Tag: Aleem Ford

3-Point Shot Wisconsin vs. New Mexico

What are three things Wisconsin must accomplish in order to beat New Mexico?

Wisconsin will need to be able to bounce back after they lost to Richmond in their opening round game in the Legends Classic in Brooklyn. The Badgers will play in the consolation game against New Mexico as the Lobos lost to Auburn 84-59 on Monday night. This will mark the first game between Wisconsin and New Mexico since 1984.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play New Mexico.

LAYUP: WISCONSIN’S ABILITY TO LIMIT POST TOUCHES

Over Wisconsin’s last two games the Badgers have allowed an average of 32 points per game in the paint. Wisconsin allowed UW-Green Bay to score 36 points in the paint and against Richmond allowed 28 points as those are the most points Wisconsin has allowed in the paint this season.

Wisconsin will need to be able to shore that up against New Mexico as the Lobos are coming off their loss scoring 38 of their 59 points in the paint.

It wasn’t just one game where the Lobos have had success as on the season they’re averaging an impressive 41.4 points in the paint.

Nate Reuvers has done well in defending the post as he leads Wisconsin with 17 blocks as he has registered at least one block in every game. But until Micah Potter is eligible to play he’ll have to be careful of not getting into foul trouble.

Corey Manigault and Makuach Maluach are both averaging 11.9 points per game and Carlton Bragg is averaging 10.7 points per game. All three have had success around the post but Reuvers ability to stay out of foul trouble will make sure that New Mexico can’t have the similar success they’ve had in past games.

MID-RANGE: CAPITALIZING ON NEW MEXICO’S TURNOVERS

Wisconsin through six games is forcing an average of 13 turnovers per contest. The Badgers, if they are active on defense, will have a chance of easily matching that number if not exceeding it.

Considering New Mexico is turning the basketball over an average of 17.7 times a game and had a whopping 24 turnovers in their loss to Auburn.

Wisconsin’s defense has been able to get after its opponents this season on the defensive end and has made it difficult at times for opposing offenses to get into an offensive rhythm. Wisconsin didn’t play with the same activeness on defense like they’ve displayed against Richmond on Monday night but if they can return to form they should be able to create plenty of extra offensive possessions for themselves.

Making it important that if Wisconsin is able to force New Mexico into meeting their season average in turnovers that they consistently turn their mistakes into points. Wisconsin is averaging 16.3 points off of opposing teams turnovers and if Wisconsin can continue to do that it will allow for Wisconsin to possibly take control of the game and start building a lead.

3-POINTER: GENERATING POST TOUCHES

Wisconsin at times against Richmond settled for long two’s or for three’s as 27 of Wisconsin’s 50 field goal attempts came from three. That won’t cut it against New Mexico.

The Badgers can’t continue to settle for shots as they need to be able to consistently work the basketball around and at least touch the paint once per each offensive possession.

Wisconsin scored only 10 points in the paint against Richmond and that was easily the fewest points scored by Wisconsin this season as in the other five games the Badgers have averaged 27.6 points in the paint.

If Wisconsin effectively runs their offense they should be able to have a better performance in the paint as Auburn was able to score 40 points in the paint.

Wisconsin’s ability to feed the post to Reuvers or have Aleem Ford or Kobe King attack the paint will help open up other opportunities on offense besides trying to generate high percentage shots around the basket.

Game Day Grades: Wisconsin vs. Richmond

Handing out grades from Wisconsin’s 62-52 loss to Richmond in Brooklyn.

Offense: F

Wisconsin was able to take its second lead of the game at 47-45 with 9:56 to go in the game. But how Wisconsin ended the game shooting the basketball against Richmond is a summary of how poorly Wisconsin shot from the field throughout the game.

Wisconsin closed the game by shooting 1-for-10 from the field while committing four turnovers. If you break it down a little farther the Badgers only made two field goals on 12 shot attempts over the final 11:15 of the game.

Nate Reuvers made three with 11:15 tied the game at 45 and his two made free throws gave Wisconsin a 47-45 lead. But the Badgers didn’t make their next field goal until the 4:44 mark as Brad Davison’s three tied the game at 50.

