Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[ReasonablySober]

This team is so fun.

[MikeIsGood]

Our season high from deep is 21 vs Iowa, so we have a few to go yet (8), but this has turned into a three point contest in any case.

[MikeIsGood]

Just noticed we have a five game stretch in mid-February where we're @Purdue, vs Illinois, vs Oregon, vs Washington (easy one), and @MSU. Need to rack up as many wins before then as we can.

[MVP2110]

Dominant win today. Not many teams are going to beat the Badgers when they shoot like that(and rebound that well)

[MickeyDavis]

I wish the Izzo's were coming to Madison this year. Used to be fun to face him twice a season.

[jschligs]

Badgers moved up to 14th in KenPom, 8th best offense. This team is making me believe and I’m scared to as I know how it goes.

[Kerb Hohl]

Badgers moved up to 14th in KenPom, 8th best offense. This team is making me believe and I’m scared to as I know how it goes.

With all sports I follow and especially NCAA basketball, I try to just avoid all forums/social media during elimination games because the takes get out of control and everything about the previous 4 months is washed away...I am ready to be sad and very far away from these entities in the range of March 20-23.

This is fun but I know the cruel ending that is coming. I will be looking at a graphic on the screen with 8 minutes left and we're 3/19 from 3 or the 12 seed is 10/15 from 3.

[MVP2110]

Badgers moved up to 14th in KenPom, 8th best offense. This team is making me believe and I’m scared to as I know how it goes.

With all sports I follow and especially NCAA basketball, I try to just avoid all forums/social media during elimination games because the takes get out of control and everything about the previous 4 months is washed away...I am ready to be sad and very far away from these entities in the range of March 20-23.

This is fun but I know the cruel ending that is coming. I will be looking at a graphic on the screen with 8 minutes left and we're 3/19 from 3 or the 12 seed is 10/15 from 3.

Yep, that's exactly what's going to happen. At some point Wisconsin is going to have a cold shooting night and get knocked out. Im just hoping they can have a couple hot nights the first weekend to finally get to the Sweet 16 again

[MikeIsGood]

It's absolutely the most likely outcome; however, I think it's notable that the chances of it this year are reduced compared to how we might have previously thought about it IMO. The number of offensive weapons we now have help protect against everyone going cold at the same time, because it isn't just one or two guys we rely on for PPGz now.

[MVP2110]

It's absolutely the most likely outcome; however, I think it's notable that the chances of it this year are reduced compared to how we might have previously thought about it IMO. The number of offensive weapons we now have help protect against everyone going cold at the same time, because it isn't just one or two guys we rely on for PPGz now.

Yes, this is a good point. Our entire rotation has the ability to shoot the ball well, so in theory we could be that team that gets hot rather than goes cold. But in a single elimination Tourney I'm absolutely preparing myself for us to have that night where we can't hit anything

[chonestown]

I really hate this line of thinking. 67 teams will eventually eat sht in the tourney.

Anyway, when they played JMU last year, I thought JMU looked to be the better team.

This year's squad looks better, looks more consistent and is able to manufacture points. They've excised Wohl as a free-throw albatross. Crowl seems to have snapped out of senioritis, but even if he falters, Winters is there. I don't know, team feels less rickety than the past.

The two most concerning losses (Michigan, UCLA) was because they got killed on the interior. The tourney seems to more largely swing on backcourt play. Post-season is always wild, but I think they're equipped.

[Kerb Hohl]

I'm just going off of quick memory, the loss to "12 seed Oregon" who was playing like a 4 seed for the final 2 months of the season game...

That team had Happ + a bunch of capable shooters. I realize this year's team is unbelievably different in actual offensive skill, but that team had solid shooters. They got Happ to pass it out for dozens of open shots and we shot...6/30 from 3. Oregon manhandled us in the paint and shot 7/15 from 3.

The Johnny Davis team obviously had a trash supporting cast..but 2/22 from 3.

Last year was terrible interior shooting.

Obviously the tournament is generally a small sample and I'm always the one arguing that while there is definitely the, "elite players/teams shine and overperform" guy that pushes back on "can't win in the tournament" narratives...but I am scarred from all of this and am always bracing for it.

I will agree in one sense that it feels closer to 2016-2018 when they had Hayes, Koenig, etc...guys that could shoot and score with some decent depth around them.

