Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[DingusBojangles]

How do you shoot under 40% as a big?

11fg/g but 7.5 were from three.

Yeah, to add a bit more context, he attempted more threes (83-236, 35.2%) last year than anyone on the Badgers (and we took a lot of threes). That type of volume is impressive, and likely means they weren't all wide open (disclosure: I did not watch a single second of Portland basketball other than his youtube highlight reel). He shot 50% (52-104) on twos (not great, but better than what you may have thought just based on "6'10" guy with a 39.7% FG%").

[Bernman]

These two transfers seem underwhelming. Boyd was the 1 who stood out. But he's the one who hasn't been delivered, yet.

Rohde could be a 1-yr wonder. His sophomore yr was abysmal. Then he didn't even crack double-digits. Defense is adequate. Virginia's been bad. Apparently he's much better w/ the ball in his hands. But would that be justified w/ Blackwell, & Boyd or whoever else here?

Then the bad Rapp on the other kid is he couldn't crack 40% as a big, #'s dropped against better opposition, & is very slow.

I think you add another guard & just best talent available, ideally a 3. They have enough big bodies. Winter, Amos is a solid frontcourt.

[DingusBojangles]

These two transfers seem underwhelming. Boyd was the 1 who stood out. But he's the one who hasn't been delivered, yet.

Rohde could be a 1-yr wonder. His sophomore yr was abysmal. Then he didn't even crack double-digits. Defense is adequate. Virginia's been bad. Apparently he's much better w/ the ball in his hands. But would that be justified w/ Blackwell, & Boyd or whoever else here?

Then the bad Rapp on the other kid is he couldn't crack 40% as a big, #'s dropped against better opposition, & is very slow.

I think you add another guard & just best talent available, ideally a 3. They have enough big bodies. Winter, Amos is a solid frontcourt.

Regarding Rapp, I don't understand getting caught up on "40% as a big".

He shot average (or slightly above/below average) from three on very high volume. That's impressive.

He shot 58.6% at the rim. For comparison, Crowl shot 61.6% at the rim (granted, against much better competition). Overall, his efficiency numbers are pretty much average. https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2025&p=Austin%20Rapp&t=Portland (note that Portland's preseason game isn't included here, which is why the numbers are slightly different than those in my last post).

[Bernman]

Regarding Rapp, I don't understand getting caught up on "40% as a big".

He shot average (or slightly above/below average) from three on very high volume. That's impressive.

He shot 58.6% at the rim. For comparison, Crowl shot 61.6% at the rim (granted, against much better competition). Overall, his efficiency numbers are pretty much average. https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2025&p=Austin%20Rapp&t=Portland (note that Portland's preseason game isn't included here, which is why the numbers are slightly different than those in my last post).

Comparing him unfavorably to Crowl inside isn't helping the case. I'm not expecting to miss him.

I could of course be wrong, but this is my initial impression, off not seeing him in full games, like you. It's odd this was plan A. Feels like plan C.

[DingusBojangles]

Regarding Rapp, I don't understand getting caught up on "40% as a big".

He shot average (or slightly above/below average) from three on very high volume. That's impressive.

He shot 58.6% at the rim. For comparison, Crowl shot 61.6% at the rim (granted, against much better competition). Overall, his efficiency numbers are pretty much average. https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2025&p=Austin%20Rapp&t=Portland (note that Portland's preseason game isn't included here, which is why the numbers are slightly different than those in my last post).

Comparing him unfavorably to Crowl inside isn't helping the case. I'm not expecting to miss him.

I could of course be wrong, but this is my initial impression, off not seeing him in full games, like you. It's odd this was plan A. Feels like plan C.

That's fair. I personally like the get, but it's certainly not a slam dunk.

Either way, I think focusing on overall FG% isn't super useful.

[MikeIsGood]

I think being missed is that we’re signaling a clear stylistic change. It’s not just up tempo - we’re full on embracing the 3. Rapp shoots almost 8 per game (vs 3 FGA inside the arc). He won’t get that here, and I think/hope his overall efficiency will be cleaned up as a result. But for all the ‘our shooters have the opportunities but most of them aren’t actually great shooters’ vibes we’ve had - *gestures*.

[Bernman]

Regarding Rapp, I don't understand getting caught up on "40% as a big".

He shot average (or slightly above/below average) from three on very high volume. That's impressive.

He shot 58.6% at the rim. For comparison, Crowl shot 61.6% at the rim (granted, against much better competition). Overall, his efficiency numbers are pretty much average. https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2025&p=Austin%20Rapp&t=Portland (note that Portland's preseason game isn't included here, which is why the numbers are slightly different than those in my last post).

