The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team enters the open portion of practice through the southwest tunnel. A rack of basketballs sits waiting for them as they jog and skip up the tunnel’s concrete floor. The next several minutes are a barrage of jump shots and dribble moves and then silence as strength and conditioning coach Jim Snider initiates warmups.
Just beside Snider running up and down the floor is fifth-year senior Tyler Wahl. No matter the exercise — karaoke, high knees, shoulder stretches — Wahl executes them as if an imperfectly warmed-up joint or muscle would sour the rest of the practice.