There’s little doubt who has the experience advantage come Monday, as Coach K leads his Duke Blue Devils in to their ninth NCAA championship game. However, this is the first time the Blue Devils have been to the championship game since the 2009-10 season and that means none of the players were around for it.
Advantage Wisconsin? Only if they stay loose and be themselves over the next 36 hours or so.
If Sunday’s championship game press conference is any indication, don’t expect the Badgers to be overwhelmed by or intimidated by the moment. That’s because the starting five and head coach Bo Ryan certainly had a lot of fun with the press conference.
https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/584789481334636544
"The problem with my guys is they're too tense. Can't you see that?" – Bo Ryan pic.twitter.com/DcYvMbvUYy
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 5, 2015
Naturally it started with Nigel Hayes and his obsession with the stenographer:
https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/584791698179514369
Hayes’ word of the day? It was rather appropriate for the occasion that’s for sure.
Nigel Hayes' word of the day is "logorrhea," which is defined as an overly excessive use of words, and is therefore very fitting.
— Paul Myerberg (@PaulMyerberg) April 5, 2015
Well played sir, well played indeed.
Even Sam Dekker got in on the act, having fun with a photographer and apparently being bored enough to rip apart the gatorade cup in front of him.
Sam Dekker appears to have dissected a Gatorade cup and put the bottom piece over his microphone for some reason
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) April 5, 2015
The lesson here, don’t expect these Wisconsin Badgers to be anything but themselves on or off the court no matter the moment.
If ever there was a team to end the Badgers’ 71-year NCAA championship drought, this team and its makeup are exactly that team. We’ll all see in about 28 hours or so, but there’s a reason the slogan this season is #MakeEmBelieve.
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