Wisconsin Badgers Basketball

Nigel Hayes has been pinging five-dollar words off the stenographer's table for a while now.

Since entering NCAA tournament play, the Wisconsin Badgers forward has thrown all sorts of syllabic curveballs at the typists recording every spoken word at his team's press conferences.

So far, he's rattled off "cattywampus," "onomatopoeia," "soliloquy," "antidisestablishmentarianism," "zephyr," "xylophone" and a host of other finger-mangling words. It's become a tradition, and he's not backing down from any stenographer—"beautiful" or otherwise.

Thus we have Hayes' latest dime, which he dropped Friday afternoon during Wisconsin's last pre-Final Four press conference. 

He opened things up with another doozy: "prestidigitation."

BO RYAN: Nigel they're afraid to ask you a question anymore.
NIGEL HAYES: Sticking to tradition, prestidigitation and hello Mr. Stenographer

— ASAP Sports (@asapsports) April 3, 2015

For those who don't know (meaning me), the term apparently means sleight of hand or "magic tricks performed as entertainment."

The more you know, right?

Dan is on Twitter. He's waiting for Hayes to make some poor typist weep with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

With more honors potentially yet to come, Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky was named the United States Basketball Writers Association's most outstanding men's college basketball player.

According to Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated, the 7-footer was presented with the prestigious Oscar Robertson Trophy to signify his accomplishment:

Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky wins the Oscar Robertson trophy as USBWA national player of the year.

— Brian Hamilton (@_Brian_Hamilton) April 3, 2015

It was a special moment for Kaminsky, not only due to the award's importance, but also because his teammates and coaches were on hand to see him receive it, per Dan Needles of WISN.com:

https://twitter.com/dneedles12/status/583995931705511936

That wasn't the only award Kaminsky won on Friday as Duke basketball showed Kaminsky receiving the Associated Press Player of the Year award as well:

Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin had something waiting for him on the podium: the AP Player of the Year Award trophy pic.twitter.com/0FvyeH15xP

— Duke Basketball (@dukebasketball) April 3, 2015

The big senior is in the midst of a spectacular season that has seen him average 18.7 points, eight rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

He has also helped lead the Badgers to the Final Four for the second consecutive year, where they hope to gain some measure of revenge against Kentucky and hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season.

Kaminsky was touted as perhaps the best player in college basketball entering the season, and he has only confirmed that notion over the course of the year.

Wisconsin almost certainly wouldn't have made it this far without Kaminsky, which is a testament to just how valuable he has been in 2014-15.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

INDIANAPOLIS — He taunted a sea of Arizona fans with a glare and a boastful smirk, trash-talked his defender after beating him off the dribble and strutted down the court following a game-clinching three-pointer.

And yet Wisconsin's Sam Dekker may be regarded as one of the nicest guys in college basketball.

But in Saturday's 85-78 Elite Eight win over Arizona, the Badgers forward was downright cocky.

"I like to play with some energy, some spunk," Dekker told reporters after the game. "Sometimes I have a little bit of a swagger. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing emotion or a little trash talk—as long as you back it up."

Dekker certainly did that against the Wildcats, scoring a career-high 27 points to propel Wisconsin to its second straight Final Four. The basket at the Staples Center must've looked like a hula hoop to Dekker, who made eight of his 11 field-goal attempts, including five of six from beyond the arc.

Standing at midcourt as the final seconds ticked away, Dekker looked toward the Badgers' bench and winked at coach Bo Ryan.

"There are no words to describe what it's like to be in a zone like that," Dekker said. "You feel like you can do anything out there."

The performance against Arizona extended a March Madness hot streak that has seen Dekker average 21.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in four NCAA tournament games. Dekker is shooting 60.4 percent from the field overall during that span and 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from beyond the arc.

National Player of the Year candidate Frank Kaminsky has been Wisconsin's best player all season. But it's the enhanced play of the 6'9" Dekker that gives fans legitimate hopes of an upset against undefeated Kentucky in Saturday's NCAA semifinal.

"When Sam is playing like this," Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes said, "there isn't anyone we can't beat."

To those who have followed Dekker's career, his impact this March is no surprise.

As a high school senior, he hit a three-pointer with four seconds remaining to give Sheboygan Area Lutheran its first state title. ESPN.com ranked Dekker as the 17th-best prospect in the Class of 2012. And last summer, he was widely labeled as the best player at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas.

"Anyone who saw him play in high school or in AAU knows what kind of player he is," said Dekker's older brother, John, who is 26. "But for whatever reason, that player hasn't always shown up when he's had on the Badgers uniform."

Dekker hasn't had a poor collegiate career.

Far from it.

