Tag: Ethan Happ

On This Date: Wisconsin’s Bronson Koenig nails buzzer-beating to push Badgers into Sweet 16

Favorite Wisconsin March Madness memory?

In just two days, Greg Gard’s No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers will look to generate some magic against No. 12 James Madison in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Ahead of its 27th tournament appearance in program history, Wisconsin has experienced its share of electricity during March Madness. Whether it be Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker leading the charge in 2015 or the unexpected Final Four appearance under head coach Dick Bennett in 2000, the Badgers have traditionally known what it takes to win.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Perhaps the most memorable late-game tournament moment arrived on this day eight years ago when Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig nailed a buzzer-beater to lift the No. 7-seed Badgers over No. 2 Xavier. The corner snipe clinched the Badgers’ spot in the Sweet Sixteen — a round the program hasn’t reached since 2017.

Wisconsin found itself trailing Xavier by nine points with just under six minutes to spare in the contest. The Badgers would go on to tie the game at 63  after a quick run led by Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ and Jordan Hill. 

Then, with the game tied and two seconds remaining, Greg Gard called an inbounds play to Koenig in the corner. The rest is history.

A former Badger basketball star is headed to a new Spanish team

A former Badger basketball star is headed to a new Spanish team

Former Wisconsin basketball star Ethan Happ has a new professional home. The former Badger standout is headed to CB Gran Canaria in the Spanish ACB, a league many consider to be the best outside of the NBA.

This will mark Happ’s second campaign in the Spanish ACB. He appeared in 34 games for Rio Breogan last season. Happ averaged more than 12 points and seven rebounds for the squad a year ago.

The squad recently made its first EuroLeague appearance in 2018-19 and has been building off that success. Here is more on the new signing and the latest with Happ from Eurohoops:

Two former Badger centers ranked in top 25 since 2000 by ChatGPT

College Basketball Report asked AI software ChatGPT who the best centers have been since 2000, which listed two Badgers in the top 25.

It’s wild the world has come to this point, but College Basketball Report asked AI software ChatGPT who the best centers have been since 2000, and it listed two Badgers in the top 25.

According to the software, two big men from the 2010’s made a big enough impact for Wisconsin. Frank Kaminsky came in at No. 9 while Ethan Happ sneaked in at 21.

Starting with Kaminsky, this ranking comes as no surprise. The seven-footer led the Badger to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2014 and 2015, including a trip to the championship in 2015.

Kaminsky holds the Wisconsin record for the most points in a single season, producing 732 points in 2014-2015. His 43 points against North Dakota on Nov. 19, 2013 is a school record. He also finished with 153 career blocks, which was the program record until Happ passed him in 2019.

The 2014-2015 campaign earned him National College Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. After four seasons with Wisconsin, Kaminsky capitalized on his great senior, being selected ninth overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2015 NBA draft.

Happ’s career didn’t include as many legendary moments as Kaminsky’s did, but the 6-foot-10 center from Milan, Illinois, left his mark in Madison.

Starting all 139 games over his four-year career with the Badgers, Happ finished with 2,130 points (third all-time), 1,217 rebounds (program record), 154 blocks (second all-time) and 217 steals (second all-time).

Happ’s highest scoring campaign came in 2017-2018, when he compiled 590 points, which is the 10th highest scoring season in Badger history. The following season, he snatched 10.1 rebounds per game, coming down with 342 boards (second most in program history).

His 52 double-doubles and two triple-doubles are the most in Badger men’s basketball history.

Happ did not get selected in the 2019 NBA draft and now plays overseas for Rio Breogán of the Spanish Liga ACB.

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Johnny Davis is the first Badger since 2018 to accomplish this feat

Johnny Davis is the first Badgers player since 2018 to accomplish this feat.

Badgers sophomore guard Johnny Davis turned in an excellent two-way performance in a 66-60 victory over the visiting Minnesota Gophers on Sunday.

The La Crosse (Wisc.) native turned in a team-high 16 point, 15 rebound (career-high) performance in 37 minutes on an efficient 7-of-14 shooting from the floor.

This was the first 15 point, 15 rebound performance by a Wisconsin Badgers player since Ethan Happ posted a 22 point, 15 rebound performance against Virginia back in 2018.

Davis continues to show the nation that he’s able to lead the Badgers and effect the outcome of games in a multitude of ways. I’d argue that he’s the best rebounding guard that has ever passed through the program.

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Wisconsin’s new all-time block list after Nate Reuvers surpassed Ethan Happ last night

During the Wisconsin Badgers’ game last night against Rhode Island, senior forward Nate Reuvers recorded three blocks and passed…

During the Wisconsin Badgers’ win last night against Rhode Island, senior forward Nate Reuvers recorded three blocks and passed Ethan Happ for first place on the school’s all-time list.

He moved into possession of first place after passing Happ, Frank Kaminsky and several other Badger greats just this season.

Related: Wisconsin handles Rhode Island in a game dominated by whistles

Here is the school’s updated all-time block leaderboard:

Wisconsin F Nate Reuvers ties Ethan Happ for most blocks in program history

In the first half of the No. 4-ranked Wisconsin Badgers’ matchup against the Marquette Golden Eagles, forward Nate Reuvers tied Ethan Hap…

In the first half of the No. 4-ranked Wisconsin Badgers’ matchup against the Marquette Golden Eagles, forward Nate Reuvers tied Ethan Happ for the most blocks in Wisconsin basketball history.

