Tag: badgers basketball

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.

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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.

Steven Crowl Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Steven Crowl signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday becoming the latest member of 2020 class for Greg Gard.

Steven Crowl

6’9″, 210, center, Eagan, Minn. (Eastview)

Crowl used a strong summer in front of the Wisconsin coaches to earn his offer from the Badgers this past July. After taking an official visit to Wisconsin in September he made his commitment to the Badgers in mid-September. Crowl officially became a Badger on Wednesday when he signed his letter of intent to play for Wisconsin.

Crowl and Ben Carlson will complement each other well when the duo are on the floor together. Similar to Carlson, Crowl is able to stretch the floor in addition he’s able to make an impact on the defensive side too. Crowl could use a redshirt year as it would be beneficial for him to continue to add strength in addition due to the depth Wisconsin has in the frontcourt.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Crowl chose Wisconsin over other offers from: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota

Crowl’s Accolades: Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … his junior season, led Eastview High School to the Minnesota Class 4A state tournament while averaging 19.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 39% 3FG from beyond the arc … scored 630 points as a junior and 470 points as a sophomore giving him 1,100 career points entering his senior season … first-team South Suburban All-Conference in 2019 and second-team in 2018 … plays travel basketball for D1 Minnesota, the same program as current Badgers Nate Reuvers and Tyler Wahl.

Gard on Crowl: “Steven has so many of the characteristics that we look for, both on and off the basketball court. He has excelled at a high level both on the court and in the classroom. From the first time we saw him, Steven has continued to grow and develop as a player. He has a great feel for the game and he will be able to utilize all those skills as he continues to develop. Steven has the ability to score both inside and out, which will add him to a long list of big men who have come through this program over the years. We are excited to add Steven to the Badger basketball family.”

Jordan Davis Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Jordan Davis is the latest 2020 member to sign his letter of intent to play basketball for Greg Gard.

Jordan Davis

6’4″, 185, guard, La Crosse, Wis. (Central)

After receiving his offer in early June it didn’t take long for Davis and his brother Jonathan to commit to Wisconsin as they added their names to the 2020 class on the same day in June. Jordan Davis made it official on Wednesday by signing his letter of intent to play for his home state Badgers along with his brother Jonathan.

All five players in Wisconsin’s 2020 recruiting class can bring something to the table. For Jordan his defensive game is ahead of his offensive game. Although Jordan will likely redshirt his first year on campus due to the depth at the guard position will allow for Jordan to continue to develop his offensive game while continuing to add strength.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Davis chose Wisconsin over other offers from: UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, UNLV

Davis Accolades: Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … as a junior, averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals per game at La Crosse Central, earning first-team all-conference honors and named the team’s defensive player of the year … his sophomore season, averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals per game, garnering first-team all-conference honors … along with brother, Johnny, helped lead Central to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament each of their three years on the varsity team, including a title in 2017 with current Badger Kobe King … on the football field, Davis is also an impressive wide receiver for the Red Raiders, posting 358 receiving yards with 5 TDs through three games before suffering a season-ending injury … hauled in 49 receptions for 873 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.

Gard on Davis: “We are thrilled to welcome Jordan to our program.  His commitment and work ethic on the basketball court and in the classroom is exactly what we look for in a Wisconsin student-athlete. Jordan brings a certain level of toughness to the basketball court that has been developed on the football field as a star receiver. He comes from a winning culture at La Crosse Central and knows what it takes to compete for championships. He has known Badger Basketball his entire life and his commitment shows how much pride he has in representing Wisconsin.”

Ben Carlson Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard recieved Ben Carlson’s letter of intent on Wednesday as part of the Badgers five man 2020 recruiting class.

Ben Carlson

6’9″, 205, forward, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)

Carlson made his commitment to Wisconsin in September making him the last member of the 2020 class. On Wednesday Carlson made it official by signing his letter of intent to play for the Badgers.