Despite how poorly Wisconsin shot the basketball as they finished the game 17-for-50 (34 percent) from the field they still somehow had a chance of pulling out a victory. Simply put Wisconsin could never get over the hump and string together successful offensive possessions against a Richmond defense that forced Wisconsin into a season-high 15 turnovers.

With how poorly Wisconsin was shooting the basketball they didn’t do themselves any favors by failing to give themselves second chances. Wisconsin finished the game with eight offensive rebounds, which they only turned into four points.

The lack of presence in the paint didn’t just include failing to get offensive rebounds but also generating a lack of post touches for Reuvers. Wisconsin scored a season-low 10 points in the paint as they shot 5-for-14 on their opportunities in the paint. Including missing their last five shots in the paint as the last made field goal by Wisconsin in the paint came with 13:17 to go in the second half.

Grant Golden did a good job of challenging each shot against Wisconsin in the paint as he was responsible for one of the three blocks by Richmond. In addition, Golden was one of the main reasons why Wisconsin couldn’t generate second chances as 10 of his 12 rebounds came on the defensive glass.

Although Richmond did a good job of taking away the paint from Wisconsin at the same time the Badgers didn’t try and generate post opportunities either. Considering they needed to especially with Wisconsin struggling to find the bottom of the net from three.

Wisconsin attempted a three one too many times considering 27 of their 50 shot attempts came from three. Although Wisconsin shot a combined 26-for-54 (48.1 percent) from three the last two games the Badgers couldn’t recapture the same magic as Wisconsin only made seven of their 3-point attempts.

Tyler Wahl was the only player for Wisconsin to make at least two three’s as he made both of his attempts. While all five of Wisconsin’s starters attempted at least three, 3-pointers as they went a combined 4-for-21.

Reuvers and Kobe King were the only two Badgers to reach double figures finishing the game with 17 and 10 points respectively.  

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Game Day Grades – Wisconsin vs. UW-Green Bay

What grades did Wisconsin earn following their victory over in-state foe UW-Green Bay?

Offense: B+

Wisconsin came out firing against UW-Green Bay as they were able to quickly build a double-digit lead over the Phoenix as the Badgers never trailed. By the time the 16-minute media timeout hit in the first half Wisconsin was up 16-4 and were shooting 6-for-9 from the field and were 3-for-5 from three.

Wisconsin’s shooting was strong throughout most of the game but the Badgers did hit some dry spells too, which opened the door for the Phoenix to climb back into the game.

Despite the strong start to the game from the field after the 16-minute media timeout, the Badgers went to shoot 3-for-7 from the field and committed five turnovers as the Badgers allowed Green Bay to cut their double-digit lead to six at 27-21 with 7:44 to go in the first half.

Wisconsin was able to regain their shooting form and end the half on a high note as the Badgers finished the first half on a 24-8 run. Wisconsin went 8-for-14 to end the half as five of those eight made field goals came from 3-point range.

The Badgers were two made three’s shy of tying a school record for most 3-pointers made in a game as the Badgers went 15-for-31 (48.4 percent) from three.

Seven different players for Wisconsin made at least one three and six different Badgers made at least two of their 3-point attempts. D’Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison each made three of their 3-point attempts while Aleem Ford, Kobe King, Nate Reuvers, and Brevin Pritzl all made two 3-pointers. Tyler Wahl (five points) went 1-for-2 on his 3-point attempts.

Wisconsin did an excellent job of working the basketball around as the Badgers registered 24 assists on their 32 made field goals. With the Badgers consistently playing selfless basketball it allowed for Wisconsin to consistently generate open looks on offense as Trice led the team with seven assists.

With Wisconsin consistently working the basketball around the Badgers were able to get contributions from a variety of players for a second straight game. As the Badgers had six different players reach double figures as Reuvers led the way with 19 points. Davison finished with 15 points, King and Ford each had 12 points, Trice had 11 points, and Pritzl scored 10 off the bench.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

For Badgers forward Aleem Ford, hard work has turned into opportunity

A feature on Aleem Ford, with quotes from Badgers legend Alando Tucker included

It seems like more than three and a half years ago that juniors Aleem Ford and D’Mitrik Trice came to the University of Wisconsin, extending their career together from IMG Academy.

