[Bette]

Illinois' Chester Frazier, right, tries to drive around Wisconsin's Michael Flowers in this Jan. 10, file photo.

Michael Flowers doesnt lead the Big Ten or his team in steals, and he's too small to intimidate opponents. There is nothing on a stat sheet to convince anyone that Flowers should be a leading candidate for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
That's because there arent any stats for what Flowers does. The Badgers have climbed to the top of the Big Ten because of their defense playing at near-record levels. The leader of that defense is Flowers.
The combination of his quick awareness and alertness in the team concept at Wisconsin makes him one of the best defenders in the conference.

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