When Traevon Jackson noticed the interlocking green “ND” on Wisconsin’s schedule, he figured he would get to face Notre Dame. Turned out to be North Dakota.
“They’re coming south for warmer weather,” said Badgers coach Bo Ryan, the 65-year-old aspiring comedian.
But the Badgers’ nonconference schedule is no joke, considering it includes St. John’s, Florida, Saint Louis, Virginia and Marquette.
“We’ll be tested early and often,” Ryan said. “Strength of schedule will not be a problem. And if it’s not the youngest team we’ve had since I’ve been here, it’s close. We’re trying to get old in a hurry.”
While society seeks the fountain of youth, Ryan frets over a team with six true freshmen, a group that lost frontcourt veterans Ryan Evans, Jared Berggren and Mike Bruesewitz.
The obvious step-up guy is Sam Dekker, who averaged a team-high 19.4 points during the Badgers’ summer tour of Canada. (Ryan joked that when his players witnessed the Changing of the Guard, it did not involve substituting for the 6-foot-1 Ben Brust or 6-3 Josh Gasser.)
Dekker was the 19th-ranked recruit in his class, and he justified that acclaim as a freshman, averaging 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range. Ryan chuckled when asked if Dekker needs to adopt more of a scorer’s mentality.
Short answer: No, he is not shy.
“He’s putting an emphasis on getting to the hoop, to the free-throw line, getting the easy shots,” Jackson said. “He can always shoot 3s.”
Jackson took over the point last season after Gasser needed ACL surgery on his left knee. Gasser is still not 100 percent, but he’s back and the plan is to move him to the wing.
“He’s a guy who can create,” Jackson said. “And defensively, he can do it all.”
Jackson, son of Ohio State great Jim Jackson, sounded a little bummed that his team won’t play the Irish.
“Still, we have a great nonconference (slate),” he said. “It’s exciting. You want to go against the best. It will make us learn quick, which is better for us. Why not get better early?”
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