I had the pleasure of witnessing the two inseparable friends from the start, as I happened to sit behind them in a large theater class.

They were just freshmen in Madison, and although they sat in front of the lecture hall and enjoyed to make people around them laugh, one thing stood out: they were incredibly close, and no moment would get too big for them as long as they had each other.

Some of those moments came early on for Trice, who played in 37 games his true freshman season, for a team that was seconds away from an Elite Eight appearance.

But for Ford, that moment took a little longer to get there, waiting behind long-time Wisconsin starters like Nigel Hayes and Khalil Iverson.

After a redshirt season, playing as a partial starter as a freshman and then not starting any games last season, Ford is unquestionably a starter for the 2019-2020 Badgers, and needs to play a pretty big role on both ends for this team to be successful.

So far, he has done just that, averaging 11.5 points and five rebounds per game.

Ford has consistently shown flashes of his game since he arrived on campus, but now looks to turn those flashes into full games, on both ends of the floor.

Coming into the year, Ford worked on his post game, and got some help from UW’s all-time leading scorer, assistant coach Alando Tucker.

“I saw he had a lot of potential. He has so much potential, and it’s just dedicating yourself to get better on and off the court every day,” Tucker said about Ford.

“That can be quite a task, and I think he has welcomed it though, as I have truly seen it everyday, from the court to the classroom.”

From watching Ford at practice nearly four years ago, it was clear that there would be some impressive moments, but also some growing pains, especially with his height but a smaller frame early on.

Aleem knew that with the departures of Iverson and All-American Ethan Happ, there would be some open spots for playing time, and more importantly, the need for production, especially on the inside.

“After last season, I knew that was something that I wanted to work on, and something that I took seriously over the summer to get stronger,” Ford said.

“I tried to take care of my body that way, and do everything I could skill and development wise to put myself in that position.”

From a coaching standpoint, as well as that of a former player that could score on the wing and down low, Tucker had an interesting perspective on Ford from his transition into today.

“He’s more committed. The commitment and the dedication…I think the first few years you kind of try to get settled and figure things out, and I think this year he has come in much more committed, and has shown that every day,” Tucker said.

At 3-1 heading into Thursday’s matchup with in-state rival UW-Green Bay, the Badgers have shown improvement through each game this season, specifically down low and on the defensive end.

On the other side of the ball, Ford is third on the team in scoring, and also third in rebounding.

Ford and Trice are finally starting together, and Aleem feels like it has all been a pretty smooth transition to get to this point.

“Coming in as freshmen together, you’ve known us since we’ve been here and have seen it all,” Ford said.

“Just seeing how we have grown together has been awesome, on and off the court, with leadership and chemistry, has been really nice.”

Not surprisingly, Trice feels the same way, and that has done a lot for this squad early on.

“For me and Aleem, we’ve been roommates and teammates for four or five years now, and I think that chemistry really helps build and build over time,” Trice said.

“We’ve both put work in, and I think that and the chemistry has been a big part of our success over the last few years.”

Ford’s growth and maturity have shown in multiple ways early in the 2019-2020 campaign, whether it be on the court, in the weight room, or the in the classroom.

With his long time teammate next to him, Ford and the Badgers will look to continue their success, heading into conference season just around the corner.

Notes: Wisconsin Beats Instate Rival Marquette at Home 77-61

Game notes from Wisconsin’s victory over instate rival Marquette.

MADISON, Wis.– News and notes from UW Athletics after Wisconsin’s 77-61 victory over instate rival Marquette on Sunday.