Comparing him unfavorably to Crowl inside isn't helping the case. I'm not expecting to miss him.

I could of course be wrong, but this is my initial impression, off not seeing him in full games, like you. It's odd this was plan A. Feels like plan C.

That's fair. I personally like the get, but it's certainly not a slam dunk.

Either way, I think focusing on overall FG% isn't super useful.

Incidentally, I have him at 32.7% (16/49) against the 5 major conference/wcc tourney-level opponents he played. So in a smaller sample his #'s actually dropped significantly against the type of opponent who he'd have to play in the B1G.

Efficiency is effectiveness, generally. He's got a lot of improving to do. He was just a freshman. I wish he had the athletic foundation to build off, if not proof of concept.

[DingusBojangles]

Comparing him unfavorably to Crowl inside isn't helping the case. I'm not expecting to miss him.

I could of course be wrong, but this is my initial impression, off not seeing him in full games, like you. It's odd this was plan A. Feels like plan C.

That's fair. I personally like the get, but it's certainly not a slam dunk.

Either way, I think focusing on overall FG% isn't super useful.

Incidentally, I have him at 32.7% (16/49) against the 5 major conference/wcc tourney-level opponents he played. So in a smaller sample his #'s actually dropped significantly against the type of opponent who he'd have to play in the B1G.

Efficiency is effectiveness, generally. He's got a lot of improving to do. He was just a freshman. I wish he had the athletic foundation to build off, if not proof of concept.

Yeah, you can reach a similar conclusion by looking at the "Top 100 quality games" and "Top 50 quality games" lines on his barttorvik page. He definitely struggled more against better competition.

Again, I am/was more just annoyed by the focus on traditional FG%. Traditional FG% is not a very good efficiency/effectiveness metric.

[Bernman]

Yeah, you can reach a similar conclusion by looking at the "Top 100 quality games" and "Top 50 quality games" lines on his barttorvik page. He definitely struggled more against better competition.

Again, I am/was more just annoyed by the focus on traditional FG%. Traditional FG% is not a very good efficiency/effectiveness metric.

I see a 55.8 % ts on the season, but in the 45's vs. the better teams. That would be 7th and last, respectively, among the Badgers' rotation.

Mr. Crowley had a ts% of 63. Winter's was 66+. Amos' was only 48, but brings much better d you'd think. Rapp, Greppi, & Garlock are big bodies. We'll see who, if any, emerges from them. But I don't think we need any more. Makes the roster imbalanced. Get a guard & wing now, imo.

[ReginaldDwight]

Rohde isn't a On Ball guard IMO. UVA tried and it was just pretty meh. He should focus on just making 3s and being a passable defender.

[Matches Malone]

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[MVP2110]

Greg Gard is killing it this Portal season

[BroncoBuck]

A bit sad to see us become a transfer school, but completely necessary to compete.

[jschligs]

A bit sad to see us become a transfer school, but completely necessary to compete.

Hey man we still have Janicki.

[RiotPunch]

Love it.

[Turk Nowitzki]

A bit sad to see us become a transfer school, but completely necessary to compete.

The new normal isn't my favorite either but trying to accept that it is what it is. I'm just hopeful we can continue to do it like we have been so far where we still have a core group of some guys who stick around and we fill in around them. I also like having a few transfers (Amos and now Rapp) with multiple eligibility years left and mixing them in with the one and done guys.

[MikeIsGood]

A trio of generally inefficient players (though Rohde was great from deep last year), but hopeful that changes when they aren't the best player on their teams anymore. If Blackwell and Winter are back - and hopefully everyone else, too - quite happy with this haul.

[MVP2110]

Boyd/Rohde/Blackwell/Rapp/Winter seems like a solid starting 5, all capable scorers/shooters. I'm not sure how the new 3 guys are defensively. I think their last need is a true rim protecting big for specific matchups and to give Winter rest throughout the game

Then you also would have Janicki & Amos off the bench and hope one or two of the young guys step up. The pathway for a successful team is there next year

[HaroldinGMinor]

A trio of generally inefficient players (though Rohde was great from deep last year), but hopeful that changes when they aren't the best player on their teams anymore. If Blackwell and Winter are back - and hopefully everyone else, too - quite happy with this haul.

Boyd was slightly more efficient than Blackwell

[chonestown]

A bit sad to see us become a transfer school, but completely necessary to compete.

Every school is a portal school.