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Getting defensive Badgers earning respect in NCAA's
Posted: Tuesday May 02, 2000 02:58 PM
Wisconsin is one of the surprise teams of this year's NCAA Tournament. The Badgers dispatched the West Regional's top seed in Arizona and now they set their sights on the No. 4 seed LSU Tigers on Thursday night in a semifinal game. CNNSI.com's Mark Viviano had a chance to talk to Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett about the success of his team in the postseason. Mark Viviano : Coach Bennett, it is a rare feat for a No. 8 seed to knock of a top seed and you guys did that against Arizona. How long does this euphoria linger knowing that you have business with LSU on Thursday? Dick Bennett : The euphoria lingers probably through the weekend but I think by the beginning of the week, our feet are on the ground because you only get one chance at this and you want to make good and I was reasonably impressed with the level-headedness of our fellows. Viviano : Coach, maybe the best way to describe your team is unselfish. You even talk about your players serving and being servants. Talk about that philosophy and how you them to buy into that? Bennett : Kids want to play on a winning team. They want to have a chance to be successful no matter who they go against. We concluded a long time ago that the only way we are going to have a chance is if we share the basketball, if we help one another defensively, if we set some screens to get folks open, if we rotate and cover. In other words, if we serve one another. Viviano : Coach, whenever you mention LSU, the first guy that comes to mind is Stromile Swift. He's got size, he's quick. He really looks like an NBA-type of talent. Your Badgers are known for defense. How do you defend these guys? Bennett : Well, I don't know if you can. I'm really impressed with them. They seem to play extremely well on the half court. Coach Brady has done a magnificent job with that team. Their outside people are very sound and their inside guys are just really very special. And he (Swift) in particular can go past you or shoot over you. Viviano : Coach your Badgers have been a big part of all excitement going on with all the upsets. And in your region in particular, the top three seeds are gone. It's wide open. Do you talk to your players about the possibility here of even being a Final Four team? Bennett : We talk about touching the dream and I guess that would be the dream. These are bright kids. And there's not a need to over-say anything. In fact, this is probably a time when you just make sure you get your hour-and-a-half on the floor and say as little as possible so you don't get in the way. They are well aware of what's out there yet. Viviano : Dick you are there in Madison, also known as "Madtown" and the town has been swept up with Badger football. There have been three trips to the Rose Bowl in the last six years. Is your basketball team able to feed off of some of that momentum and excitement? Does it translate at all on to the court? Bennett : I think it does because essentially, we have the same fans and they have been very supportive throughout the years. The only question is whether they have any money left over from their trips to Pasadena to go down to Albuquerque. That's always a problem. That's such a big trip and now they are starting to plan on that Rose Bowl every year. Indeed, we've capitalized on the success that our football team has had and our fans have really been behind us. Viviano : Well, Dick it looks like it's been a fun ride so far into the Sweet 16. Best of luck to you and the Badgers from here. Bennett : Yes, thank you very much Mark. I appreciate it.
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