Wisconsin rises in both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Butler
Wisconsin basketball ended its three-game losing streak on Saturday with an 83-74 win over Butler.
The victory improves the Badgers to 9-3 on the 2024-25 season. Importantly, it guarantees momentum entering the holiday break, barring an unforeseen loss to Detroit Mercy (No. 318 in KenPom) on Dec. 22.
The Badgers had tumbled in both KenPom and ESPN BPI during the mentioned losing streak. The team fell from a fringe-top-20 contender down to the mid-30s of both rankings.
The win over Butler righted that trajectory. Wisconsin rose in both rating metrics:
KenPom: No. 33 (up from No. 35), with the No. 15 offense and No. 89 defense in the country.
BPI: No. 34 (up from No. 35), with a projected record of 20.3 – 10.7 and a 5.5% chance to win the Big Ten.
The Badgers are the No. 9 and No. 8-ranked team in the Big Ten in those two rankings, respectively. While a step down from where the team was after its 8-0 start, each slot is a significant upgrade over where it stood entering the season (No. 46 in KenPom, No. 39 in BPI).
That sentence likely captures the tone of the fanbase: the three-game losing streak paused big-picture expectations, especially in a gauntlet Big Ten. But overall, the Badgers look far better than any expected when the season began.
Wisconsin is back on the court on Dec. 22 at home against Detroit Mercy. It is then off until Jan. 3, 2025 when the Big Ten schedule continues with a home matchup against Iowa.
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Notably, the two results also dropped the team in both KenPom and BPI. The Badgers are down to No. 37 in KenPom (No. 19 offense, No. 88 defense) and No. 36 in BPI. Those slots are good for No. 10 and No. 9 in the Big Ten, respectively.
Greg Gard’s team now faces a critical upcoming week with games at No. 19 Illinois and against Butler (neutral site). Those two contests can do one of two things — either wins will reverse the team’s course and reestablish it as one of the Big Ten’s best, or losses will continue the slide from the top of the rankings.
That Illinois game is set for Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. CT available exclusively on Peacock.
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Three stars from Iowa basketball’s 80-79 walk-off win vs. Northwestern.
Iowa men’s basketball (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) earned their first Big Ten conference win of the season Tuesday night vs. Northwestern (6-3, 0-1 Big Ten) on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Josh Dix off an inbound pass with .8 seconds left.
The thrilling victory was a sigh of relief as the Hawkeyes let the Wildcats creep back into the game after leading Northwestern by as many as 15 points early in the second half.
As a team, Iowa shot 30-for-55 (54.5%) from the field and 9-for-23 from three-point territory but missed out on points from the free-throw line by finishing 11-for-19 (57.9%). The Hawkeyes also amassed 26 total rebounds throughout the night.
Iowa’s defense collected 21 defensive rebounds and forced 12 turnovers, including seven steals and two blocks. The Hawkeyes were also able to convert 18 points off those turnovers.
While only shooting 29-for-60 (48.3%) from the field, Northwestern was efficient at the free-throw line by converting on 13-of-16 (81.3%) opportunities and fell two points shy of equaled Iowa’s point production from the paint.
With the Hawkeyes starting off the 2024-25 Big Ten slate on a positive footing, here are the three stars who led Iowa to an exhilarating victory.
Dix was the clear-cut first star of the night with his clutch game-winning three-pointer to snatch an Iowa victory from the gaping jaw of defeat.
Dix finished with 22 points on 9-of-16 (56.25%) shooting, including 3-for-8 (37.5%) from three-point territory, to reach double figures for the second straight game and the fifth time this season.
He also had six rebounds and one assist and was 1-for-1 (100%) from the free-throw line in 38 minutes of game time.
His last-second shot saved Iowa from what would have been a disappointing loss as the Hawkeyes allowed Northwestern to scratch and claw back into the game after leading the Wildcats for much of the game.
Sandfort finished with 20 points on 6-of-14 (42.86%) shooting from the field, including 4-for-9 (44.4%) from deep and a perfect 4-for-4 (100%) from the charity stripe. He also had seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block to round out his 35 minutes on the night.
The performance from Sandfort is a welcoming sight, as he had struggled shooting the ball in his previous two games.
Iowa hopes the successful shooting night for the senior forward continues as they battle conference opponents throughout the season.
Brock Harding
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
While Harding’s 12 points on 6-of-10 (60%) finished fourth in team scoring on Wednesday, his defensive presence was critical throughout the night. The sophomore guard accounted for nearly half of Iowa’s defensive statistics with three steals and one block in 33 minutes. Harding also added eight assists and one rebound to close out his night.
The defensive play from Harding has been a valuable trend throughout the season so far, and one Iowa will look to continue moving forward.
The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday vs. Michigan (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) from Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in their first true road game of the season.