He averaged 9.6 points as a freshman and 12.4 points for last season's Final Four squad. Still, while Dekker has been steady, he's rarely had head-turning games that command national attention.

Dekker has reached the 20-point barrier just nine times as a Badger, and three of them occurred in this year's NCAA tournament.

"People are calling me, like, 'Wow, where has this been all year long?'" said Ritchie Davis, who coached Dekker's AAU team. "You don't get to see all of Sam's game at Wisconsin. They've got a system in place and there's no need to question it. It works.

"But Sam's role on that team and within that system…it is what it is."

Dekker can't say he wasn't warned.

He was a virtual unknown when he committed to the Badgers while attending Ryan's camp before his junior season of high school. One year later, when he became more of a national name, opposing coaches attempting to change Dekker's mind hinted that he may not reach his full potential under Ryan.

Wisconsin had long been known as a low-scoring, slow-paced team that preached balance and discipline, and thus kept players from developing into stars because they didn't have much freedom.

Dekker, though, had grown up as a huge Badgers fan and never even entertained overtures from the big-name programs that attempted to lure him away after he'd committed.

"He takes so much pride in being a Wisconsin guy," said Dekker's father, Paul, who coached his son in high school. "So many other good players from here leave and sign with schools out of state. Sam wanted to stay home and do something special."

As a freshman, Dekker came off the bench for a squad that tied for fourth in the Big Ten before being upset by Ole Miss in its opening NCAA tournament game. A year later, though, Dekker began to make more of a mark, averaging 30 minutes per contest as Wisconsin won 13 of its last 16 games and reached the Final Four before losing to Kentucky. 

Dekker had 15 points in that contest and watched helplessly as Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison made a guarded, 25-foot three-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining to give Kentucky the win.

The loss was devastating for Dekker, who vowed along with Kaminsky to return for the 2014-15 season instead of leaving school early for the NBA draft, where both were projected as first-round picks.

"He knew he needed to improve," said Davis, the AAU coach. "The Big Ten isn't a silver spoon league. It made him realize he wasn't where he needed to be (for the NBA). Not yet."

Part of Dekker's offseason was spent attending camps run by NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Dekker was so good at the LeBron camp that, after watching him excel against other collegians from the sideline, James inserted himself into the game and guarded Dekker, who wasn't afraid to drive to the hoop on The King.

Dekker, who is 20, also grew two inches last summer, from 6'7" to 6'9", giving him even more hope for a standout junior campaign. Multiple publications even tabbed Dekker as a preseason All-American along with Kaminsky.

Dekker, though, battled a nagging ankle injury that affected his play throughout the first half of the season. He had just five points in a 10-point home loss to Duke on Dec. 3 and only two points against Marquette three days later. Still, Dekker fought through the injury, refusing to be sidelined for what was shaping up as a dream season for Wisconsin, which won the Big Ten title for the first time since 2008.

Even when he was healthy, Dekker operated with the same team-first mentality that stopped him from trying to take over games. Dekker scored in double figures in 15 of Wisconsin's 18 Big Ten contests but only eclipsed the 20-point barrier on three occasions.

"It's not like he was going to go there and score 30 points a game like he did in high school," John Dekker said. "Bo Ryan is a successful, established coach. He's not going to change his system for one guy. He shouldn't.

"When you look at that system, who is ever going to average 20-25 points?"

Not that Dekker ever complained.

If anything, he was having too much fun. One of Wisconsin's biggest strengths is its chemistry and cohesion—not just on the court, but off it, too. Whether it's poking fun at one another via group texts, playing video games like Super Smash Bros. or filming corny videos on campus, the Badgers' personalities clearly blend.

Dekker is one of the main reasons.

"The only thing he ever talks about is how much fun he's having," Davis said. "He's like Opie Taylor. He doesn't know any different. He's just a fun-loving, goofy guy who is having a blast out there. He doesn't play with any sort of pressure.

"As long as he stays that way, he'll continue to get better."

That's clearly taken place over the past few weeks.

Tight as the reins may have felt in the past, Dekker—for the first time in his career—is playing with a sense of freedom during the NCAA tournament. He's hunting his shot and hoisting up three-pointers that he may not have taken during the regular season.

Kaminsky had a team-high 29 points, but it was Dekker's assertiveness that led Wisconsin to its Elite Eight win over Arizona. Two nights earlier, he scored 23 points in a Sweet 16 victory against North Carolina. Dekker went a combined 18-of-26 from the field in those two games.

"Lottery pick," texted an NBA scout during the waning minutes of the Arizona victory.

Hayes was asked to describe Dekker's recent play in one word.

"Clutch," said Hayes. "No need to add any fireworks and sprinkles to it. Clutch is the word.

"He's playing with a sense of urgency. You can say what you want about every game being important. But these games are clearly more important. The spotlight will definitely bring out the best in people."

