Rival Michigan State traveled to Madison Jan. 10, 2004, for a highly anticipated nationally televised game between two frontrunners for the Big Ten title.

The Badgers came out slow and sloppy, while the sharp, aggressive Spartans jumped out to a 17-5 lead. Wisconsin’s energy just didn’t seem to be there. For every move the team made, Michigan State had the answer.

Enter Clayton Hanson.

The 6-foot-5 junior guard from Reedsburg, Wis., reeled off nine points on 3-3 shooting in the first half, giving UW the spark it so desperately needed.

First, Hanson made a driving lay-up to knock the lid off the basket for the Badgers and start a 13-0 run, which included another Hanson layup and four free throws. Then, with 6:36 left in the half, Hanson hit his patented 3-pointer to give Wisconsin the lead, which it would not relinquish.

By the next home game, against Michigan, the students were raising their arms to count a Hanson 3-pointer before it even went in and chanting Hanson’s name in appreciation of his 17 points on 5-6 shooting from beyond the arc.

Hanson had officially become a fan favorite in Madison.

The path to becoming a household name among Wisconsin basketball faithful has been a long and unusual one for Hanson. Coming out of high school, he was unsure of what he wanted to do with his basketball career. However, after going through the recruiting process, one school stood out from all the rest: UW-Milwaukee. The reason: the head coach at the time, Bo Ryan.

“The recruiting process for any player is that you go where you feel comfortable and the staff at Milwaukee, with Coach Ryan, was the main reason I chose to go there,” Hanson said.

Hanson made the decision early in his senior year and looked set to become a Panther when everything changed.

The Wisconsin head coach at the time, Brad Soderberg, was not retained, and the Badgers chose the virtually unknown Ryan as their next head coach.

Suddenly, Hanson was not so comfortable with Milwaukee, but the decision to transfer presented risks. Ryan offered Hanson a chance to walk on with the Badgers and Hanson jumped at the opportunity, leaving behind a full scholarship and a chance for more immediate playing time.

“As a kid I grew up in Wisconsin, and these are the games that you watch; but really, I chose Wisconsin for the same reason I chose Milwaukee: Coach Ryan was the coach I wanted to play for,” Hanson said, adding that although the decision to transfer was not a light one, he knew that Wisconsin was the place for him. “I thought about it. I got all the information and weighed it to make the best decision for myself, but all along my gut feel was to come here.”

So what was it about Ryan that made Hanson want to walk through fire to play for him?

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for him,” Hanson said. “I admire the way he has worked his way up the coaching ranks and also his competitiveness. As a player, I try to model that and do the same things because he has been successful. He is an up-front guy. He won’t sidestep what he tells you. He was honest with me through the whole recruiting business, and that is the type of person you want to be around, a straight shooter who will tell you just how things are.”

As much as Hanson admires Ryan and was intent on playing his college basketball under him, Ryan was sure he wanted Hanson on his team, recruiting him first at UWM and then offering him an opportunity with the Badgers.

“He cares about doing the best with what he has, with what he’s been given,” Ryan said of Hanson. “There are few people in life still out there that make the most of what they have. Every time you find some of those, stick close to them because there’s some guys who just never get cheated.”

Although Hanson had finally arrived on campus, his journey was far from over. Hanson played sparingly his first two seasons at UW, appearing in only 14 games for a total of 53 minutes.

Last season, however, Hanson began to get more playing time, seeing action in every game. The junior made the most of his limited opportunities, which culminated in a pair of big-time performances against schools from the Wolverine state.

Hanson’s ego has not grown with his popularity, though, as he has concentrated more on hard work and effort than the numbers on the score sheet. Of his break-out game against Michigan State, Hanson said he wasn’t sure it was unlike any other game he had ever played.

“I got a chance to get in there and make the most of an opportunity,” Hanson said. “It’s something you try to do every day in practice and every time you step on the floor.”

Hanson added that he hasn’t changed much since becoming a household name in Wisconsin’s capital.

“Things haven’t really changed around here since I was a freshman walk-on,” he said. “You aren’t treated any differently here, that is the great thing about being in this system and I respect that about the coach, the staff and the guys that I play with.”

The blue-collar style that Hanson displays has made taking the charge and diving for loose balls just as much a trademark of his game as stroking the 3. His unglamorous, selfless style of play has endeared him even more to the fanatics at the Kohl Center. By season’s end, however, Hanson will be playing his final game in front of the home crowd.

“I’m just savoring every moment that I have now because this is the biggest blast of my life,” Hanson said. “I’m just trying to make the most of the last few months here that I have. Great environment, great school, great program. It’s a great place to be around every day.”

Just a few games down the road, the Kohl Center will ring with the chant “Clay-ton Han-son” for the last time. Fans will have to take Hanson’s lead and savor every moment until then.