The game will begin at 1 p.m. CT and be televised on FS1. As always, the game will also be aired through the radio on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.
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Michigan State dominates Minnesota to open Big Ten play
Michigan State basketball did exactly what they were supposed to do tonight and that is go on the road and open Big Ten play with a big-time win. The Spartans dominated Minnesota inside of the barn, earning a 90-72 victory.
It was a game that was never really in doubt, with the Spartans jumping to a double-digit lead midway through the first half and never letting the Gophers within ten for the rest of the game.
The Spartans had 12 different players in the scoring column in the game, being led by Coen Carr with 12 points, Xavier Booker with 11 points, Jeremy Fears’ 10 points and a double-double from Jaxon Kohler with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Michigan State will continue Big Ten play against Nebraska inside of the Breslin Center on Saturday.
John Tonje named Big Ten Player of the Week after 41-point outburst vs. Arizona
After dropping 41 points in UW’s signature win over Arizona on Friday, Badger wing John Tonje earned Big Ten Player of the Week nods on Monday.
Tonje is the first Badger to receive the honor since Johnny Davis in 2022. In the win, the graduate student also became the fourth player in UW history to score at least 40 points.
In addition to his overall point total, the hyper-athletic wing notched a single-game program record from the free throw line with 21 makes and snared a team-high six rebounds.
On top of all that, Tonje’s offensive explosion propelled Wisconsin to No. 19 in the Associated Press’ latest top 25 poll.
Through four games of the 2024-25 season, Tonje has transformed into the clear-cut No. 1 option on a team many assumed would struggle on the offense end of the floor.
The top offseason acquisition is currently averaging 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, shooting nearly 95% from the free throw line, over 47% from deep and roughly 56% from the field.
Tonje and the Badgers are back in action against UT Rio Grande Valley at 7:00 p.m. CT on Nov. 18.
The win was powered by transfer wing John Tonje, a common sentence in the season’s early stages. He finished with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, plus seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Senior center Steven Crowl also had his best outing of the young season, adding 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Wisconsin is off to a strong start. Though the opponents are far from the class of the sport, the Badgers are taking clear steps forward with every contest. That improvement, mixed with decisive winning, should be enough to create optimism surrounding the team’s rest-of-season outlook.
For more on that outlook, here is where Greg Gard’s group stands in KenPom and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index after the win over Appalachian State:
ESPN BPI: No. 29 overall (up 10 spots) — 13.1 rating, 18.8 – 11.2 projected record, 6.7% chance to win Big Ten Conference
Those trend lines are just from the decisive victory over Appalachian State. The movement has the team now ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten by BPI and No. 10 by KenPom.
The latter may be a bit more reserved on the Badgers’ quality after only three games. Regardless, it’s worthwhile noting that our updated Big Ten basketball power rankings aren’t the only measure that is upgrading Wisconsin after the first week of the season.
The Badgers are back on the Kohl Center court for a premier matchup against No. 10 Arizona on Friday. A win would only continue the team’s current upward trajectory.
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All the latest updates and news on Wisconsin’s injury report ahead the Montana State matchup
Wisconsin basketball (1-0) will play Montana State (0-0) at the Kohl Center in its second game of the 2024-25 non-conference state on Thursday night.
Greg Gard’s crew enters the contest after vanquishing Holy Cross 85-61 in its season opener on Nov. 4. In that game, transfer John Tonje impressed with 23 points and five rebounds in his Badger debut.
Montana State, meanwhile, opens its 2024-25 season against the Badgers. The Bobcats have won three consecutive Big Sky titles — securing three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. They will look to build off that momentum with a respectable output against one of college basketball’s most consistent programs.
Transfer guard Camren Hunter will make his Wisconsin debut Thursday after missing the season opener with an illness. Hunter averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 33.9 minutes per game in 2022-23 with Central Arkansas before missing the entire 2023-24 season due to injury. His minutes and role should be worth monitoring against Montana State.
Gard went with starters John Blackwell, John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter in the opener vs. Holy Cross, plus leaned on guard Kamari McGee as his top bench asset.
Both teams enter Thursday’s game at full strength. The two will tip off at 7:00 p.m. CT on BTN+.
If you’re sad about USC football, don’t worry — USC women’s hoops is ready to compete for a Big Ten title. See which teams are likely to challenge the Trojans.
If you haven’t followed women’s college basketball closely in recent years, but are now ready to dive into women’s hoops because USC has an elite team, welcome! We’re happy you’re here, and we hope you will stay with us for complete coverage of USC women’s basketball this coming season. The Trojans are a Final Four contender. They are No. 3 in the two main preseason polls. If they stay healthy, they will be very good for sure. The question is how great they can become in the Big Ten and on a national level.
