Wisconsin Badgers returned to the Top 25 after a few week hiatus this week. But with their schedule ahead of them, it could have been a short visit. Badgers visited Lincoln, Nebraska on Tuesday night with a Cornhuskers team that was desperate for a victory to strength their bubble case. If that wasn’t enough, they play Maryland on Friday night in a rematch of a tough loss for Wisconsin. Other than a slight second half dip, Wisconsin did their job against Nebraska to win their fourth straight Big Ten Game, 62-51

Player of the Game: Brad Davison – Buzzcut Brad keyed Wisconsin’s second half run as the Badgers did find themselves trailing with about 12 minutes left in the game. Davison stepped up with some big shots in the second half finishing with 13 points with 10 of them coming in the second half. The Badgers guard put a dagger through the Cornhuskers’ hearts late with a layup that put the game on ice for Wisconsin.

Silver Star: Charlie Thomas – What has made Wisconsin impressive and suddenly a bit dangerous over the past few weeks has been ‘Guys not named Ethan Happ showing up.’ Case in point, Charlie Thomas. He played a very strong second half for Wisconsin with five points, three rebounds and a block shot. But Thomas was able to play a part in handling Nebraska’s second half run.

Thing I like: Badgers defense continues to show its teeth – Look at this from Wisconsin in their last four wins, they’ve held opponents to 53, 60, 46 and 51 points. That’s pretty damn good for Wisconsin. They’re not letting any easy buckets go of late. The only reason Illinois had 60 was due to the pace of play, more so than the team making shots. Badgers perimeter defense is one of the best in the country, and what could lead them to a long run in the NCAA Tournament.

Thing I Didn’t Like: Starting the second slow – Wisconsin had a 14 point lead in the first half. They kept the crowd quieted and looked like they were going to roll in this game. Nebraska’s coach Tim Miles must have delivered a great halftime speech because the Cornhuskers came out firing and made this game early in the second. Badgers responded well, but they need to be more prepared out of halftime.

Next up: As mentioned, they’ll be headed home to play Maryland on Friday night. It’s a big one for Bucky as they’ll try to win their fifth straight game. It’s also critical considering Michigan State and Michigan both loom the following week. Maryland has never beaten a ranked opponent during the Mark Turgeon era.

Charlie.