so much ready for beating UNC on Thursday.

My prediction:

WSU 78: UNC 76 (OT) 

WE BELIEVE!! Do not be afraid of UNC jerseys!!!!

Go Cougs~~~~~~~~~~

Badger_Colorado,

I haven't followed Wisconsin a great deal this year, but what are they going to do to at least somewhat contain Curry?  He's scored in the double digits in every game he's played this year, so you know that he's going to continue firing the ball up.

"They'll start by putting Michael Flowers on him.  Flowers is one of the best defenders in the country.  The Badgers play strictly man to man and Flowers will be on Curry like glue.  They'll also probably run him around and make him play defense, fight through picks, etc.  That hurt Beasley against KState.  He had a big first half and a quiet second half.  I'm sure Bo Ryan has other things planned as well."

Flowers is definitely athletic enough.  Good luck.  It should me the matchup to watch.

"However, the nice thing about this Badgers team is that single or double option teams simply don't beat them.  Cal State Fullerton had a guy who scored 30 because he was on fire against them, draining crazy 3s and generally hitting contested shots, but the Badgers won by 15 and they were pulling away in the second half.  So, Curry alone will not make the difference.  They HAVE to have other guys step up or they can't win.  I'm a little nervous about the game because Davidson is easily the best team Wisconsin has faced thus far, but if they play their game they'll win handily."

That's a really good point.  The kid you're speaking of is Josh Akognan.  He was in the same recruiting class with all of WSU's current seniors and played for WSU for two years as a 6th man and part time starter, but I don't think he liked playing defense, so he transferred to CS Fullerton.  I'm not surprised that he's putting up 20 pts a game by now though for a mid major.  He could flat out shoot.

"And I'm believin' in the Cougs, too, GoCoug!  I think they may have a better D than Wisconsin.  And it's more than just Lowe and Weaver, isn't it?  Cowgill is a part of that bunch the whole time, too.  Not to mention their crop of Juniors have been getting lots of minutes for the past 3 years.  They are going to give NC all they can handle."

That's nice of you to say, but I think matchups will affect which team has the better D on any given night with those two teams.  Wisconsin has done a hell of a job on the defensive end this year too.  For them to be 16-2 in any major conference with a less than dominant offense is a testament to that.  But to answer your question, it is far more than just Low and Weaver.  On any given night, you'll see any one of 5-6 different players leading them in scoring and/or taking the big shots, and they're all comfortable being in that position.  Hopefully they can knock off at least one of the #1 seeds in this year's tourney.