The women’s basketball website Swish Appeal broke down the Big Ten women’s basketball race into several tiers. USC is obviously in the top tier, given that the Trojans have been picked to win the conference in preseason polls. An item of interest for USC fans studying up on women’s hoops this year: Which teams are expected to contend with the Trojans at the top of the Big Ten? Swish Appeal offered its own view:
One foremost contender is UCLA, to no one’s surprise. Then come the third and fourth selections in the Big Ten’s top echelon:
Ohio State is ranked No. 14 in the nation and are coming off their first outright Big Ten title since the 2009-10 season. No one is sleeping on the Buckeyes, even if they aren’t being picked by many to repeat as champions. Junior forward Cotie McMahon was named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year watch list, and head coach Kevin McGuff is coming off a season where he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Last but certainly not least in the first tier is No. 18 Maryland. Terrapin senior guard Shyanne Sellers is box office, and with her in charge, they’ll be an exciting team to watch and one that can upset the best teams in the country on any given game day.
Indiana, voted to finish fifth in the preseason coaches’ poll, is not included in the top tier by Swish Appeal. The Hoosiers have been excellent the past several seasons but have lost crucial players who carried the program.
It will be interesting to see if either Ohio State or Maryland can rise above the Los Angeles schools. It will also be intriguing to see if Indiana or another team not included in the top four can pull off a surprising rise in the Big Ten this season.
If you caught any parts of Big Ten basketball media days in suburban Chicago, you saw exactly why the Big Ten will help USC women’s basketball.
Big Ten basketball media days unfolded earlier this week in Rosemont, Illinois. USC was part of the festivities as one of the four new school in the Big Ten Conference. First of all, USC was picked to win the Big Ten in the preseason poll. That’s obviously great. What matters more, though is that it is already apparent how much more national exposure USC women’s basketball will receive in the Big Ten.
A short video from USC women’s basketball, featuring remarks from head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, underscores the value of the broader exposure USC will receive in the Big Ten. For one thing, USC will be visiting a lot of new cities and new arenas the Trojans haven’t played in before. Precisely when USC’s national brand is rising and the Trojans are becoming a more popular program for elite recruits, USC will be able to be seen by more eyeballs in more parts of the country. What you can also see from the video, if you pay close attention to college basketball, is that national college basketball personalities and reporters such as Big Ten Network’s Mike DeCourcy, attended Big Ten media days and were able to interact with Gottlieb and USC stars JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen. That’s tremendously important in enlarging USC women’s basketball’s national profile. The Big Ten is going to be really good for USC women’s basketball, and we’re only just beginning.
Wisconsin basketball again severely underrated in Big Ten preseason media poll
Another year, another example of the Big Ten and national college basketball media not believing in Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers.
This now feels like an annual occurrence. Wisconsin experiences a rough season or loses a few key players and everybody expects it to suddenly finish 12th in the Big Ten and miss the NCAA Tournament.
That is where Wisconsin is ranked by the Big Ten media entering the season: tied for 12th. The ranking was released on Wednesday in advance of the conference media days in Chicago, Illinois.
The context makes some sense. Stars from the program’s 2023-24 team that went 22-14 are now gone, headlined by PG Chucky Hepburn transferring to Louisville, SG A.J. Storr transferring to Kansas and F Tyler Wahl running out of eligibility.
Those losses accounted for combined per-game totals of 36.6 points, 4.1 assists and 12.6 rebounds. Anybody who watched or followed the Badgers can recognize the impact of their respective departures.
But history also matters. Wisconsin finished fifth in the Big Ten in 2023-24, 11th in 2022-23, tied for first in 2021-22, 6th in 2020-21, 1st in 2019-20 and 4th in 2018-19. The program rarely falls near the bottom of the conference, minus a forgettable 2022-23 season.
The Big Ten Preseason Media Poll is out:
Purdue Indiana UCLA Illinois Michigan State Oregon Rutgers Ohio State Michigan Maryland Iowa Tied for 12th: Wisconsin, Nebraska USC Washington Northwestern Penn State Minnesota
Greg Gard and his staff also responded to those roster losses offseason. Wisconsin landed transfers John Tonje (Missouri), Camren Hunter (Central Arkansas) and Xavier Amos (Northern Illinois), pairing them with a freshman class headlined by top point guard Daniel Freitag.
The team may need some time to gel given all of the new faces. But if Freitag and John Blackwell reach their potentials, and the transfers prove to be valuable contributors, Wisconsin has a chance to surprise. Returning starters Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit should help to bridge that gap.
This may be a natural reaction to Wisconsin football struggling with lofty expectations. But the upcoming 2024-25 basketball season has all of the makings of a classic ‘how did everybody underestimate the Badgers again?’ type of season
For more on what exactly to expect, here is our recent look at the Badgers updated starting lineup and rotation after signing Italian center Riccardo Greppi.
The Badgers begin their season at home on Nov. 4 against Holy Cross.
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