Badgers' Bruesewitz out for first round of tournament

• Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin Basketball

Talk about it

MADISON - University of Wisconsin men’s basketball forward Mike Bruesewitz missed practice yesterday. And it appears that he won’t play in Thursday night’s NCAA Tournament opener against Belmont.

Bruesewitz sprained his right knee last Friday in the Badgers’ Big Ten Tournament loss to Penn State. The team has not said whether he’ll play or not. But senior Tim Jarmusz said that if Bruesewitz can’t go, the team has talked about filling his spot by committee. Jarmusz and junior Rob Wilson got most of the work at small forward yesterday. Sophomore Ryan Evans could also fill in.

Bruesewitz, a sophomore, has played in all 31 games for Wisconsin this season – and he started 13. He’s averaging around four points and three rebounds, but he’s considered the team’s most aggressive player on the boards. He also has solid ball-handling skills which would be missed against Belmont – because the Bruins generally press the entire game.

The Badgers have the fourth seed in the Southeast Regional, and will play No.13 Belmont in Tucson, Arizona at the McKale Center. Marquette, meanwhile, is gearing up to play sixth-seeded Xavier on Friday night in Cleveland. The Golden Eagles have the 11th-seed in the East. The tournament begins tonight with the first of four play-in games under a new 68-team format.

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, basketball, badgers