Hibachi

A "Hibachi" is a traditional Japanese heating device. It has also become a term to describe basketball players who are shooting well or are "hot" (see Arenas, Gilbert).

Well, to steal the term from Agent Zero (Mr. Arenas), the Badgers Men's Basketball team is "hibachi." After making 12 of 23 three point shoots Saturday vs. Penn State, the Badgers have shot 40% or better from behind the arc in each of the last 5 games. This is a vast improvement for a team that was making threes at just a 26% rate in the first 8 league games.

Leading the way behind the arc is the Badgers' starting backcourt, with Taylor and Flowers combining to shoot 22-45 (49%) from long distance during the five game stretch. JBo (Jason Bohannon) was Hibachi yesterday, making three of four threes and not touching the rim on the three makes.

Granted the last five Badger opponents have been PSU (twice), Iowa, Minnesota and Northwestern, each of those opponents has tried to use a zone defense to frustrate the Badgers after seeing the success Indiana had on January 31st.

This hot shooting could not come at a better time. The Badgers enter arguably the most important three game stretch in the history of the program. Michigan State, a team that has been very inconsistent all year, is coming off a dismantling of Iowa yesterday. The Spartans are in the midst of a four game home stand and need to beat the Badgers and Indiana in order to make a case for an at-large NCAA tournament bid. No doubt MSU also wants to pay back the Badgers for the infamous banner game a couple of years ago.

Looming a week from today is a possible 1 vs. 2 match up in Columbus against the Buckeyes. The winner of that game, no matter what happens against MSU on Tuesday, will be in the driver's seat for the #1 seed in the Midwest regional. It promises to be an exciting three game stretch leading into the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAAs.