Tag: Badgers

Wisconsin is up to a season-high ranking in the latest AP Poll

The Badgers are soaring up the rankings

We officially have a top-ten matchup at the Kohl Center this weekend. Wisconsin basketball is now up to No. 6 in the latest AP Poll, as they sit at 8-1 in the Big Ten on top of the conference standings. The Badgers are 16-4 overall.

After a Thursday trip to Lincoln, Nebraska Wisconsin returns home for a top-ten matchup against Purdue. Assuming both teams take care of business early in the week, the matchup will be for first place in the conference at this midway stage.

Wisconsin moved up seven spots this week, and UConn retained the top spot in the latest rankings.

Wisconsin football is one of the top programs in the nation when it comes to consistency

Wisconsin football is one of the top programs in the nation when it comes to consistency

The one thing Wisconsin football has not had over the past two decades of coaching changes, close wins and losses, and a revolving door of players? A losing season. Wisconsin is currently second in the country in terms of consecutive winning seasons as they have rattled off 22 straight winning seasons. The only school ahead of them is one you may not have guessed. The Boise State Broncos currently hold the longest winning season streak at 26 consecutive years without a losing record.

Wisconsin is ahead of notable names such as SEC dynasties in Georgia and Alabama, Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Iowa, and a number of other big-name programs:

WATCH: Max Klesmit’s journey back home to Wisconsin basketball

Max Klesmit is back with Wisconsin basketball

There are few reasons more important than Max Klesmit’s scoring surges as to why Wisconsin basketball has jumped to the top of the Big Ten and looks poised for a deep NCAA Tournament run.

The Wisconsin native has scored in double-figures in four of his last five games, including a pair of 20+ point performances in wins over Indiana and Northwestern respectively.

Big Ten Network took a look at how Klesmit, who grew up in Neenah, ended up at Wisconsin after not initially ending up with the Badgers out of high school. He is now as important a piece as any on a team poised for a March run:

A Wisconsin Badger is officially headed to Super Bowl LVIII

A Wisconsin Badger is officially headed to Super Bowl LVIII

With the Kansas City Chiefs clinching their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons by taking out the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, former Wisconsin star and current Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal punched his ticket to Super Bowl LVIII.

Chenal, who had a pair of tackles in the 17-10 win, has been an essential part of a defense that has been forced to carry Kansas City multiple times throughout this season.

On the year, the second-year pro has a trio of sacks and 40 tackles for a Chiefs team has had to win games on the defensive side of the ball. Chenal won Super Bowl LVII with Kansas City last season, and he knew how to celebrate:

WATCH: Michigan State had no answer for Wisconsin’s AJ Storr

Michigan State had no answers for AJ Storr

What led to Wisconsin’s first season sweep of Michigan State since 2003-04? St. John’s transfer AJ Storr was the best player on the floor in each of the wins against the Spartans, and was at his best last night.

Storr has been a three-level scorer for the Badgers and has enough ways to create offense for himself and others where you can’t just key in on one aspect of his arsenal. Last night, the Badger wing knocked down a trio of triples, got to the rim with ease, and monitored in the midrange. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 9-17 from the field while also finding easy ones at the free-throw line.

Check out the best of Storr’s night:

In last night’s win over Michigan State, Tyler Wahl joined an elite Wisconsin group

The Badger forward reaches the century mark

With Wisconsin’s 16th win of the season and a season sweep of Michigan State, Tyler Wahl earned his 100th win as a member of the Badgers. There have been very few Wisconsin players in history that have reached the century mark, as the Minnesota native is just one of seven Badgers all-time to accomplish the feat.

He joins an elite group that includes former Wooden Award winner Frank Kaminsky, his former teammate Brad Davison and several other Badger greats:

Wahl has a chance to add to his total next week as the Badgers visit Nebraska then have a showdown looming against Purdue at home.

Where Wisconsin basketball lands in ESPN’s latest Bracketology

Where Wisconsin basketball lands in ESPN’s latest Bracketology

ESPN college basketball inside Joe Lunardi updated his latest bracket on Friday and Wisconsin is cemented as a two-seed.

The Badgers will see the only Big Ten team ahead of them in the bracket next week as Purdue travels to the Kohl Center to take on Wisconsin. The latest update came yesterday just before Wisconsin took down Michigan State 81-66 in a dominant home victory.

Wisconsin basketball is currently a No. 2 seed in Lunardi’s bracket as they sit at 16-4 overall and 8-1 in the conference. Despite trailing Wisconsin in the league standings, Purdue is the lone Big Ten No. 1 seed in the ESPN bracket.

 

What the Big Ten basketball schedule will look like with new teams

What the Big Ten basketball schedule will look like with new teams

Earlier today, CBS Sports college basketball inside Jon Rothstein reported that the Big Ten has made some decisions regarding league play and conference tournament time with the new entrants.

Next season, UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington are headed to the Big Ten conference, and with them in, the league will have 18 teams vying for the top spot. According to Rothstein, the Big Ten is planning to stay at 20 league games even with the expanded field. Not all teams will make the Big Ten Tournament in March, as only 15 of the 18 will earn a spot in postseason play. This will be a significant change, as teams will be vying just to have a chance late in the season instead of being guaranteed a spot in the postseason regardless of regular season record.

A Wisconsin Badger among the finalists for NFL Defensive Player of the Year

A Wisconsin Badger among the finalists for NFL Defensive Player of the Year

A Wisconsin Badger is among the five finalists for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2023. Pittsburgh Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt finished his regular season as the league leader in sacks at 19, with fellow defensive player of the year finalist Maxx Crosby the next-closest at 14.5.

Watt set career marks with 68 total tackles and eight passes defended, and 48 of his 68 tackles were solo.

Watt is joined by cornerback Daron Bland, defensive end Maxx Crosby, defensive end Myles Garrett, and linebacker Micah Parsons.

The winner of the DPOY award will be announced on Feb. 8, 2024, during the NFL Honors show.

Greg Gard became one of the fastest coaches in college basketball history to do this

Greg Gard became one of the fastest coaches in college basketball history to do this

Earlier this week, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard reached 100 wins in the loaded Big Ten conference.

With a 100-62 overall record in conference play as the Wisconsin head coach, Gard became the sixth-fastest coach to reach 100 conference wins over the last 50 seasons, and he isn’t the only Badger-friendly name on the list. Bo Ryan was the second-fastest to 100 wins as he went 100-40 during his time as the Wisconsin leader en route to the wins century-mark.

Nobody has done it faster than Bob Knight, who went 100-35 as Indiana’s head coach to begin his Big Ten tenure. Here is a complete look at the leaderboard: