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UW men's basketball: Krabbenhoft does it all for Badgers

Rob Schultz  —  3/28/2008 6:22 am

DETROIT — They've been called everything from intangible guys to role players, program guys to glue guys because they are always diving for loose balls, tracking down the important rebound, taking a charge or making the extra pass.

Take a look at the teams still playing in the NCAA tournament and you'll find at least one of them on a roster.

"Look at Carolina. They have guys like that. Look at Memphis. They have guys like that," said Kansas coach Bill Self, who has some on his roster as well.

But it's difficult to find anybody who better defines the position than Joe Krabbenhoft of the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team. Self knows that well because he worked hard recruiting Krabbenhoft to play for Kansas.

"He was definitely a guy we would have loved to have had in our program. He just makes plays for others," Self said last week in Omaha, Neb., the site of the Badgers' and Jayhawks' first- and second-round tournament victories.

"Everybody has glue guys, but he does a fabulous job because he can play the 3 and play the 4 and he's tougher than anybody on the court," Self continued, "and that makes him a very, very good player."

UW assistant coach Greg Gard took it one step further. As the third-seeded Badgers (31-4) prepared to play Davidson (28-6) in a Midwest Regional Sweet 16 game tonight at Ford Field, Gard said Krabbenhoft embodies more than just the all-important intangibles because he plays so many different roles and positions.

Last week in Omaha, for instance, the 6-foot-7, 217-pound Krabbenhoft scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added a steal and two blocks during a 71-56 first-round win over Cal State Fullerton.

Two days later, he scored just two points, had three rebounds and no steals, assists or blocks in a 72-55 second-round win over Kansas State. But he was arguably the defensive player of the game for his role in slowing down star freshmen forwards Michael Beasley and Bill Walker.

"Look up Wisconsin basketball, there might be a picture of Joe in terms of being the jack-of-all-trades, don't-worry-how-you-get-it-done type player who doesn't worry about headlines or spotlights," Gard said.

"I think that's why this state loves this team and this program," Gard concluded. "It reflects the Wisconsin traditions. Let's do it together, no chest-pounding. Joe is a great model for that definition, too."

Krabbenhoft is popular with the media because he uses the same energy in his answers that he uses on the court. He also adds intelligence. The history major added an Academic All-Big Ten Conference honor to a season resume that includes being named to the Big Ten's All-Defensive team.

That energy was on display in Omaha after he worked so hard to slow down Kansas State's Beasley and Walker. Sitting in a chair in front of his locker just moments after the win, Krabbenhoft was talking a mile a minute about the Badgers' defense and reporters were eating up every word.

"I reached in and fouled a guy — I didn't reach in, I didn't want to give up a layup. I just grabbed him because I didn't want to give up a layup. That's a message we want to send to teams: They aren't going to get anything easy," said the deep-voiced Krabbenhoft, who never paused to catch his breath as he spoke. "They are going to have to go right through our chests. I don't know how many charges we took, but I think we took quite a bit because we sent the message that there are going to be guys over to help."

Krabbenhoft's energy has helped his defense. So has added confidence. His skyrocketed after UW coach Bo Ryan started showing more confidence in Krabbenhoft's abilities earlier this season and had him guarding everything from 6-foot point guards to 7-foot centers.

"The coach saw the ability," UW assistant coach Howard Moore said. "He saw he could be an all-defensive team guy and just expressed that he wanted to get as much as he could out of him. From that standpoint, it was still potential. Now as a junior it has come to fruition."

Krabbenhoft said confidence is the X factor in defense that makes improved footwork and added strength that much better.

"Obviously guys get by me, they still do and that makes me mad," Krabbenhoft said. "But I'm confident I'm going to make a guy take a tough shot, I'm not going to give anybody anything easy. My teammates have been confident in me all year, too."

While energy helps his defense, Krabbenhoft started to improve on offense when he started curbing his energy. Most of his numbers in the postseason are better than the regular season, which tells another story about how he has picked up his game when it counts most.

He's averaging 9.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in five postseason games, better than his 7.5 scoring and 6.6 rebounding average for the season. He also has five steals after having just nine for the entire Big Ten season.

What has slipped is his shooting percentage. He has made 47.6 percent of his shots this season, but just 45.1 percent in the postseason. He also is shooting 25 percent from 3-point range, which is up from his 18.5 percent season average. All those numbers reflect his need to improve his jump shot.

UW assistant coach Gary Close wants Krabbenhoft to improve his alignment and shoot at the top of his jump instead of on the way down.

"His free throw stroke is better. It's going to be a summer of hard work," Close said. "I don't think he's far away. I think he can be a real good shooter, in time."

Sophomore guard Jason Bohannon agrees. He spent time with Krabbenhoft last summer working on his jump shot and expects to spend more time with him this summer.

"It's tough to change your shot when you've been doing it one way for so long," said Bohannon, who added that he has heard it takes 30 days of diligent practice to change mechanics in a jump shot. "Joe has already talked to me about it. He wants to go to work right after the season again, just going in the gym and shooting every day."

Bohannon will be a tough teacher. When asked if Krabbenhoft will have to shoot about 100 jumpers a day, Bohannon smiled and said, "More like 300, 400, 500 a day."

It will be interesting to see how Krabbenhoft's game grows if he gains as much confidence in his jump shot as his defense. It most definitely will gain the attention of NBA scouts, who love that fight-you-to-the-end mentality that Krabbenhoft possesses.

He might have to be called something different than the Badgers glue guy, or intangible guy or program guy. Teammate Michael Flowers has started calling him Mr. Everything and Mr. Hustle.

"We have a lot of players like Joe," said Flowers, "but it all starts with Joe's mentality, you know, Mr. Incredible."

Rob Schultz  —  3/28/2008 6:22 am