[DingleJerry]

I'm just happy to have a year where I can't bitch about the shooting. Every player out there (Crowl to minimal extent) can shoot. Hopefully they've corrected years of regressing shooters. And in general, a key being not having two poor shooters out there at once, you're essentially maxed out at 1 at any time since Gilmore/Crowl rarely play together. Plus Gilmore is actually shooting ok this year and Crowl is not a wahl/happ level of bad.

They do seem much better equipped for the tourney than recent years due to this spread out shooting. And if they keep playing like this they're likely to be more in the 2/3 seed area rather than 5-6 or obviously lower which is upset city. Get to the 2/3 area and you're likely at least out of the embarrassing first round loss scenario. And note if you can get a higher seed like that, Milwaukee hosts the first rounds this year. Would be nice to get this MD game coming up, solid team right by them in the standings

Note: In general, all the Fire people of past years have gotten the steps they've wanted in the last two years as far as modernization, better style, better athletes, etc. So close in the MI and UCLA games too, would be sitting really strong with those

[skbucks1985]

When you look at Wisconsin's 4 losses, I'd say only the Michigan game you would really attribute to poor shooting. As much as they struggled with the 4/5 PNR, they scored almost 20 points fewer than their season average and shot almost 15% worse overall and from 3. I think the Marquette and UCLA games were similar in that they lost primarily because they had too many turnovers and got killed inside. And the Illinois game, I honestly think the single biggest reason was Blackwell being in foul trouble for most of the game.

[chonestown]

When you look at Wisconsin's 4 losses, I'd say only the Michigan game you would really attribute to poor shooting. As much as they struggled with the 4/5 PNR, they scored almost 20 points fewer than their season average and shot almost 15% worse overall and from 3. I think the Marquette and UCLA games were similar in that they lost primarily because they had too many turnovers and got killed inside. And the Illinois game, I honestly think the single biggest reason was Blackwell being in foul trouble for most of the game.

Ah, the Illinois game. Weird that hasn't come up much, but they got exposed as having no wing defenders with size. Bad matchup, still almost won.

Marquette is as bad as they looked, combination of slop and rivalry. If weird things are going to happen, that's the game for it to occur.

Really hoping they can make noise. Fun combo of seniors growing into unforeseen roles, ascendant youth and a big Eye-talian hoss. Go Bucky, the further you go, the later Luke Klemit is forced to face his destiny as floor lead at Appleton Paper.

[skbucks1985]

When you look at Wisconsin's 4 losses, I'd say only the Michigan game you would really attribute to poor shooting. As much as they struggled with the 4/5 PNR, they scored almost 20 points fewer than their season average and shot almost 15% worse overall and from 3. I think the Marquette and UCLA games were similar in that they lost primarily because they had too many turnovers and got killed inside. And the Illinois game, I honestly think the single biggest reason was Blackwell being in foul trouble for most of the game.

Ah, the Illinois game. Weird that hasn't come up much, but they got exposed as having no wing defenders with size. Bad matchup, still almost won.

Marquette is as bad as they looked, combination of slop and rivalry. If weird things are going to happen, that's the game for it to occur.

Really hoping they can make noise. Fun combo of seniors growing into unforeseen roles, ascendant youth and a big Eye-talian hoss. Go Bucky, the further you go, the later Luke Klemit is forced to face his destiny as floor lead at Appleton Paper.

That Illinois game was one where it just seemed like every little thing went against them and afterwards there's this weird combination of disappointment because it was so close despite every little thing going against them but also surprise that they could keep it close despite every little thing going against them.

I wasn't particularly high on the team coming into the season because I thought there was a pretty low ceiling on what a team with Klesmit as its better player could do. And it turns out he's not only not their best player, he's probably 4th or 5th and if he stayed static and that was entirely because of the play of others eclipsing him it would be great. But unfortunately a not insignificant part of that is his shooting falling off a cliff. I don't know of the numbers, but it seems like he's especially bad on catch and shoot open 3's. If he can regain his shooting touch from last season, I think this team has another gear that we have yet to see.

[MikeIsGood]

Channeling OT Volleyball energy.

John Cook retired and Nebraska immediately announced Dana Bushoom Kelly as his replacement. Big losses for both Nebraska and Louisville. These will be big shoes to fill, but can't imagine doing much better than getting Bushoom Kelly as next-up.

[MikeIsGood]

The play-by-play guy is going to make my ears bleed.

[MikeIsGood]

Man, Klesmit is a **** mess.

[tski1972]

Can’t make a three, missing FTs, missing layups, Maryland is banking in prayers, just not a good night.

Has anyone tried turning Klesmit off and turning him back on again. He’s been sooooo bad.