Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[chonestown]

Fire(d Up) Gard:

[Kerb Hohl]

Fire(d Up) Gard:

I'm just going to pretend I didn't step off the bandwagon last year due to portal-era fit/strategy after like 8 years of driving it.

Never a doubt!

[MVP2110]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

[HaroldinGMinor]

Fire(d Up) Gard:

You see them interact w Gard and wonder if that 2021 class was just a bad group or if Tucker had an oversized negative influence...or maybe Gard changed? Anyway, winning helps a lot in any case.

[DingleJerry]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

[chonestown]

You see them interact w Gard and wonder if that 2021 class was just a bad group or if Tucker had an oversized negative influence...or maybe Gard changed? Anyway, winning helps a lot in any case.

Just a random thought as I stream past the sage and desert flora dotting my mind, but I wonder if the NIL age has forced a closer relationship between players and coaches. Since the recruitment never ends, it behooves coaches to show they, y'know, care about their young charges beyond the time the one-time teens put quill to papyrus. I've said wilder things On Here.

Yeah, I do think Gard changed but still kept his essential Gard-ness. Bringing in Kurt Penney has been huge, but it also indicated Gard saw another way beyond 57-52 rock-fights and the Minneapolitan recruiting ground. We've seen what the offense looks when the shackles are loosened, but ball movement is still emphasized. What's going to be interesting with Penney is to see how the overseas recruits perform. I might be woozy from the Pietro from Cafe la Bellitalia on Sherman (closing in March! get there soon, comrades!), but I think Red Sauce Rico might-could be Sicilian (look, I don't think he's from Sicily, but bear w/ me) Jeff Ruland. And the New Zealand (there's a new Zealand?) guy could potentially be another in the line of UW's rich history of competent performers with tragic haircuts.

Dean Oliver had also been coaching and recruiting deadweight. I think a lot of coaches went into self-defeat once NIL metastasized, but Greg Gard, contrary to what would be expected, embraced it. Pretty wild for a program with such a tightly-defined template, leppers changing spots now huh.

[MickeyDavis]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

How does seeding work with regards of getting to play in Milwaukee? How is that determined? Marquette has had a tough patch and dropped but do they have a shot or is playing on your home court not allowed?

[DingleJerry]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

How does seeding work with regards of getting to play in Milwaukee? How is that determined? Marquette has had a tough patch and dropped but do they have a shot or is playing on your home court not allowed?

Not allowed to play on home court so Marquette is out.

There is nothing 'official' in regards to it otherwise. But in general, the higher seed you are the better. Very good chance if you're a 1/2 that you're going to get a favorable first round location, still pretty good if you're a 3. After that I wouldn't bank on much.

Its a little talked about big advantage for Duke/Carolina type schools as there is almost always a first round in NC area then a sweet 16/elite 8 not far away too. Some years when Duke is a top seed they never have to play more than a couple hours from home. ETAL for example this year there is Raleigh and then Atlanta (though they might have to give ATL to Auburn). Previoius year was Charlotte, the year before Greensboro.

[ReasonablySober]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

How does seeding work with regards of getting to play in Milwaukee? How is that determined? Marquette has had a tough patch and dropped but do they have a shot or is playing on your home court not allowed?

Teams can't play on their home court during the first, second, and regional rounds.

[ReasonablySober]

CBS's latest Bracketology has Wisconsin with a two seed playing in Milwaukee opening weekend.

[DingleJerry]

CBS's latest Bracketology has Wisconsin with a two seed playing in Milwaukee opening weekend.

I just saw a different one that had them as the top 3 seed. I think Lunardi. So two more wins this week would likely get them up

[skbucks1985]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

Wisconsin has a better overall resume than Michigan. Michigan has 4 losses that are worse than any loss Wisconsin has and the numbers don't love Michigan because pretty much every time they play a team with a pulse it goes down to the wire.

[DingleJerry]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

Wisconsin has a better overall resume than Michigan. Michigan has 4 losses that are worse than any loss Wisconsin has and the numbers don't love Michigan because pretty much every time they play a team with a pulse it goes down to the wire.

Beat us in our house, straight up. You know if it was the other way around folks would be saying 'wtf we beat them at their place and are first in the conference'

[skbucks1985]

Wisconsin up to #11 in the AP Top 25, the highest rated Big Ten team in the poll

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

How does seeding work with regards of getting to play in Milwaukee? How is that determined? Marquette has had a tough patch and dropped but do they have a shot or is playing on your home court not allowed?

