If you want to see flashy fast-paced basketball, don’t waste your time watching the Wisconsin Badgers. No behind the back passes. No 360 dunks. I’m pretty sure none of these guys have ever even heard of the And 1 Mix Tape.

Again this season, the Badgers are putting together a remarkable run. Under the guidance of coach Bo Ryan, Wisconsin has fought its way to a surprising 18-3 record, and a national ranking of 8th - all this after losing both Alando Tucker, a candidate for last season’s national player of the year award, and second-leading scorer (not to mention Chris Rock look-alike) Kameron Taylor to graduation. Significant talent lost, no heralded freshman swooping in to save the day. So what’s the secret? How does a team seemingly destined to spend the season rebuilding for the future suddenly find itself in the heat of the Big Ten Battle?

The answer is FUNDAMENTALS. Tough defense. Good quality shots on offense. No stars - just one team.

No one exemplifies this team concept quite like junior guard Joe Krabbenhoft. Does he score a lot of points? Not really. Does he grab 10 rebounds a game? Certainly not. What he does do is give the Badgers 32 minutes of heart per game. No glory - just pure guts. Its the little things - setting a hard pick at the top of the key, stepping into the lane to take a charge, diving to the floor for a lose ball - this kid just does it all. He might not receive the praise and attention of some of the nation’s high profile scorers, but his value is immeasurable. Without his heart, the Badgers would truly be headed up the creek without a paddle.

Wisconsin basketball without a doubt is a true demonstration of the way collegiate sports should be. No whiny superstars - just a team, working together to accomplish their goal.