Dekker certainly has reason to be motivated.

Ever since falling to Kentucky in last year's NCAA semifinals, Dekker has been focused on getting back to the Final Four. He even replaced his chair in the Wisconsin locker room with a commemorative chair he brought home from last year's event in Dallas.

With a Final Four logo on the cushion, the chair is a reminder of where the Badgers have been, and where they can go.

"We were stripped of our chance at a title last year," Dekker said. "We don't want that to happen again. We still have the mindset that we have a lot more basketball to play."

Almost poetically, Saturday's NCAA semifinal will be a rematch against Kentucky. At 38-0, John Calipari's squad is clearly better than the team Wisconsin faced in 2014, when Kentucky was a No. 8 seed. But make no mistake: The Badgers are better, too.

"We're not going to back down from anybody," Dekker said. "Obviously, they're a great team, the best team in the nation right now. But I think we're a pretty good team, too.

"People are going to talk about revenge, revenge, revenge. But that's not going to be the case. We're just going to try to get a win and go to the national title game."

Whatever happens, Dekker will make sure to enjoy the moment. He realizes he'll have a decision to make after the season regarding the NBA draft, but for now, he's embracing what has already been accomplished.

Wisconsin had been to the Final Four just twice in school history before Dekker arrived. Now, it's making its second straight appearance. The Badgers' lone national title came in 1941.

"He helped take Wisconsin basketball to the next level," John Dekker said. "They've had some good seasons, but this has kind of put them over the hump. Sam's proud of that.

"Maybe he could've gone to a different school and put up bigger stats. But when you ask him, he'd say going to two Final Fours and winning the Big Ten is better than putting up individual numbers.

"He's had a fun college career. He got to win a lot and enjoy his teammates—and I think he's going to get to play in the NBA someday, too. He's definitely getting the best of both worlds."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.

They all have what Bo Ryan wants...

The three other head coaches in the 2015 Final Four—Kentucky's John Calipari, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski and Michigan State's Tom Izzo—have each staked their respective flags at the top of the NCAA tournament mountain at least once.

For any of those three, another national title would bolster an already glamorous legacy, but winning this year's Final Four would do more for Ryan—making his second appearance in the national semifinals as Wisconsin's head coach—than any of his Hall of Fame peers.

Coach K's trophy room features remembrances from four national-championship teams and two Olympic gold-medal-winning squads.

Calipari's recruiting classes grant Kentucky a chance at titles and records every single season.

Izzo is already being praised for what may be his best coaching job ever, regardless of what happens to Michigan State in Indianapolis.

Then there's Bo.

He is the leader of the Buzzcuts. A man with four NCAA Division III championships at UW-Platteville, four Big Ten regular-season championships and three Big Ten tournament championships. A man who has crafted what nearly every metric, per kenpom.com, deems to be the best offense in college basketball.

Ryan has four Big Ten Coach of the Year wins to Izzo's three, and he even leads Izzo in career winning percentage—71.9 percent to 71.4 percent.

Ryan has made every NCAA tournament since taking over at Wisconsin in 2001. Conversely, Calipari has played in three NITs during that time; two with Memphis and one with Kentucky in 2012.

Ryan has even tasted the sweet nectar of perfection that Coach Cal so desperately wants—twice.

"Not to promote my UW-Platteville teams, necessarily, but I had a chance to coach two college teams that went undefeated in a season,” Ryan said Monday on the Final Four coaches teleconference, per Rob Hernandez of Madison.com, referring to his 1994-95 (31-0) and 1997-98 (30-0) teams at Platteville. 

While Ryan can't quite touch Coach K's absurd collection of accomplishments—few in the history of the college game can—the winningest coach in men's Division I basketball history has praised the excellence of these stellar programs during the usual media rounds leading up to Saturday's games.

"Look, they're all really the best of the best," said Krzyzewksi during the Final Four coaches teleconference. "It's really an honor for me to be in a Final Four with those three programs and those three coaches because they're all really good guys and they've all understood the commitment to excellence that a program needs to make."

Still, even with the accolades, a 74.2 career winning percentage at Wisconsin and back-to-back Final Four berths, Ryan always seems to find himself a rung below these other three hallowed collegiate coaches.

Ryan's Wisconsin teams have always been decried as boring by the masses despite over a decade of success and superior play. The Badgers are a little like the San Antonio Spurs, a team no one wanted to see in the NBA Finals once upon a time.

Ryan's Badgers focus on fundamentals and team basketball. They lack rim-rattling dunkers and AND1-Mixtape-style on-court hijinks. They maintain an unwavering commitment to a seemingly old school, dull brand of basketball.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller broke down the case against Ryan and his Badgers in this year's Final Four:

Despite boasting the most efficient offense in more than a decade, Wisconsin ranks just 49th in the country in points per game.