TEAM NOTES

  • Wisconsin moved to 3-1 on the season, recording its 12th consecutive non-conference home win.
  • Head coach Greg Gard improved his overall record to 83-48 (.634), including a mark of 49-14 (.778) at the Kohl Center.
  • Wisconsin registered its 300th win in Kohl Center history. Since the building opened on Jan. 17, 1998, the Badgers are 300-51 (.855) all-time at the Kohl Center, the 9th-highest win percentage among NCAA Division I venues.
  • Wisconsin improved to 68-58 all-time against Marquette, including a mark of 39-18 in Madison. The Badgers are 2-2 vs. the Golden Eagles under head coach Greg Gard.
  • The Badgers’ 16-point margin of victory marked their largest win over Marquette since a 65-41 triumph on Dec. 23, 1998.
  • Wisconsin’s 77 points were their most scored against Marquette at the Kohl Center since a 77-63 victory on Dec. 10, 2005.
  • A total of 6 Badgers scored in double figures, marking the first game for Wisconsin with 6 double-digit scorers since a 93-84 win over Marquette on Dec. 10, 2016.
  • Wisconsin went 18-for-20 (.900) at the free throw line. That marked the first time the Badgers shot at least 90.0% from the charity stripe on 20 or more attempts since going 28-for-31 (.903) vs. Indiana on Feb. 3, 2015.
  • The Badgers shot 57.1% (8-for-14) from 3-point range in the second half en route to shooting a season-high 47.8% for the game.
  • Wisconsin outscored Marquette in the paint 24-10. On the season, the Badgers are outscoring opponents by an average of 9.0 points per game in the paint (28.0-19.0).
  • The Badgers held Marquette’s Markus Howard to 2 points on 0-for-9 shooting in the 2nd half. Howard, who finished with 18 points, had averaged 24.0 points in his previous 3 games vs. the Badgers.
  • Wisconsin surrendered only 5 offensive rebounds and 3 second-chance points to Marquette. The Badgers scored 14 secondchance points on their 9 offensive boards.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • Senior G Brevin Pritzl posted the first doubledouble of his career with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, including 6 offensive boards.
  • Pritzl went 3-for-4 from 3-point range and 4-for-4 at the free throw line.
  • Junior G Brad Davison scored 15 points and pulled down 3 rebounds.
  • Junior F Aleem Ford scored 12 points and matched his career highs with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.
  • Junior F Nate Reuvers scored in double figures for the 4th consecutive game, tallying 10 points.
  • Junior G D’Mitrik Trice scored 10 points and matched his career high with 3 steals.
  • Sophomore G Kobe King scored in double figures for the 2nd-consecutive game and the 7th time in his career.

Badgers blowout Marquette at home, 77-61, behind massive team effort

Wisconsin had a balanced attack on offense, which was a key to leading the Badgers to victory over Marquette

MADISON- In a highly anticipated matchup between in-state rivals Marquette and Wisconsin, the host Badgers got the best out of the Golden Eagles in blowout fashion, 77-61.

The two teams were within five of each other at the half, but Wisconsin exploded in the second half from long range, and Marquette really struggled to score against the Badgers’ defense.

Check out my keys to the game below:

Balanced attack 

In the win, the host Badgers had one of the most balanced attacks that I have seen in a long time, especially during the Greg Gard era.

This was to be expected this season losing an all-time great like Ethan Happ, but in a rivalry game like this one, it was impressive to see it come together in such fashion for Wisconsin.

Eight Badgers played at least five minutes in the game, and six of them scored in double figures.

One of those players came off the bench, and the rest included all five starters on the squad, combining for 57 of the team’s 77 points.

There will be players that step up more than others on the offensive end, but when a team can get that kind of production from just about their whole rotation, that is certainly a sight to see for this offense.

In addition, Wisconsin shot 48% from the three-point line.

Pritzl

Brevin Pritzl, the one Badgers player that scored in double figures off the bench, very well may have been the MVP of this one for Wisconsin.

In the early-going when the game was very much up for grabs, Pritzl provided an instant spark for the victors, delivering seven points and seven rebounds in eight minutes, at the guard position no less.

Whether it was grabbing offensive rebounds or hitting knock down threes, Pritzl was absolutely relentless for Wisconsin, and finished with a career-high 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Badgers.

After the game, the team let him know how important he was to this win:

Shutting down Howard 

In order to beat Marquette, you have to shut down All-American Markus Howard.

And the Badgers, led by D’Mitrik Trice at the lead guard position, did just that and more.

Howard finished with a solid 18 points, but he scored 16 of those in the first half, and did not make a field goal in the second half.