The way it works is that there's 8 locations and the top 4 seeds in each bracket get placed in the location closest to them based on order of finish. For example, Auburn is almost definitely the #1 overall seed and they would likely either go to Lexington or Raleigh. Duke is the 2 or 3 seed and would go to Raleigh, Houston would probably go to Wichita, etc. etc. For Wisconsin almost certainly the 2 teams they're competing most with for going to Milwaukee is Iowa State and Purdue because Michigan State and Michigan would probably go to Cleveland.

[skbucks1985]

I noticed us a head of Mich last week and thought it was weird. Still find it weird after another week. When it happened I really didn't think we'd have a shot at the title, but blowing that game vs Mich after having the lead late is a real killer right now.

Big week, get both these wins vs solid mid level teams and you probably move into the 2 line while really solidifying yourself as almost for sure a 3 seed (barring blowing a game vs a poor team). Both of which really increases your chances of getting to play in MKE

Wisconsin has a better overall resume than Michigan. Michigan has 4 losses that are worse than any loss Wisconsin has and the numbers don't love Michigan because pretty much every time they play a team with a pulse it goes down to the wire.

Beat us in our house, straight up. You know if it was the other way around folks would be saying 'wtf we beat them at their place and are first in the conference'

I wouldn't have had a huge issue with Michigan being ranked ahead of them, but when I look at each team's overall resume I think its pretty clear which one is better.

[buckboy]

CBS's latest Bracketology has Wisconsin with a two seed playing in Milwaukee opening weekend.

I just saw a different one that had them as the top 3 seed. I think Lunardi. So two more wins this week would likely get them up

Lunardi is from Friday. I would say the Badgers are squarely on the 2 line. Win out and they're a 1 seed. Not likely, but definitely possible.

I just want Michigan again in the BTT. Probably the final, but definitely semi-final at worst. Beat those *****.

Also, Michigan is 21 in T-Rank, 19 in NET and 22 in Pomeroy. They're not even close to Wisconsin resume-wise.

Auburn is 14-2 in Quad 1. That's insane.

[skbucks1985]

I think a 1-seed if they win out and win their first 2 games in the Big Ten Tournament is attainable, but still pretty unlikely. Auburn, Florida and Duke have a stranglehold on 3 of the spots and any of them falling would probably require 2 more regular season losses or 1 loss and being one-and-done in the conference tournament. I do think the final spot is up for grabs, but what makes it tough is that in addition to Tennessee and Bama, you're also kinda depending on the Big 12 to cannibalize itself to a degree.

[skbucks1985]

CBS's latest Bracketology has Wisconsin with a two seed playing in Milwaukee opening weekend.

I just saw a different one that had them as the top 3 seed. I think Lunardi. So two more wins this week would likely get them up

Lunardi's most recent bracketology has them as a 3 seed in Milwaukee with Iowa State as the 2 in the region and Auburn as the 1

[ReasonablySober]

Lunardi:

It's getting to be that time when the little things can make a big difference in Bracketology. For instance, Wisconsin's mildly surprising 3-seed (No. 11 overall) from the NCAA selection committee this past weekend has led to a significant advantage for the Badgers: Repositioning them on the 3-line (I had them as the highest 4-seed) allowed them to climb two more spots when Purdue and Kentucky both lost Saturday. At No. 9 overall, Wisconsin then had its choice of six possible first weekend sites. Lexington and Raleigh were already spoken for -- but lo and behold, Milwaukee was available. Marquette cannot play in that subregional, but the Badgers can -- and happily would -- in this scenario. Even better, the First Four pairing of Arkansas-Wake Forest should feed the 11-seed of that same Milwaukee pod, but instead drops to a 12-seed to avoid a potential first-round SEC conflict between Arkansas and Ole Miss. Suddenly, Wisconsin needs to get past only Towson and either Ole Miss or UC San Diego to reach the second weekend. It's not a "gimme," but Badgers fans would surely take it. And it's why we always say a team's path is just as important as its performance in the NCAA tournament.

[MikeIsGood]

I really don't understand how that was mildly surprising. ESPN gon' ESPN.