This is because Bo Ryan's teams have consistently been playing at one of the slowest tempos in the country since he became head coach in 2001.

But as was the case with the Spurs, an appreciation has sprung up for the beauty of Ryan's offense and his extraordinary ability to mold 2- and 3-star recruits into exceptional college players.

Take Ryan's transformation of Frank Kaminsky, a former 3-star recruit turned unanimous AP All-American and finalist for college basketball's most prestigious individual award.

"I'm a completely different person and player than I was four years ago, and I think a lot of that has to do with coach," Kaminsky told ESPN's Myron Medcalf.

With a collection of overachieving, unheralded recruits like Kaminsky, Nigel Hayes and Traevon Jackson—and with just one former 5-star, junior Sam Dekker, on the entire roster—Ryan has led the Badgers to consecutive 30-win, Final Four seasons.

Izzo may get the publicity for creating masterful works of art with inferior supplies, but Ryan has done arguably more with less than any of his Indianapolis-bound peers.

Since 2010, Ryan hasn't had a single recruiting class rank in Rivals' top 30, yet he has led those teams to 139 wins, four Sweet Sixteen appearances and the aforementioned consecutive Final Fours. Even Coach K has had two teams (2012, 2014) knocked out in the round of 64 over that time.

It's not just the Kaminskys and Jacksons that benefit from Ryan's unique brand of basketball and life tutelage—top recruits like Dekker also realize the importance of what Ryan has tried to instill within them.

"He's obviously got me much more disciplined as a player and as a person, realizing [that] the little things in life go a long way," Dekker told Medcalf. "And if you wake up each morning with the mentality that you have to get better...you can do a lot in that 24-hour span to improve and build upon your life."

Despite the appreciation from former players, Badgers faithful and Big Ten basketball fans, Ryan is stuck playing the role of Rodney Dangerfield in a Final Four filled with Marlon Brandos, Jack Nicholsons and Paul Newmans.

"I could freeze flippers better than anybody." - @BadgerMBB's Bo Ryan, the No. 1 pinball player in Pa. in the 60s. http://t.co/IYi0V4U9Tp

— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) March 31, 2015

Bo may not get respect from a nation enthralled with Izzo, K and Cal, but a win over undefeated Kentucky en route to his first national championship might just allow the 67-year-old to sneak into that revered group of singularly named coaching icons.

It's been a long ride to this magical moment for a man who began his coaching career at a junior high school in Pennsylvania over four decades ago, but if anyone deserves to break through, it's the pinball wizard from Pennsylvania.

LOS ANGELES — Last fall, a few weeks before the official start of practice, Wisconsin standout Sam Dekker made a subtle alteration to the Badgers locker room.

Without notifying his coaches or teammates, Dekker removed the chair with the "Wisconsin" emblem that rested in front of his stall at the Kohl Center and replaced it with something that bore a more meaningful inscription.

"2014 NCAA Final Four" read the logo on the chair Dekker used throughout his junior season—the one he brought back from Arlington, Texas, last spring following Wisconsin's 74-73 gut-wrenching loss to Kentucky in the NCAA semifinals.

"It was a reminder," Dekker's father, Todd, said, "of how close they were to winning it all—and of how hard they'd have to work to make it back."

It obviously worked.

One year later, Wisconsin is indeed returning to college basketball's biggest stage, and perhaps it's no surprise that Dekker—the home-state hero from Sheboygan—is the one leading the charge.

In what was easily his best game as a Badger, the potential NBA lottery pick scored a career-high 27 points Saturday to propel his squad to an 85-78 victory over Arizona in the West Regional Final at the Staples Center.

Dekker made all but three of his 11 field-goal attempts and was 5-of-6 from three-point range. No shot was bigger than the 22-foot dagger he swished in front of his team's bench with 17 seconds remaining. The basket gave Wisconsin an 84-76 lead and momentum it would never relinquish.

Dekker winked at his coach, Bo Ryan, after the ball ripped through the cotton, and then he strutted a few steps before jogging down the court.

A few feet away, teammate Josh Gasser caught the attention of former NBA All-Star Reggie Miller, who was providing color commentary from press row. Gasser pointed toward Dekker, and then to the area, ahem...below his waist.

"Sam's got stones," he told Miller, "just like you."

Dekker chuckled when told of the exchange after the game.

"It's fun when you're in a zone," Dekker said. "You feel like you can do anything out there."

And, yes, that "anything" includes conquering the gargantuan task that no college basketball team has been able to accomplish this season, the challenge Wisconsin nearly overcame last year before floundering down the stretch.

Beating Kentucky.

