'Sconnie Six Pack 11/21
The Bucks get Pat Connaughton back, the Badgers may be at nearly full-force against the Gophers, and Wisconsin women's hockey defeats Minnesota
Bucks’ Pat Connaughton poised to make season debut tonight against Trail Blazers
The Milwaukee Bucks (11-4) have been without shooting guard Pat Connaughton for the first fifteen games of the NBA season, but it appears that he will play in his first game tonight as the Bucks host the Portland Trail Blazers (10-6). You can watch tonight’s game at 7:00PM CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.
While the Bucks are getting one of their key players back from injury, the Trail Blazers are not so fortunate. Connaughton was not listed on Milwaukee’s injury report yesterday suggesting that he will play tonight. Damian Lillard, Portland’s all-star guard, suffered a right leg injury forcing him out of the Trail Blazer’s lineup for at least one week.
The loss of Lillard will force Portland to turn to other members of its team against Milwaukee’s stout defense. Lillard is one of four Portland players to average between 35 and 36 minutes. He is also the team’s leader in points per game (26.3) and assists per game (7.0). His departure from the lineup will be difficult to overcome for the Trail Blazers against the Bucks defense which holds opponents to the second-lowest shooting percentage and the fourth-fewest points per game in the league.
Wisconsin football hopeful that key personnel can return from injury or suspension for rivalry game against Minnesota
The Wisconsin Badgers (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) are as healthy as they have been all season leading up to this Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten).
Wisconsin released its preliminary injury report for this weekend’s matchup and it included two notable absences. The first, running back Braelon Allen was not listed on the injury report. This comes as a bit of a surprise as Allen has notably been playing through a shoulder injury and left Wisconsin’s most-recent game in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury. The second player notably absent from the injury report is defensive end Isaiah Mullens. Mullens has not played since Wisconsin’s loss to Illinois on October 1st. Mullens return to the lineup would be a huge addition to the Badgers’ defensive line against a Minnesota team that runs the ball exceptionally well. Minnesota’s star running back Mohamed Ibrahim ran for a career-high 263 yards last week against Iowa. Mullens was not listed, however, on Wisconsin’s preliminary injury reports before its games against both Iowa and Nebraska; Mullens did not play in either matchup.
Mullens’ return would be particularly helpful in the case that Wisconsin is not successful in its appeal of linebacker Nick Herbig’s ejection for targeting. Herbig was ejected in the second half of Wisconsin’s game against Nebraska and is currently ineligible to play in the first half of the game against Minnesota. Herbig currently leads all of FBS in sacks per game and the Big Ten in tackles for loss per game (eighth in FBS). Wisconsin’s interim head coach Jim Leonhard told the media today that the team is appealing Herbig’s targeting ejection in an effort to make him eligible to play the full game against Minnesota.
Bucks’ Khris Middleton assigned to and recalled from Wisconsin Herd
The Milwaukee Bucks’ all-star small forward Khris Middleton was assigned to Milwaukee’s G-League team the Wisconsin Herd today. Wesley Matthews was also assigned to the Herd. They have both been recalled to the Bucks already.
Middleton has been recovering from a wrist injury that has kept him out of the Bucks lineup so far this season. Matthews suffered a leg injury a little over a week ago that has kept him out of the lineup since.
Both were seemingly assigned to get additional practice time as part of their injury rehabilitation process that would not have been available with the Bucks. Middleton and Matthews went through practice with the Herd and were then recalled to the Bucks. The Herd to not play again until November 26th.
Wisconsin women’s hockey defeats Minnesota - both shuffle around in latest rankings
After a tie on Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers (11-2-1, 8-1-1 WCHA) soundly defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-2-2, 9-2-2 WCHA) by a score of 4-1 yesterday afternoon.
Four different Badgers scored in a game that was tied after the first period. Minnesota did not score a goal in the remaining 43:06, however, after scoring a first period powerplay goal to tie the game at 1-1. The Badgers scored once in the second period to take a 2-1 lead into the final 20 minutes before adding two more goals as insurance. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 40-29 and won 13 more faceoffs (31-18).
The most notable performance of the day, and the entire series, came from Wisconsin goaltender Cami Kronish. Kronish did not start the game Sunday, but entered the game after fellow netminder Jane Gervais left early in the first period with an injury. Kronish recorded 64 saves on the weekend on 68 shots including stopping 26 of 27 on Sunday. Her performance with a highlight reel save Saturday led to her being featured in the number one spot on SportsCenter’s top plays. Today, Kronish was named the WCHA conference’s Goaltender of the Week.
Following this weekend’s series, Minnesota and Wisconsin shuffled around at the top of the USCHO Division 1 Women’s Hockey Poll. Minnesota fell from first to third. Wisconsin rose from third to second. Their fellow conference-mate, Ohio State, rose from second to third.
The Badgers have a bye-week this week and will play again at Bemidji State on December 2nd and 3rd.
Topping-off the six pack & Axe Week Extra: Minnesota nearly ruins one of college football’s best traditions
Paul Bunyan’s Axe is one of the best rivalry trophies in sports. In my humble opinion, I think it is the best. An axe is great for doing one thing if doing nothing else - chopping. That’s why the winner of the annual Wisconsin-Minnesota football game engages in one of college football’s best traditions - “chopping down” the opponent’s goalposts. Not only that, but the winner of the game and trophy rushes the opposing sideline to take the Axe back if the winner does not currently possess it.
Minnesota’s 2013 team nearly ruined all of that. After Wisconsin defeated Minnesota for the tenth-straight year, the Badgers took to the field with Paul Bunyan’s Axe to chop down the opposing goalposts. Instead, Minnesota’s players stood around the goalpost, blocking Wisconsin’s players, pushing them, and yelling profanities. It is one of the most absurd, unsportsmanlike, and short-sighted moments in sports that I can personally recall.
This threatened both the traditions of chopping the goalposts and rushing the opposing sideline to reclaim possession of the Axe. The following year, in response to the actions of Minnesota’s players after the 2013 game, the Axe remained in the Wisconsin locker room until after the game. Wisconsin and Minnesota fans alike did not like this decision made by head coach Gary Andersen, but ultimately, it would not have been necessary if it were not for the actions of the Golden Gophers. You would think that after losing to their rival for ten consecutive years, Minnesota would know how to do so with grace.
Maybe I’m in the wrong though. I’m unable to empathize with Gophers fans on this issue. How could I? After all, Wisconsin has never lost ten-straight games against Minnesota.
On, Wisconsin.