Reuvers needed two blocks going into this game to tie Ethan Happ’s record at 154 blocks, and he was able to accomplish this goal only ten minutes into the first half against the Golden Eagles. Through the first three games of the season, Reuvers is averaging 2.7 blocks and 15 points a game. Wisconsin has struggled early on against Marquette, and this game has turned into a physical defensive battle with Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter, and Brad Davison all having two fouls in the first half.

Micah Potter is leading Wisconsin with seven points and three rebounds, while forward Justin Lewis is leading Marquette with seven points, two rebounds, and a block. Wisconsin is tied 27-27 with the Golden Eagles late in the first half.

Stay tuned to Badgers Wire for continued updates.

Ethan Happ shines, but Team Hines comes up short in a TBT thriller

Team Hines is bested by Sideline Cancer

Former Badger Ethan Happ suited up in round one yesterday for Team Hines as they took on Sideline Cancer. Despite an impressive performance from the Badger big, Sideline Cancer, led by former Central Michigan stud Marcus Keene, upset Team Hines 93-91.

Keene, who was a go-to scorer in college and is currently a professional in Taiwan’s Basketball Super League, finished with a game-high 29 points and the elam ending game winner.

Despite Team Hines holding a double digit lead in the second half, former Maryland big Diamond Stone coupled with Keene took over offensively for Sideline Cancer en route to an impressive comeback.

Happ finished as one of only two Team Hines players to score 20 or more points alongside Illinois alum Brandon Paul. The former Badger and current Italian pro ended with 20 points, six rebounds, and a pair of blocks. He showed off his versatility and handle on multiple possessions, including this one:

Despite Happ’s performance, Marcus Keene was the man when it came to elam ending time. There are still three Badgers left in the tournament and they all play for Big X, who matches up with a Dayton alumni squad on July 8 in round two.

TBT 2020 starts tomorrow: Here’s what Wisconsin basketball fans should know

TBT 2020 begins tomorrow

The Basketball Tournament, also known as TBT, has become a summer hoops staple over the past few years. The winner-take-all, single elimination tournament that features a unique ending to games has provided high-level competition amongst former and current college and pro ballers.

One major rule difference in TBT play is known as the elam ending. At the end of games, teams play to a target score rather than playing with a clock. All games must end on a made basket, a formula that was adopted in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game and led to a fantastic, dramatic finish that made up for many all-star games that had turned into glorified pickup ball.

This year, the tournament will look slightly different, as does just about everything in these uncertain times. TBT 2020 will take place over just ten days, from July 4 to July 14. The bracket has already been set, and the winner will split a $1 million dollar prize. All games will be on ESPN and ESPN2.

The two teams that Wisconsin fans should be specifically rooting for are Big X and Team Hines, as both feature Badger alums. Big X is a team made up of mostly Big Ten alumni, including three Badgers in Vitto Brown, Kahlil Iverson, and Trevon Hughes. They were supposed to open the tournament in the first game of the event against Jackson TN Underdawgs, although the Underdawgs were replaced by D2 after they had a positive COVID-19 test.

D2 is a squad made up of former division 2 stars, and they should give a trio of former Badgers a solid first-round battle.

Team Hines is the only other squad that features a former Badger in Ethan Happ. Happ joins a talented roster of Euroleague stars that should have a chance to compete for a championship. They open the tournament on July 5 at 4pm against Sideline Cancer.

Stay tuned on ESPN and ESPN2 as talented former Badgers battle for a major prize over the next ten days.

A Badger basketball legend named to the Big Ten Network Second Team All-Decade

Wisconsin is represented in the Big Ten All-Decade squad

Wisconsin was represented in the Big Ten Network Second Team All-Decade yesterday. Former Wisconsin great Ethan Happ found himself on the list alongside other conference greats.

Happ was joined by Michigan State guard Cassius Winston, former Purdue Boilermaker Carsen Edwards, Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, and former Buckeye Jared Sullinger.

Happ finished his Badger career with averages of 15.3 points per game to go along with nearly nine rebounds. It is a well-deserved honor for one of the best Badgers to ever do it.

Former Badger great Ethan Happ will be playing in TBT this summer

The former Badger joins one of the most stacked rosters in the field

[lawrence-newsletter][lawrence-related id=18625]Wisconsin now has a fourth former Badger participating in this years edition of The Basketball Tournament. The tournament, known as TBT, is a winner-take-all tourney with a $2 million dollar prize waiting for the winner. Former NBA pros, current European stars, and many of your favorite college basketball players from the past decade are set to participate in this years special edition. We now know that Badger legend Ethan Happ will be playing for one of the best rosters in the entire field.

Happ joins Team Hines, a squad led and put together by Euroleague legend Kyle Hines. This will be Happ’s first TBT appearance after not being able to play for the all-Wisconsin squad Kohl-Blooded last summer due to an injury.

Happ joins Vitto Brown, Kahlil Iverson, and Trevon Hughes, as the fourth former Badger in this years tournament. The other three Wisconsin alums participating are all on the Big Ten alumni squad Big X.

This year, TBT will take place over only ten days, and is scheduled to start on July 4. Tune in to see four former Badgers going at it for a massive grand prize.