In a game that fans of the sport have yearned for all season, the Badgers will get another crack at the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Wildcats when the teams meet in the NCAA semifinals next Saturday in Indianapolis.

Excited as they are to be playing Kentucky, Wisconsin's players said a national title—and not a rematch with the 38-0 Wildcats—has been their driving force all season.

"We're not going to back down from anybody," Dekker said. "Obviously they're a great team, the best team in the nation right now. But I think we're a pretty good team, too.

"People are going to talk about revenge, revenge, revenge. But that's not going to be the case. We're just going to try to get a win and go to the national title game."

Still, make no mistake. Last year's setback to Kentucky—and the heart-breaking fashion in which it occurred—has served as a motivator for the Badgers the past 12 months.

Whether it was during offseason workouts, weight-lifting sessions or in clutch moments on the court, not a day has passed when they didn't visualize Aaron Harrison's game-winning three-pointer tearing through the net with 5.7 seconds remaining in Kentucky's one-point victory.

Perhaps that's why Wisconsin's players didn't go overboard with their postgame celebration following Saturday's win over Arizona. They cut down the Staples Center net, crooned along to the school fight song with their fans and returned to the court an hour after the buzzer to take pictures with family members...the basic stuff.

Overall, though, Gasser said the Badgers had a "little bit different of a feel inside" than they did after advancing to the Final Four in 2014.

"Last year," Gasser said, "it was, 'We're on top of the world!' This year it's more "Unfinished Business."

Forward Nigel Hayes agreed.

"We were just excited to be there last season," Hayes said. "This year we're excited to try to win it."

Wisconsin knows it will have to play its best game of the season to beat a Kentucky squad that is commonly being referred to as one of the best teams in history. The Wildcats boast nine McDonald's All-Americans and could have as many as five players selected in the first round of this summer's NBA draft.

Yet as dominant as Kentucky has been, pundits all season have pegged Wisconsin as the No. 1 threat to the Wildcats' hopes of college basketball's first undefeated season since 1976.

In Frank Kaminsky, Hayes and Dekker, Wisconsin has enough size and talent in the paint to match Kentucky's imposing frontcourt. The 7-foot Kaminsky (who scored 29 points Saturday), along with Dekker, is a surefire first-round NBA draft pick, while Hayes may eventually rise to that status, too. All three post players excel away from the basket.

And perimeter players Gasser, Traevon Jackson and Bronson Koenig have as good a chemistry as any backcourt in America.

Realizing how close they came to beating Kentucky last season (even though the Wildcats roster is slightly different) should also give Wisconsin a confidence and swagger with which most of Kentucky's opponents don't operate.

"I think we match up well with anyone," Jackson said. "When we're playing at a high level, I don't think there's any team we can't beat."

Arizona found that out firsthand Saturday, when Wisconsin made 10 of its 12 three-point attempts in the second half and 12 of 18 shots overall from long range. The Badgers shot 78.9 percent from the field after intermission and 55.6 percent for the game.

"I'm not sure how we did that, honestly," said Gasser, who was one of the players celebrating with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a diehard Wisconsin fan, on the Staples Center court moments after the final horn.

When reporters attempted get a few thoughts from Rodgers on the game, he declined and ducked into a tunnel, a move that was certainly understandable. This was Wisconsin's moment in the spotlight, the Badgers' time to shine.

It's a feel-good story, to be sure.

In an age of one-and-dones and player transfers, the Badgers are somewhat of a throwback. Four of Wisconsin's top six players are seniors and juniors. And their selflessness on the court and unity off of it make them impossible not to like.

As he stood on the podium and presented the West Regional trophy to the Badgers, NCAA president Mark Emmert couldn't help but smile. 

"They're fabulous ambassadors for college basketball," Emmert said. "This is obviously a very strong team."

Strong enough to beat Kentucky?

We'll know soon enough.

"We were stripped of our chance at a title last year," Dekker said. "We don't want that to happen again. We still have the mindset that we have a lot more basketball to play."

If that happens, Dekker will have a new chair to put in front of his locker.

One with a different meaning.

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.

A rematch of last year’s West regional final is on tap for the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, as the top-seeded Wisconsin Badgers square off against the second-seeded Arizona Wildcats for a spot in the Final Four.

The Badgers were the No. 2 seed a year ago when they upset the top-seeded Wildcats 64-63 in overtime as 3.5-point underdogs in Anaheim.

Arizona backers are hoping a slight change of scenery and seeding may be the difference this time around. However, they have lost four straight Elite 8 games dating to 2001, according to the Odds Shark database.

On the positive side, Arizona is 8-2 ATS in 10 games vs No. 1 seeds since 1996.

Opening Spread

The Wildcats opened as two-point favorites. The total was 134.