In addition, Howard only shot 6/21 from the field, which is certainly a testament to how players like Trice, Davison, and Pritzl made things tough on Howard today.

All in all, it was a total team effort from Wisconsin, and an impressive performance to move to 3-1 on the young season.

Game Day Grades – Wisconsin vs. Marquette

What grades did Wisconsin receive following their game against instate rival Marquette?

Offense: A

One thing that had been missing from Wisconsin’s offense through the first three games was an offensive balance. The Badgers offensive production was generated through the post as it was needed, considering the struggles from 3-point range for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin was able to get on track from three in the second half against McNeese State when they shot 7-for-15 over the final 20 minutes. The Badgers were able to carry that performance over against Marquette as Wisconsin finished the game 11-for-24 (47.8 percent) from three.

Wisconsin had six different players knock down a three, as Brevin Pritzl led the way making three of his four attempts as his 15 points tied for the team lead in scoring with Brad Davison. D’Mitrik Trice and Nate Reuvers were the only other two players to make at least two of their 3-point tries as they shot a combined 4-for-9. Aleem Ford went 1-for-4, Davison went 1-for-3, and Kobe King went 1-for-2 from three.

The success Wisconsin had from 3-point range helped open up the paint for Wisconsin as the Badgers finished the game with 24 points down low as 18 of those points came in the first half.

Wisconsin was aggressive early and found ways to attack Marquette’s defense as the Badgers scored nine points off of fastbreak opportunities. Due to the aggressive play by Wisconsin’s offense, it also allowed for Wisconsin to get to the free throw line. For the third time over Wisconsin’s first four games, the Badgers got to the free throw line at least 20 times. Wisconsin was able to convert on their opportunities by going 18-for-20.

Overall, Wisconsin had six different players score in double figures. Outside of Pritzl and Davison each scoring 15 points, Ford finished the game with 12 points, while Trice, King, and Reuvers all finished with 10 points.

Wisconsin finished the game shooting 24-for-56 (42.9 percent) from the field.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

3-Point Shot Wisconsin vs. Marquette

Here are the three keys to a Wisconsin victory over in-state rival Marquette on Sunday.

Marquette has beaten Wisconsin over the last two meetings and three of the last four games. The Badgers certainly will have a challenge on Sunday against Marquette as the Golden Eagles are coming off of a 10-point victory against Purdue to improve their record to 2-0.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play in-state rival, Marquette.

LAYUP: WISCONSIN’S SUCCESS IN THE PAINT

Marquette through two games is allowing their opponents to average 28 points around the rim compared to Wisconsin averaging 29.3 points in the paint.

Nate Reuvers will play an important role in making sure that Wisconsin is able to generate high percentage shots around the rim against a Marquette team that’s averaging eight blocks a game.

In particular, Reuvers will have a challenge against Theo John as he leads the team with nine blocks as eight of them came in Marquette’s season opening win over Loyola Maryland.

If Wisconsin is going to challenge John and generate points in the paint Reuvers can’t get into foul trouble like he did against McNeese State. If he does it will take one of Wisconsin’s more consistent scorers off the floor as he’s averaging 15.3 points. Reuvers ability to have success around the rim and ability to stretch the floor could lead to balanced scoring against Marquette.

MID-RANGE: CAN WISCONSIN CONTINUE ITS MOMENTUM FROM 3?

Wisconsin certainly caught fire from three in the second half against McNeese State as they shot 7-for-15 (46.6 percent), which is the Badgers best shooting half from three.

The question is does the performance from three in the second half against the Cowboys continue against Marquette or will it revert back to what Wisconsin has shown this season?

Wisconsin is shooting a lowly 27.7 percent (18-for-65) from three and if Wisconsin’s offense is going to have success against Marquette they’ll need to turn in a better performance from the perimeter.

Problem is in two games Marquette has done well of contesting the 3-point shot as the Golden Eagles have held their opponents to shoot 25 percent or less from three on an average 21 3-point attempts a game.

If Wisconsin is going to continue where they left off from three against Marquette it will be up to Aleem Ford, D’Mitrik Trice, Brevin Pritzl, and Brad Davison. All four have attempted at least 10 three’s through three games.

