Wisconsin Basketball: Three storylines to watch in the Big Ten Tournament for the Badgers

A look at three keys to the Badgers making a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament.

The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is looking to get back on track after dropping a heartbreaking loss to Nebraska to end the regular season. The defeat not only bumped the Badgers down to a No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament but also allowed Illinois to tie Wisconsin in the conference standings and secure a share of the B1G title.

However, as Brad Davison mentioned during media availability on Wednesday, all of the team's goals remain ahead of them in terms of the conference tournament and March Madness. 

Let's dig into a trio of storylines that could determine how far the Badgers can go in the Big Ten Tournament:

Johnny Davis has scored 25 points in each of the first two meetings with Michigan State this season.  :: Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The health of Johnny Davis

After spraining his right ankle in the second half against Nebraska last weekend, Johnny Davis has stated that he intends to play Friday evening against Michigan State. Considering his importance on the team, the health of Johnny Davis and his ability to play through injury will be critical in determining how well the Badgers do in the tournament. 

Fortunately, Wisconsin received a double-bye based on being a top-4 seed, giving Davis and the ankle time to rest up. 

Wisconsin is a different team with Davis on the floor. The threat of him taking over a game and his ability to get downhill to attack the rim opens up the rest of the floor for the players around him. 

Davis scored exactly 25 points in each of the two matchups with Michigan State this season, and he will likely need to put together another strong showing to help guide the Badgers into the weekend portion of the Big Ten Tournament. 

Jordan Davis (left), Steven Crowl (middle), and Chucky Hepburn (right) look on in disappointment after falling to Nebraska.  / Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Bounce back opportunities

The Nebraska game was one to forget for Steven Crowl and Chucky Hepburn. 

The young starting duo combined for only 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting, including 0-of-5 from three-point range. 

Individually, Crowl also recorded a season-high four turnovers and was outplayed by backup Chris Vogt. An uncharacteristic performance, Crowl came into the game with a total of 12 turnovers in the previous 12 games. He will need to take better care of the ball for the Badgers against Michigan State, a team that loves to get out in transition after turnovers. 

Unlike Crowl, Chucky Hepburn's performance was not littered with turnovers, but the freshman point guard did miss a couple of critical shots late in the game against Nebraska. Hepburn missed a free throw that would have tied the game up for the Badgers and also was off the mark on a late three-point attempt for the win. 

Those types of misses happen, and Hepburn is still one of Wisconsin's top options to take those shots in crunch time. After all, he connected on a dramatic game-winning three against Purdue the game prior. However, Hepburn is incredibly competitive and wishes to have those two shot attempts back to change the outcome. 

Hepburn and Crowl's ability to bounce back will be vital for the Badgers because the two youngsters have played incredibly well this season and will be tested by Michigan State. 

Greg Gard and Brad Davison celebrating a share of the Big Ten regular season title after taking down Purdue.  / Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

The path

As the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wisconsin Badgers received a couple of extra days to prepare for Indianapolis. 

A four-point win by Michigan State over Maryland on Thursday afternoon and an upset win by Penn State over Ohio State in the second round have helped provide clarity for Wisconsin's path moving forward. 

First up, Greg Gard's bunch will take on Michigan State at 5:30 p.m. CST on Friday. The Badgers and Spartans met twice during the regular season and split the two contests a game apiece. Wisconsin's initial loss to Michigan State did come without Tyler Wahl however, and the Badgers are expected to be at nearly full strength, beyond the uncertain status of reserve guard Lorne Bowman. The game will air on Big Ten Network. 

If Wisconsin were to win versus Michigan State, they would face off with either Purdue or Penn State in the semifinal. The Badgers swept both teams during the regular season, but Purdue is still one of the best teams in the country when they are playing well. 

The Badgers will need to get past Tom Izzo and Michigan State first no matter what though, and that will be no easy task. The Spartans have had an up and down season due to inexperience and turnovers, but they are a dangerous team in transition. If Wisconsin wants to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume, another conference win over the Spartans would go a long way.