Why Arizona Will Cover the Spread

The Wildcats simply had no answer for Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky in last year’s Elite Eight loss, as the big man went off for a game-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to single-handedly take his team to the Final Four.

The Badgers needed every one of those points too, and Arizona should be able to make some key adjustments defensively to make sure Kaminsky does not have a similar performance.

The Wildcats will have a different look about them as well heading into this meeting, with freshman Stanley Johnson replacing then-freshman Aaron Gordon, who really struggled offensively against Wisconsin with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in his final game before heading to the NBA.

Johnson had 12 points and six rebounds in Arizona’s 68-60 win over the sixth-seeded Xavier Musketeers in the Sweet 16.

The Wildcats failed to cover the spread as 11.5-point favorites against the Musketeers but should be much more motivated to avenge their loss to Wisconsin.

Why Wisconsin Will Cover the Spread

The Badgers were lucky to cover the number in their 79-72 victory against the fourth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday, as the final margin was their biggest lead of the game and was just enough to beat the six-point line.

But Wisconsin still prevailed and was able to overcome the Tar Heels making nearly 62 percent of their three-point attempts (8-of-13).

Even though Kaminsky won Big Ten Player of the Year honors this year, the Badgers are a much more well-rounded team than when they last met Arizona. Just look at their win over the Tar Heels, with Sam Dekker scoring a career-high 23 points to go along with 19 from Kaminsky and 12 from Nigel Hayes.

Wisconsin also now has point guard Traevon Jackson back after he missed 19 games due to a foot injury, giving the team even more depth. Jackson had 10 points and five assists in last year’s game against the Wildcats.

Smart Betting Pick

While both of these teams were fortunate to advance to the Elite Eight, there is no doubt they are the best of the West region and belong here.

Arizona’s somewhat close victory against Xavier is more of a concern, though, because Wisconsin will play a similar style and has superior players to execute that game plan.

The Badgers are also a better team than they were last year, which is obviously why they were awarded the top seed when they and the Wildcats had identical records and each won their conference tournaments.

Finally, Wisconsin is 6-2-1 against the spread in its last nine games as an underdog, winning six straight up. Bet the Badgers again.

Odds Shark Power Rankings

• Arizona Wildcats: No. 1
• Wisconsin Badgers: No. 5

All spread and betting information powered by Odds Shark. Download the free Lines and Bet Tracker app in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky isn’t only a superstar, he may be the superstar in the NCAA tournament. After all, he is a recognizable player who will likely be a lottery pick in the draft, went to the Final Four a year ago and could win the National Player of the Year award for his excellent season.

However, Kaminsky is not going to carry the Badgers to the promised land all by himself, even if they are a No. 1 seed. That is where his teammates must step in.

One of the most important teammates who will play a critical role in Wisconsin’s potential run to the national title is Nigel Hayes. He is also the team’s most underrated player who often flies under the radar alongside players like Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Bronson Koenig.

On the season, Hayes averaged 12.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 steals per game, which were all significant jumps from last year’s production. He also shot 51 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range, which was particularly impressive because he didn’t attempt a single shot from beyond the arc as a freshman.

At 6’7”, Hayes plays larger than his listed size when battling for the boards, but he can stretch the floor and create mismatches when facing opposing power forwards. 

He is also a monster on the offensive boards and flashed his potential in that department earlier in the tournament against Coastal Carolina, as Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

#Badgers Nigel Hayes has 13 pts and 8 boards at half. And did I mention 7 of the boards are on the offensive end?

— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) March 21, 2015

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports called Hayes Wisconsin’s biggest X-factor heading into the tournament:

It has been swept under the rug because of how well Frank Kaminsky and Bronson Koenig have played this season for the Badgers, but Hayes' overall improvement from last year to this one has been beyond impressive. The 6-7 sophomore didn't attempt a single 3-point shot last year as a freshman and has now made 31 attempts from long distance while shooting 40.3 percent from deep. Hayes has also improved at the free-throw line, now making 75 percent of his shots from the stripe after shooting just 58.5 percent a season ago. With so much attention always on Kaminsky, Koenig, and Sam Dekker, Hayes has a chance to be a difference-maker for Wisconsin if he can keep producing like he's been producing…The Badgers are a better team than they were a year ago and Hayes' development is a major reason why.

As Rothstein seemed to suggest, it is about more than just the raw numbers when it comes to the versatile Hayes, though, especially with a potential path of North Carolina, Arizona and Kentucky standing in his team’s way before the national championship game.

Hayes’ value in the Sweet 16 game against the Tar Heels will come on the boards, where he is second on the team in rebounds per game. North Carolina pounds the offensive glass (it finished 18th in the nation in offensive rebounds a night) and often creates most of its points by shooting from the outside and following up misses with an array of rebounders.