Davison leads the team shooting 40 percent (4-for-10) from three as he went 3-for-4 from three against McNeese State. Making it important that when Wisconsin is able to create an open look from three the Badgers knock them down as there won’t be many opportunities where Wisconsin will get a good look from 3-point range.

3-POINTER: TRYING TO CONTAIN MARKUS HOWARD

Howard is one of the more natural scorers in college basketball as through two games he’s averaging 28 points per game while shooting 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from the field and 58.8 percent (10-for-17) from three.

Howard in three career games against the Badgers is averaging 24 points a contest and is shooting 37.2 percent (22-for-59) from the field. Howard is going to get his shots up against Wisconsin’s defense its a matter of making sure they aren’t opportunities where he can catch and shoot.

Although Howard scored 27 points against Wisconsin a season ago he did attempt 29 shots from the field. It will be a team effort to try and slow Howard down as the Badgers will need to effectively communicate to fight through screens to make sure Howard can’t exploit a mismatch against a Wisconsin defender.

If Wisconsin’s defense can make sure they don’t allow Howard to completely take over the game and frustrate him they’ll force somebody else to try and beat the Badgers.

That person could be Koby McEwen as he’s the only other player for Marquette to average double figures at 17 points a game.

In addition, Howard has been able to set his teammates up as his five assists are tied for the second best mark on the team but he also leads the team with six turnovers. Creating frustration for Howard will be difficult but if Wisconsin’s defense can knock him off his offensive game a little bit that could go a long way in how the game is decided.

Top quotes from the Badgers post-game

Some of the top questions and answers from postgame after Wisconsin’s 83-63 victory over McNeese State

MADISON- There was a lot to talk about after an impressive second half from the Badgers, and many players contributing to an 83-63 home victory for Wisconsin over McNeese State.

At the postgame press conference, I talked to Brad Davison and head coach Greg Gard. See what they had to say:

Q: McNeese State’s head coach (Heath Schroyer) mentioned how they were trying to double the post early on, which led to more open shots for you all on the perimeter. How did that give you and your teammates confidence for the second half, even when you might not have been hitting in the first half?

(Brad Davison) A: “I thought we got really good, high-quality looks in the first half, even if we weren’t knocking them down. We’ve got a lot of great shooters on this team at one time on the floor, so we’re all confident in our own shot, and we’re all confident in one another that we will get going.”

“So Nate and Aleem and Tyler, the post guys, were very unselfish to get the ball to us quick and on time. When you get passes on time and on target to good shooters, they’re going to fall. We just remained confident, and knew that they would keep coming.”

Q: Coach, you mentioned how defense can often help lead to good offense. How did one of the stretches, where the team forced six turnovers in six minutes, help lead to some of those open shots in the second half?

(Greg Gard) A: “I think any time you can score in transition, any time it is a turnover or a live ball turnover. Trevor Anderson made a great play, diving in a gap and digging for loose balls. When we are able to create live ball turnovers and run and make plays in transition, we have a lot of guys that can shoot the ball.”

“So, that puts pressure on a defense in terms of covering shooters, and as long we put pressure on the rim and make good decisions, we’ll be good. If we have something, take it, and if not, make a play so we can.”

Q: What did you like out of freshman Tyler Wahl tonight?

“Kid’s a player. He just keeps getting better and more comfortable. The offense and that stuff will come, and he stuffed his stat sheet a few games ago, but he just knows how to play. He’s versatile, he knows how to play…it’s hard for a true freshman to understand when we switch ball screens, when we don’t, when we flytrap, when we hedge, so he’s learning on the fly. He’s probably getting thrown in the fire faster than most freshmen have been, but he’s so versatile. He’ll get stronger with time, but just to be able to compete. I mentioned about the Davis twins and how they compete. If you compete, and you’re smart and can take instruction well, you will have a chance to play a lot, and Tyler has done that. You don’t have to tell him anything twice, and he’s only going to get better, because he is hungry, and he works at it.”

Game Day Grades – Wisconsin vs. McNeese State

Grading the Wisconsin Badgers basketball performance against McNeese State.

