Michael Flowers can take a player right out of a game. Just ask Michigan State start guard, Drew Neitzel. Late in the season, Flowers held Neitzel to 1-10 shooting and made life miserable for the Spartans. He plans to do the same to the Tournament's biggest story Stephen Curry of Davidson.
Curry is the 4th leading scorer in the nation at 25.7 points a game, and is shooting around 44% from beyond the arc. He has lead Davidson to the Sweet 16 and beat opponents Gonzaga and #2 seeded Georgetown. Curry's numbers in the tournament are ridiculous. In two games he is shooting 51%, including 52% from three-point range. In second halves alone, he is averaging 27.5 points per game. His 70 points in two tournament games account for 45% of the Wildcats' scoring. Basically shut down Curry and Davidson might just struggle.
Given the number of screens the Wildcats are expected to set, Wisconsin's ability to slow down Curry and make him really work for his points is going to depend on how well Flowers chases.
We'll see how he fares Friday night against Curry. Flowers' goal is simply to make Curry work for whatever he gets.
"All I worry about is if I'm there, if I'm making him sweat," Flowers said. "And if I'm not making him sweat, then I feel like I don't deserve to be out there and I'm not doing my part."
Badgers take on #10 seeded Davidson on Friday night in the Sweet 16. The winner advances to play Kansas/Villanova in the Elite 8.
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