In fact, seven different players on North Carolina averaged at least 2.9 rebounds per game, and two of them (Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks) pulled in at least 7.4 a night. The Tar Heels have a number of guys who crash the glass, which means Kaminsky is going to need some help down low. Hayes will have to turn in one of his best rebounding performances of the season.

Arizona presents a different problem in a possible Elite Eight matchup.

The Wildcats have a handful of players who can be matchup nightmares, including Stanley Johnson, Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Hayes will be asked to at least slow one of them down and provide help with defense on the others. Wisconsin will need its matchup nightmare—Hayes—to slow down Arizona’s matchup nightmares.

What’s more, if the Badgers do play Kentucky, Hayes—along with Kaminsky—is a major reason why so many people think Wisconsin is on the short list of teams that could possibly do the unthinkable and defeat the Wildcats.

Hayes and Kaminsky stretch the floor with their three-point shooting ability, which will draw the likes of Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the Kentucky bigs away from the rim, where they are so dominant. Hayes will theoretically open up the lane for penetration from Dekker or one of the guards to create open looks for themselves and teammates.

The Wildcats have a number of intimidating shot-blockers on the roster who control the game with just their presence alone. Hayes is one of those rare players who is strong enough to battle with them in the paint but skilled enough to draw them away from the basket and mitigate some of that defensive impact.

Hayes also won’t be intimidated by the moment, even if he is playing against the undefeated Wildcats, as Wisconsin assistant coach Lamont Paris suggested, per Genaro C. Armas of The Associated Press, via ABC News: "Pressure has never really been something that's affected him much. It's just his personality."

It is good for the Badgers that pressure doesn’t impact Hayes much because there will certainly be plenty of it when he helps lead his team to the Final Four.

Follow me on Twitter:

Follow @ScottPolacek

LOS ANGELES — As a youngster growing up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Bronson Koenig spent so much time shooting hoops at the local YMCA that he was often teased with the same question.

"Do you have a bed in the back?"

Some days, when he realized his son wouldn't be returning home for lunch, Paul Koenig stopped by the facility with ham sandwiches and watermelon slices. When the pickup games stretched into the evenings, Paul returned with loose change so Bronson could buy snacks from the vending machine.

"It was better than shooting in my driveway," Bronson said. "The ball would always go out into the street, so my dad would have to put up cones for cars to drive around."

Koenig paused.

"Plus," he said, "at the Y, there were always people to play against, always guys that could make you better."

The work ethic Koenig displayed at an early age only enhanced as he grew older. That's why no one who's followed his career is surprised to see him where he is today: the starting point guard for a Wisconsin squad just two wins away from a second straight Final Four.

The Badgers—the No. 1 seed in the West Region—play No. 4 seed North Carolina Thursday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"Bronson is one of the biggest reasons we're here," said senior Josh Gasser, who plays alongside Koenig in the Wisconsin backcourt. "He got thrown into the fire a little more quickly than he expected, but he didn't flinch."

Indeed, Koenig entered the season as the backup to starter Traevon Jackson, one of the heroes of last season's Final Four run. Jackson, though, injured his right foot in a Jan. 11 loss to Rutgers and hasn't played since.

Losing a third-year starter—especially a point guard—would devastate most teams, but Wisconsin didn't miss a beat. Thanks to Koenig, the Badgers may have actually gotten better.

Wisconsin is 18-1 overall since Koenig became the starter, with the only setback coming in a 59-53 loss at Maryland. He is averaging 12.0 points during that span and has gone 43-of-95 (45.3 percent) from three-point range. Even more impressive is that he's averaging just one turnover every 29.8 minutes.

All of it has resulted in Wisconsin boasting the country's top offense. According to KenPom.com, the Badgers average a national-best 124.9 points per 100 per possessions.

Clearly, Wisconsin is efficient with Koenig running the point.

Jackson is slated to return to the court against North Carolina, but Koenig has a stranglehold on the starting position for the rest of the season.

The 6'4" Koenig said he had confidence in himself when Jackson went down in January.

"At first I was like, 'OK, I can do this,'" Koenig said. "Then I started feeling pressure for a few days. It was a combination of everything. But once I stepped on the floor for my first game as a starter, I felt comfortable.

"Overall, I think I've done pretty well."

There was a time not long ago when Koenig would've predicted he'd be on the opposite bench for Thursday's game between the Badgers and Tar Heels.

North Carolina—along with Wisconsin, Duke and Kansas—was among his heaviest suitors entering his senior season of high school. He played on the same AAU team as North Carolina junior J.P. Tokoto. And the sharpshooter said he developed such a close relationship with coach Roy Williams that, when he eventually signed with the Badgers, he didn't have the courage to tell Williams.