Carlson skillset certainly fits well for Wisconsin as he’s able to score around the basket in addition to stretching the floor. With basketball becoming more positionless the ability to have a forward who’s able to attack opposing defenses in a multitude of ways will only help Wisconsin and is one of the reasons why Carlson is ranked No. 88 in the ESPN 100.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Carlson chose Wisconsin over other offers from: Colorado, Creighton, Davidson, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Stanford, and Xavier

Carlson’s Accolades: Four-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals … ranked No. 88 in the ESPN 100 for 2020 … Carlson currently has 1,299 career points, 745 career rebounds, 109 career blocks, 115 career assists and 83 career steals, making him the top rebounder and shot blocker in East Ridge High School history … as a junior, led East Ridge to the Minnesota Class AA state tournament while averaging a double-double (16 ppg, 11.3 rpg) … two-time all-SEC conference player … an AP scholar with honor, Carlson is a member of National Honors Society with a 4.1 GPA.

Gard on Carlson: “We are very excited to add Ben to our program. His commitment to academic excellence is extremely impressive, even on a national level. He has challenged himself year in and year out to become as well rounded a student as possible and he’s looking forward to continuing to develop at our prestigious university. On the court, Ben has a tremendously diverse skillset that should ultimately allow him to be effective in the post, off the dribble and from the perimeter as a shooter. His skills, combined with his great athletic ability, has us excited to begin working with Ben to help him reach his goals as a Badger.”

Jonathan Davis Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard received Jonathan Davis letter of intent on Wednesday as Davis is a part of a five-man 2020 recruiting class.

Jonathan Davis

6’4″, 185, guard, La Crosse, Wis. (Central)

Davis held a Wisconsin offer since December of 2017 but he didn’t verbally commit to play for the Badgers until June of 2019. Davis officially became a Badger on Wednesday when he faxed in his letter of intent to play for his home state Badgers.

There were many aspects about Davis’ game that Greg Gard was drawn to but Gard appreciates and enjoys recruiting players who have played multiple sports in high school and Davis certainly fits that bill. Outside of being a standout basketball player, Davis has also excelled on the football field as he has served as La Crosse Central’s starting quarterback. The competitive nature that Davis has developed playing both football and basketball will certainly serve him well when he enrolls at Wisconsin.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Davis chose Wisconsin over other offers from: DePaul, UW-Green Bay, Iowa, UW-Milwaukee, Minnesota, Northern Iowa, UNLV, and West Virginia

Davis Accolades: Four-star recruit by Rivals … conference player of the year averaged 23 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists per game as a junior for La Crosse Central, earning unanimous first-team all-state selection and first-team all-conference honors … La Crosse Tribune Coulee Region Player of the Year in 2018-19 … as a sophomore, averaged 22.7 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists per game and earned first-team all-conference and first-team all-state honors … along with brother, Jordan, helped lead Central to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament each of their three years on the varsity team, winning the state title in 2017 with current Badger Kobe King … on the football field, Davis is also a standout three-year starter at quarterback, passing for 6,572 yards and 56 touchdowns, while rushing for more than 2,000 yards and scoring another 34 touchdowns on the ground.

Gard on Davis: “Johnny is the ultimate competitor. He’s proven that on the basketball court, on the football field and in the classroom. Johnny’s ability to play and guard multiple positions is extremely valuable in today’s game. He brings a tremendous toughness and competitive spirit to both ends of the floor. His experiences as a high school quarterback will serve him well as he makes the transition to a collegiate basketball player. He has grown up watching Wisconsin Basketball and takes pride in wearing our colors. We’re excited to get to work with him and to help him reach his potential as a Badger in the years to come.”

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.”

