INDIANAPOLIS — Trevon Hughes is the only starter that has missed a game due to injury for the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team this season.

And it's possible he could miss another.

The sophomore point guard will be a game-time decision for today's Big Ten Conference tournament championship game against Illinois after suffering a left ankle injury during Saturday's 65-63 semifinal victory over Michigan State at Conseco Fieldhouse.

"I mentioned to Trevon, 'Get hurt more often, because (it) seems like the players really rally around you,' " UW coach Bo Ryan said. "Don't misquote me here now. I said that tongue-in-cheek, and said, 'Your teammates really, really respond to you.'

"He smiled. We high-five one another, and he's fine. I mean fine emotionally. Physically, our trainer will make that decision, so we shall see."

Hughes, who sat out the Badgers' Dec. 29 game at Texas after suffering a right ankle injury during a practice the day before that game, was injured while playing defense near the 12:40 mark of the second half, and had to be helped off the court. Hughes went back to the locker room briefly before returning to the bench.

With Hughes out, senior Michael Flowers and sophomore Jason Bohannon assumed the ballhandling duties, and would likewise do so in the event Hughes is not available to play against the Fighting Illini.

"We're not trying to change anything up at all (if Hughes is out)," Bohannon said. "If he's not there, we'll still be playing the same way. We have a lot of guys that are capable. ... Whatever happens with Trevon, we'll be ready to go."

Flowers vs. Neitzel

Flowers, who held Michigan State senior guard Drew Neitzel to three points on 1-for-10 shooting during a 57-42 Badgers victory at the Kohl Center on Feb. 28, figured if Neitzel got off to a good start it might make for a long game.

"Before I went to bed (Friday) night, I had the feeling that if Drew hit his first shot that it was going to be a long night for me and Wisconsin," Flowers said.

Much to Flowers' dismay, Neitzel worked off a screen and drained a catch-and-shoot jumper on his first shot. And Neitzel didn't stop there. He scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in 17 first-half minutes.

Flowers, meanwhile, was only able to work opposite of Neitzel for 8 minutes of the first half after picking up a pair of fouls.

"I was a little bit overaggressive in the first half," Flowers said. "I was right there with his shots. But I tried to go for the block instead of just getting in the line of his vision. That got me in foul trouble and he was able to score while I was on the bench.

"And then in the second half, I was able to do the same things I did at the Kohl Center and really force him into tough shots, and make sure my hand's right there. I really contained him in the second half, more so than the first half."

Neitzel was 3-for-8 from the floor over the final 20 minutes, and Flowers was able to get the last laugh with his steal of a pass intended for Neitzel and ensuing layup with 27.2 seconds left that proved to be the winning basket.

"I promise you, I don't think I would have been able to look anybody in the eye on my team (had UW lost). I would have felt like I let the team down, having someone score 26 points on me," Flowers said. "That steal, now I'll be able to get some sleep tonight."

Butch bounces back

Senior center Brian Butch rebounded from his least productive game of the season - one point and two rebounds in 16 minutes during Friday's victory over Michigan - by scoring a team-high 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds.