9 WISCONSIN

A fifth-year forward who remains a kid at heart looks to power the Badgers to the top of the Big Ten

Alando Tucker isstuck in a Saturday-morning time warp: The stacks of DVDs in his Madisonapartment are heavy on animated classics such as Thundercats and Scooby-Doo.Growing up in a one-parent, five-child household in Lockport, Ill., Tucker(left) had to help raise his two younger siblings, especially after his eldestbrother joined the Army in 1998. Now he says he uses his downtime "torelive the cartoon days of my youth." Not surprisingly he takes some flakfor it. "My girlfriend can't believe," he says, "that a so-calledbig-time basketball player is so 'kiddie-ish.'"

On the hardwoodTucker, a 6'6", 205-pound small forward, is anything but. The fifth-yearsenior is the favorite to win the Big Ten player of the year award afteraveraging 19.0 points in 2005--06, third best in the league. During the team'sAugust trip to Italy, coach Bo Ryan says, the Badgers took their cues from onesource. "I'm a big watcher of eyes," Ryan says, "and I could seethem looking to see what Alando was going to do."

In UW's swingoffense, Tucker's athletic attacks at the basket can be "pretty wild,"teammate Marcus Landry says. "When you're holding Tuck on defense, you canfeel his strength. It almost makes you think of Tarzan." Tucker hopes touse that power, as well as an improved shot, to lead Wisconsin to its first BigTen championship since 2003--04. Ryan thinks he'll be "one of the bestcaptains I've ever had." For the Badgers' big kid, those are full-grownexpectations.

STARTINGLINEUP
COACH: Bo Ryan (6th year)

6'2"Sr.14.2 ppg2.4 apg--KEY RESERVE-- G Jason BOHANNON* 6'2" Fr. 27.0 ppg 3.8 apg

RETURNING STARTER *HIGH SCHOOL STATS

SCHEDULE

Nov. 12Mercer

Nov. 15Wisconsin--Green Bay

Nov. 19Southern*

Nov. 21 DelawareState*

Nov. 24 MissouriState*

Nov. 28 FloridaState

Dec. 2 FloridaInternational

Dec. 4Winthrop

Dec. 9 atMarquette

Dec. 13Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Dec. 16Pittsburgh

Dec. 23Pacific

Dec. 27Gardner

Dec. 31 atGeorgia

Jan. 6Minnesota

Jan. 9 OhioState

Jan. 13 atNorthwestern

Jan. 17Purdue

Jan. 20 atIllinois

Jan. 24Michigan

Jan. 28 atIowa

Jan. 31 atIndiana

Feb. 3Northwestern

Feb. 7 at PennState

Feb. 10 Iowa

Feb 14 atMinnesota

Feb. 17 PennState

Feb. 20 atMichigan St.

Feb. 25 at OhioSt.

March 3 MichiganSt.

*South PadreIsland Invitational

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTO

AL TIELEMANS