When much-heralded Indiana freshman Eric Gordon came into the Kohl Center earlier this season, it was Mike Flowers who drew the assignment. Thanks to his energy, Flowers shut Gordon down for most of the game. Coming off a rare conference home loss with another date with Indiana coming up, he�ll need to bring it again.

�Well, he�s always going to have the energy,� Badger coach Bo Ryan said in his Monday press conference. �He always brings that.�

Though Flowers was kept off the court due to foul trouble earlier in the season, the senior has cut down on fouls, resulting in more time to help the University of Wisconsin on the court.

�Sometimes that burst of energy thinking you can get a ball, and you reach your hand in, or do this, or do that to maybe make contact with a player somewhat, then it�s up to interpretation of the officials, so I think he�s avoided more of those situations,� Ryan said. �So it keeps him out of foul trouble. And I think that�s just learning how to control the moment.�

Fatigue may have sunk in for Flowers at times this season, but based on the guard�s play against Purdue, Ryan is confident the senior is ready to go for the next matchup.

�He seemed to recover Saturday. He was playing hard. He was moving. He was diving in the floor. He was doing his normal stuff,� Ryan said.

Gordon scored 16 points in Wisconsin�s first meeting with Indiana, but much of the damage was done after the Badgers had amassed a big lead, thanks largely to Flowers� ability to slow down Gordon in the first half. This time around, it�ll have to be more of the same from Flowers as well as the rest of the team.

�I like this thought on trying to shut people down,� Ryan said. �He thinks that way. He thinks, he knows he has to have help from teammates.�

�I mean, he didn�t make All-Big Ten defensive team last year by accident.�

Whether or not Flowers nabs the honor again this season is yet to be determined, but based on his play so far, he warrants a look, according to Ryan.

�You know, you have to do something, and I�d be surprised if he didn�t make it this year. But he�s had some really tough assignments to work with his teammates as far as funneling guys and chasing guys and trying to take away their strengths, but he seemed, he answers the bell and gives the effort,� Ryan said. �Results vary, but the effort is there.�

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Hughes in midseason crisis

After a hot start to his season, sophomore Trevon Hughes has hit a slump lately. While his turnover numbers have gone up, his scoring numbers have taken a nose dive.

Though opponents have keyed in more on Hughes after his early season performances, other factors have played into the scoring decline, though Ryan isn�t sure exactly what the leading one is.

�Well, somewhat,� Ryan said of teams focusing in on him more, �and some is shot selection, and finishing, and it�s always a combination, but I can�t say one�s 25 percent, the other�s 60 percent and the other�s whatever. I mean, it�s not. It�s different teams, different opportunities, different shots, different ways to score. Some teams, he�s going to get to the free throw line more than others.�

Hughes is currently tied for the team lead in points per game with 12.7, but the guard entered conference play averaging 15.1 points per contest and has scored just four points in the Badgers� last two games.

While part of the problem might be the kind of games the Badgers have played, Ryan again attributes some of it to the shots Hughes is taking.

�If you�re playing with a lead, you tend to get to the free-throw line more if you�re the point guard because you got the ball in your hands,� Ryan said. �But I think in some, it�s shot selection.