MID-RANGE: DISRUPTING RICHMOND’S BALANCED SCORING
Through four games Richmond has four players averaging double figures in Nick Sherod (20.8 ppg), Jacob Gilyard (20.8 ppg), Blake Francis (18.5 ppg), and Grant Golden (10.5 ppg). In addition, all four players are shooting at least 47 percent from the field.
When the Badgers are defending the Spiders it will be a pick your poison as all four have shown they can hurt you in a multitude of ways whether that’s around the rim or from three.
Wisconsin’s defense has been better than expected through five games as the Badgers have been able to play an active defense, which has allowed them to make sure opposing offenses struggle to get into a rhythm.
Making it important that the Badgers continue to hedge through screens and communicate on the defensive end to make sure the switches on defense are clean in order to prevent an open look.
One of the best ways to limit Richmond’s offense is making sure they don’t consistently get second chances. Richmond is shooting 51.8 percent (132-for-255) from the field due to the Spiders impressive shooting percentage there haven’t been many chances for them to collect off of a missed shot as they’re averaging nine offensive rebounds per game.
With Richmond, averaging 10.25-second chance points a game the Badgers can’t afford to have Nate Reuvers get into foul trouble. Reuvers ability to stay on the floor throughout the game should allow himself to either grab a defensive rebound himself or box out and allow either D’Mitrik Trice or Brevin Prtizl to come up with the rebound too. Between Reuvers, Trice, and Pritzl they’re tied for first on the team in defensive rebounds per game at 3.8.