Williams, who finally received a phone call from Koenig three months after his commitment, obviously doesn't hold a grudge.

"I loved him as a kid and I loved him as a player," Williams said. "I wanted him badly. I pulled for him like crazy (this season) and I'll pull for him like crazy (Thursday). I just won't pull for his whole team to do well.

"But he's a big-time young man that I really enjoyed recruiting."

Like a lot of players recruited by an in-state power, the lure of staying close to home was too strong for Koenig to ignore. But the opportunity to compete in front of family members and friends wasn't the only reason he picked Wisconsin.

Koenig is part Native American, with the bloodline on his mother's side tracing back centuries. As a member of the Ho-Chunk tribe, he was educated about his heritage during his childhood and often attended pow-wows near Black River Falls.

As he grew older, Koenig became a role model for Native Americans, who, according to an article in Sports Illustrated, have an elevated high school dropout rate and struggle with health issues such as binge drinking and diabetes.

Athletic success, especially at an elite level, is rare, the article states.

"All of a sudden," Koenig said, "I was going to pow-wows and kids were asking for my autograph and wanting to take pictures with me. On social media, people were tweeting at me and sending me nice messages on Facebook.

"It's nice to know that I have the support of a whole nation of people."

Wisconsin officials said they've received an abundance of requests from Native American groups asking for Koenig to speak. While he's granted some of them, there simply isn't enough time to get to them all.

Especially considering what lies ahead.

As much as he's embraced the pedestal that comes along with being a Wisconsin player, Koenig's focus is guiding the Badgers to an NCAA title. They came close last season before Kentucky's Aaron Harrison ruined their dreams with a three-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining. The shot proved to be the difference in a 74-73 Final Four loss.

The setback has driven Wisconsin all season and will certainly be on its mind this week in Los Angeles, where a victory Thursday would catapult it into an Elite Eight matchup with either Arizona or Xavier on Saturday.

For that to happen, Koenig will have to be at his best.

Just like he has been since January.

"There's a big difference between playing 15 minutes a game and 38 minutes game," Gasser said, "but Bronson hasn't missed a beat. Sometimes we have to remind him of how much confidence we have in him.

"I'm not sure he realizes just how good of a player he's become."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.

Big news, Wisconsin fans—point guard Traevon Jackson is coming back at just the right time from his foot injury.

Continue for updates.  

---

Jackson Will Play in Sweet 16

Wednesday, March 25

Jesse Temple of Fox Sports Wisconsin noted Wednesday that Jackson is going to hit the floor Thursday for Wisconsin’s Sweet 16 clash against North Carolina:

Traevon Jackson says he's playing tomorrow. No limitations. Buckle up. #Badgers

— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) March 25, 2015

Jackson has not appeared in a game this season since a Jan. 11 loss to Rutgers because of a fractured foot, but he averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per night before the injury. His impact goes beyond the box score, though, as the point guard sets up the Badgers’ ruthlessly efficient offense (that is ranked No. 1 in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings) and puts his teammates in ideal positions to score.

The fact that Temple said there will be no limitations is encouraging for Wisconsin because Jackson will have to deal with superstar point guard Marcus Paige and a Tar Heels squad that loves to get up and down the floor in transition. There will certainly be some running involved on that foot.

Jackson was a critical cog in the Wisconsin team that reached the Final Four last season, and he brings veteran leadership and experience to the table as well as a solid jumper and passing abilities. The No. 1 seed in the West Region is finally whole again, which could be trouble for the rest of the field.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has all the confidence on the field, but how about on the court?

Rodgers has been following along with this year's NCAA tournament just like the rest of us, and he chose Wisconsin to go all the way.   

As far as #MarchMadness goes, I have Wisconsin winning it all. And before 12 today I lost a final four team. Also had Georgia State. #picks

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) March 20, 2015

His prediction is still running, as Wisconsin punched its ticket into the Sweet 16 by beating Oregon, 72-65, on Sunday. After the Badgers' win, a Twitter user asked Rodgers which Wisconsin player he would would want to ball against.

Rodgers chose forward Sam Dekker, which might be a bad idea, as the 6'9" junior is a key anchor to the Badgers' success:

“@luvdapack: @AaronRodgers12 Which Badger player would you like to go up against?” @samdek1 in the post. Show off my @bgoodvlade moves

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) March 23, 2015

Dekker isn't buying Rodgers' "Vlade Divac"-type moves, as he opened the request on Twitter:  

. @AaronRodgers12 @luvdapack @bgoodvlade bro you have nothing on me in the post. You'll see this week in LA

— Sam Dekker (@samdek1) March 23, 2015

To be continued.

[Twitter, h/t Sporting News]