At first glance it may look like what’s on the line in Sunday’s Minnesota-Wisconsin basketball game at Williams Arena is positioning for post-season play. Sure enough the Gophers, 13-6 and 3-4 in the Big Ten Conference, will be trying to strengthen their fragile record and NCAA hopes, while the Badgers, 17-3 and 7-1, are in the conference title chase and a solid bet to qualify for the NCAA tournament. But there’s more “booty” involved on Sunday, particularly for the University of Minnesota whose basketball and football teams have long been losing ground in the border war.
Check this out: the football team is 2-8 in the last 10 meetings with the Badgers. In basketball, Wisconsin has won four straight, taken four of the last five games and is 12-2 against Minnesota going back to 2000.
Historically, Minnesota leads the all-time football series against Wisconsin with a 59-50-8 record. In basketball the Gophers are 91-82 versus the Badgers.
But it’s not just on the field and court where in recent years Bucky has been knocking Goldy Gopher on the head. The Badgers are enjoying more recruiting success in Minnesota than at any time in memory. Wisconsin was 12-1 in football in 2006, led by starting quarterback John Stocco of Richfield. Last fall’s Badgers included Minnesota contributors such as David Gilreath of New Hope who led the Big Ten in punt return average at 14 yards per game and placed 10th in the conference in all purpose yards at 104.3 yards a game. The Wisconsin 2008 recruiting class includes commitments from two of the most highly sought Minnesotans, defensive end Brendan Kelly of Eden Prairie and offensive lineman Joe Schafer of St. Paul.
The Badger basketball roster includes freshman center Jon Leuer of Orono and junior forward Kevin Gullikson of Stillwater. Leuer had 12 points at Duke and 25 at Michigan earlier this season. The 2008 Wisconsin recruiting class includes guard Jordan Taylor of Bloomington (Benilde St. Margaret’s) and Jared Berggren of Princeton.
The Gophers can win a small battle and make a statement with a win on Sunday. The task means taking on a Badger team that is ranked No. 13 in national polls this week. The Badgers are a balanced bunch with only three players scoring in double figures and none averaging over 14 points per game. Wisconsin averages 69.7 points per game and gives up only 54.5.
The Gophers seniors, center Spencer Tollackson, forward Dan Coleman and guard Lawrence McKenzie, need to play with consistency to lead the Gophers on Sunday. But playing before an emotional crowd and with a chance to win for just the second time in their careers against the Badgers, there’s plenty of incentive. Given the Badgers dominance in football and basketball, plus recruiting in-roads, make it a “booty-full” incentive.