If it’s possible, I think the Badger basketball team is better than their 18-5 record suggests. Even when they’ve lost this season they’ve looked solid. This team just appears to be focused, rock steady and consistent. Of course, great guard play will do that for a team, and having a pair of seniors like Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes together with a mature-beyond-his-years sophomore like Jordan Taylor have certainly given the Badgers that.

But there is something else about this team, something I can’t quite put my finger on, something intangible that has allowed this group to be resilient enough to withstand the loss of Jon Leuer, their second leading scorer and a big body that is in short supply, going 5-2 since he went down with a wrist injury. I suppose some of the credit could go to Bo Ryan and his staff, and I imagine that his steadiness is part of the reason that this year’s team has been so solid. But this group, for whatever reason, seems to have more backbone and grit then Ryan’s previous teams (which, it should be noted, rarely lacked for these qualities).

Whatever the reason, I have found myself getting more and more swept up with the 2009-10 installment of the Badgers. Maybe this is because I didn’t see this coming prior to the season–they have certainly exceeded my expectations so far. The excitement is building for me, particularly when I wonder how good they might be should Jon Leuer be able to play later this season.

This is a situation worth monitoring.

Chris is a regular contributor to Wisconsin SportsOnline LLC. Visit his blog and Pocket Doppler for all his musings and observations on not only the Brewers but also the Badgers, Packers and everything in between. Chris also co-hosts Packers Therapy, a Packers related podcast with his partner Dave.

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