When I first heard the Men’s Basketball foreign trip was to Canada, I was skeptical. In fact, a text message I sent to a Hawkeye friend of mine said exactly this, “Wisconsin basketball’s international trip is to Canada, that’s how you sell a recruit!”
I mean it seems like most teams use their foreign trip to actually, you know, travel abroad. Canada just doesn’t fit that bill.
That was until I actually thought about the benefits.
With the Badgers now in Canada and ready to play five games in six days, I thought it’d be worth exploring what the program is gaining from taking this trip specifically to Canada.
Competition
The competition Wisconsin will be facing is difficult, to say the least. The trip starts against Carleton which is a Canadian collegiate powerhouse. The Ravens have won nine of the last 11 national championships and already own victories over two NCAA teams this summer. Along with two other collegiate games, the Badgers will twice face A-Game Hoops which is a team loaded with professional Canadian players. These games will not be easy, and they’ll test the Badgers early.
Recruiting
The Canadian basketball scene is growing immensely. With Andrew Wiggins leading the way, the Great White North is no longer just a hockey country. Each year more and more Canadian players are getting Division I basketball scholarships, and it is an untapped region for many schools. By playing some of the top schools in Canada, Wisconsin will be exposed to teenage basketball players in Eastern Canada. While this may not directly lead to a recruit, the odds of doing so are much better than if the team was playing in Ireland, for example.
Convenience
Obviously, a short trip is more convenient than a trip across the Atlantic. This goes for the team, family members, and fans.
The trip is convenient for the team because there will be no jetlag like there would be if the team traveled to Europe. Classes start soon, and while that may not seem like a huge deal, Wisconsin has six freshman that need to get used to long, busy days. Starting school on jetlag would not be ideal.
The difference of only one time zone also makes it much easier for family members and fans to actually watch the games. As Andy brought up earlier, there are quite a few reasons to watch these games, and with two of them streaming in prime time, there is no reason to miss them.
While most college kids would probably want the free trip to Europe, the Badger basketball team will benefit from staying in North America. And let’s hope they learn a thing or two up there as well.
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