Michael Flowers isn't the only member of the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team's starting backcourt with a challenging defensive assignment scheduled for Friday's NCAA tournament Midwest Regional semifinal against Davidson.

While Flowers will attempt to contain Wildcats star guard Stephen Curry at Ford Field in Detroit, Badgers sophomore point guard Trevon Hughes will try to hold down his counterpart, Davidson's Jason Richards.

"He's terrific," UW assistant coach Gary Close said of Richards. "He's got great vision, he's much quicker than I think people give him credit for. He's great with the ball, he's fundamentally sound in terms of making the right decision. He's a big reason why Curry's getting the shots he's getting. I think he's the key player of their team."

The 6-2 Richards, who is averaging 12.9 points per game, leads the nation in assists per game (8.0) and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.7-to-1.

"I've just got to contain him," Hughes said. "He's the highest assist man in the country right now. I've got to disrupt him so he can't make plays for his teammates and get Stephen Curry open shots. Mike's going to have. ... his hands full with Curry, and I'm going to have my hands fully with (Richards)."

Celebration on hold

UW junior swingman Joe Krabbenhoft's birthday plans are on hold. Krabbenhoft turned 21 on Monday, a fairly significant birthday in the lives of most college students. Teammate Trevon Hughes turns 21 on April 14.

"I said we can combine the two, celebrate for a real reason," said Krabbenhoft, who added April 8 or later would be an appropriate time.

That's the day after the NCAA title game is scheduled for San Antonio, Texas.

"Birthdays come every year," Krabbenhoft said. "A Final Four doesn't."

Weighty subject

No matter how much he eats, Krabbenhoft loses weight every season. He figures this year is no different.

"I've been pretty good about my weight," said Krabbenhoft, who is listed at 6-foot-7, 217 pounds. "I try to keep it up and eat as much as I can, because I just burn it right off anyway. We test body fat at the beginning (and) the end of the year. It always goes down. I won't know (how much) until after the season."

The long season is such a grind, Krabbenhoft said most players feel worn down at this point, although it won't be a factor when the games start.

"You feel like you're skin and bones right now," he said. "We've been in the weight room and taking care of our bodies the best we can. Every team is getting wore down, but everybody's got about two weeks left in them. We do, too. Hopefully, we can make it two more weeks."

Plans postponed

Davidson coach Bob McKillop was supposed to be traveling Tuesday to Germany to be an instructor at a basketball clinic this weekend.

Instead, he's preparing his team for its first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1969. McKillop made the plans in September and said since it came after Easter, he figured it the NCAA tournament would be over.

"I'm thinking, `It's after Easter, so the tournament is over,' never, ever anticipating the tournament still would be going on," he said. "Thank goodness, the national coach in Germany is taking my spot."

— Tom Mulhern of the State Journal contributed to this report.