Lorne Bowman Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Lorne Bowman becomes the latest member in the 2020 recruiting class to sign his letter of intent to play for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Lorne Bowman

6’2″, 180, guard, Detroit, Mich. (St. Mary’s)

Bowman became the first commit in Wisconsin’s 2020 recruiting class when he made his verbal commitment to Wisconsin in November of 2018. Bowman made it official on Wednesday by signing his letter of intent to play for Wisconsin.

The Badgers are getting a talented playmaker who is able to not only create shots for himself but also for his teammates. Despite D’Mitrik Trice, Brad Davison, and Trevor Anderson being ahead of Bowman when he arrives on campus the trio will all be seniors. There may not be many minutes available to Bowman in his first year but it could be beneficial to him to see the floor as a true freshman to gain some valuable experience before he officially takes over once Trice, Davison, and Anderson have exhausted their eligibility.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com.

Bowman chose Wisconsin over other offers from: Iowa, Nebraska, Buffalo, Oakland, Toledo, and Valparaiso

Bowman’s Accolades: Four-star recruit by ESPN … ranked No. 94 in the ESPN 100 for 2020 … standout at St. Mary’s High School is a two-time Class A All-State honoree in Michigan, earning first-team honors in 2019 and honorable mention in 2018 … averaged 23.1 points and 5.1 assists per game during his junior season … averaged 22.5 points and 4.9 assists per game as a sophomore … in AAU, member of EYBL where he excelled at the Nike circuit, averaging 13.5 points and 3.6 assists through his first six games.

Gard on Bowman: “We are ecstatic to have Lorne join our Badger family. He’s the ultimate competitor, both on the court and in the classroom, and we can’t wait to begin working with him. It was evident early on that Lorne is exactly what we look for and he’s only continued to improve. Lorne plays at his own pace, always under control, giving his team whatever it needs in the right moments with a skillset that can turn from scoring guard to playmaker in an instant. He has a great ability to get the ball where it needs to be and can also create shots with his tremendous pull-up game. Lorne displays natural leadership, both by his extreme work ethic and also through his communication on and off the court.  Lorne and his family are a pleasure to be around and represent everything that being a Badger is about.”

 

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.

Quick hits from Wisconsin’s 83-63 victory over McNeese State

It took a while for the Badgers to hit their stride. But when they did, it was a sight to see on the offensive end.

MADISON- Although it took a while for the Wisconsin Badgers to get going against McNeese State, the home team exploded for 46 points in the second half, and went on cruise control for an 83-63 victory at the Kohl Center to improve to 2-1 on the young season.

Early foul trouble

One major reason for Wisconsin’s early lack of success was some foul trouble to two of the team’s big men, Aleem Ford and Nate Reuvers.

Wisconsin should have been able to use its size to an advantage against a smaller, more guard-oriented team.

But Ford picked up three fouls in the first half, and Big Ten Player of the Week Nate Reuvers got two fouls in each half, so neither player was able to get into a rhythm early on, especially Reuvers coming off such a big week.

In the second half, that was luckily not such a big issue.

Big minutes from walk on

When Wisconsin was struggling early in the game, and even down nearly double digits within the first few minutes, head Coach Greg Gard made an interesting move and gave junior walk-on Walt McGrory his first minutes of the season.

McGrory’s minutes were huge for the Badgers, as Walt scored nine minutes in the first half alone, and more importantly brought a palpable surge of momentum and energy to the squad in a rut.

If he wasn’t the MVP of the entire game, McGrory was certainly a driving force for the Badgers as they turned the game around in the first twenty minutes.

Hot shooting

Wisconsin was double-teamed in the post early in this contest, which created a lot of open shots from the perimeter.

Those shots did not fall in the first half, but they certainly did in the second half, including a stretch where Wisconsin hit 10 shots in a row.

One of the most ridiculous stretches came as part of a 13-3 run, which included back-to-back-to-back threes from Brad Davison, D’Mitrik Trice and Brevin Pritzl.

Wisconsin ended up shooting 61% in the second half, but it felt more like 80%, as part of an impressive run to seal the win for the Badgers at home.