Offense: B

Wisconsin’s offense in the second half was much improved compared to the first half. For starters, Wisconsin shot 60.7 percent (17-for-28) from the field over the final 20 minutes compared to shooting 44.4 percent (12-for-27) in the first half.

The Badgers were able to generate looks for themselves in the first half that simply didn’t fall, compared to the second half. The one constant, though, was the Badgers were able to consistently set their shots up by registering an assist as Wisconsin registered 19 assists on their 29 made field goals.

Eight different players for Wisconsin registered an assist and seven of the eight registered at least two. Trevor Anderson led the way with four assists off the bench as he played 13 minutes.

Wisconsin did well at generating points in the paint in the second half as 16 of Wisconsin’s 30 points in the paint came in the second half. Although Wisconsin finished the game with 30 points down low, the Badgers were able to do most of that damage without Nate Reuvers. Reuvers dealt with foul trouble throughout the game as he finished with four fouls in 21 minutes on the court.

Reuvers still finished the game with 10 points as he was one of four Badgers to reach double figures. Brad Davison led the way with 24 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field, Aleem Ford finished with 16 points, and Brevin Pritzl had 13 points.

Defense: B

Wisconsin’s defense in the first half against McNeese State wasn’t very good, as the Badgers allowed the Cowboys to shoot 45.5 percent (10-for-22) from the field.

In particular, Wisconsin’s defense didn’t have an answer for Sha’Markus Kennedy, as the Badgers allowed him to score 18 points in the first half alone. But the Badgers defense was able to tighten in the second half defending him as he only scored two points on 1-for-2 shooting from the field in the second half.

With Wisconsin limiting Kennedy in the second half and making sure he couldn’t gain the same kind of comfort, he was forced to try and set up one of his teammates on offense. Kennedy finished the game with three assists all coming in the second half as he was one of three players for McNeese State to finish the game with three assists.

A.J. Lawson was the only other player for McNeese State to finish the game in double figures with 10 as the Cowboys finished the game 21-for-45 (46.7 percent) from the field.

Although Lawson did reach double figures he did struggle taking care of the basketball as he finished with six of the Cowboys 18 turnovers. With Wisconsin creating such a high amount of turnovers against McNeese State the Badgers did an excellent job of capitalizing their mistakes into 30 points.

Wisconsin was able to register 10 of McNeese State’s 18 turnovers off of steals.

Overall: B

Wisconsin didn’t play a great first half as the Badgers were only up by three at halftime. Wisconsin was able to get on track and officially put the game away in the second half when the Badgers went 13-for-15 from the field over the first 10 minutes of the second half including making 10 straight field goals over that stretch to put the Badgers up 71-to-52.

During Wisconsin’s hot streak a number of players contributed as Ford scored 10 points, Pritzl had seven points, Davison registered six points, and D’Mitrik Trice chipped in with two points.

In the stretch where Wisconsin made 10 straight of their shot attempts it also included the Badgers knocking down all four of their 3-point attempts. It was good for Wisconsin to finally see the three falls for them considering their struggles from the perimeter to begin the season. The struggles from the perimeter continued in the first half as Wisconsin went 3-for-13 but in the second half, it seemed like they couldn’t miss as they went 7-for-15.

Five different players for Wisconsin made at least one three and four of the five made at least two of their 3-point attempts. Walt McGrory was one of the five players to make a three as he finished the game with a career high nine points. McGrory was able to provide a spark for Wisconsin off the bench in the first half as he finished the game with two rebounds, two assists to one turnover in 24 minutes on the floor.

Wahl played a bench high 26 minutes and in his time on the floor, he was productive on both ends. Wahl finished the game with three points on 1-for-2 shooting from the field but he also registered three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Game MVP: Brad Davison

Davison certainly had his shot falling as he finished with a season high 24 points on an impressive 7-for-8 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. In addition, Davison went 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Davison was able to set up his teammates as he finished the game with two assists and registered three rebounds. Not to mention with McNeese State struggling to take care of the basketball it wasn’t surprising to see Davison contributing in creating those extra offensive possessions as he had a team high four steals.