Tag: john tonje

John Tonje pockets second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Week honor

John Tonje pockets second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Week honor

Wisconsin Badgers wing John Tonje earned Big Ten Player of the Week nods for the second straight week on Monday. The veteran is the first Badger to boast that feat since Johnny Davis in 2022.

The honor arrives one day after Tonje native fueled UW during its 2-0 run at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

The transfer wing averaged 24 points and 6.5 rebounds en route to pocketing the event’s MVP honor. In the tournament’s finale, he dropped 33 points against Pittsburgh, 25 of which came in a tightly-contested second half.

Backed by his 23.0-point per game output, the Badgers are 7-0 for the first time since 2014-15 and boast the No. 15 position in the latest AP top 25 poll.

The former CSU Ram and Missouri Tiger is putting together arguably the best first few weeks of a season in program history. Through seven games, Tonje leads the nation in free throw percentage and ranks No. 9 in scoring. He’s also the first Division I player to score 33 or more points against two high-major opponents in November over the last 15 years, per UW Athletics.

In three wins last week, Tonje scored 67 total points on a 52.6% clip from the field and nearly 96% mark from the foul line.

He and the Badgers now return home for a Nov. 30 showdown against Chicago State before squaring off against Michigan on Dec. 3.

Wisconsin rises in latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Wisconsin rises in latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll

After rattling off seven straight wins to start to 2024-25 season, Wisconsin rose to No. 17 on the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

UW’s signature win over Arizona on Nov. 15 prompted coaches to elevate the Badgers to the No. 25 spot on last week’s hierarchy. After three more wins against UT Rio Grande Valley, UCF and Pittsburgh, respectively, Wisconsin is now being considered one of the better teams in the nation.

Wisconsin’s upward trajectory is apparent. The Badgers failed to garner any consideration in the first in-season update after landing in the ‘receiving votes’ section in the preseason edition of the poll. Greg Gard’s team is now No. 17 in the latest update, plus No. 15 in the AP Poll, and drawing national headlines courtesy of superstar wing John Tonje.

Kansas remains the No. 1 team in the coaches poll after a strong opening week. The Jayhawks are followed by No. 2 UConn, No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 Gonzaga and No. 5 Iowa State. A total of three Big Ten squads cracked Nov. 25’s installation of the top-25 list.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 5-0 767 (25)
2 UConn 4-0 717 (2)
3 Auburn 4-0 707 (3)
4 Gonzaga 5-0 689 (1)
5 Iowa State 3-0 602
6 Tennessee 6-0 587
7 Houston 3-1 559
8 Kentucky 5-0 539
9 Alabama 4-1 527
10 Duke 4-1 502
11 Marquette 6-0 499
12 Purdue 5-1 429
13 North Carolina 3-1 424
14 Cincinnati 5-0 330
15 Indiana 4-0 262
16 Florida 6-0 260
17 Wisconsin 7-0 252
18 Baylor 4-2 244
19 Creighton 4-1 167
20 Texas A&M 4-1 146
21 Arkansas 4-1 128
22 Xavier 5-0 85
23 Arizona 2-2 76
24 Ole Miss 5-0 73
25 Pittsburgh 6-1 66

Schools Dropped Out

No. 20 Illinois; No. 20 St. John’s; No. 24 Texas Tech;

Others Receiving Votes

BYU 60; Texas 43; Mississippi State 43; Illinois 42; St. John’s 40; Texas Tech 39; Ohio State 38; Saint Mary’s 33; Drake 23; Memphis 21; Nebraska 20; Oregon 8; Rutgers 7; Dayton 5; Michigan State 4; UCLA 3; Georgia 3; Nevada 2; Utah State 1; Penn State 1; Maryland 1; LSU 1;

Wisconsin is back on the court on Nov. 30 against Chicago State. The team will then gear up for its first Big Ten game of the 2024-25 season against Michigan on Dec. 3 at the Kohl Center.

Analyzing Wisconsin wing John Tonje’s historic start to 2024-25 season

Analyzing Wisconsin wing John Tonje’s historic start to 2024-25 season

Wisconsin Badgers basketball wing John Tonje is off to a remarkable start to the 2024-25 season.

Through seven games, the former Missouri Tiger and Colorado State Ram is averaging 23 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31 minutes per game for UW. He is also shooting 54.3% from the field, 40.6% from three-point range and 95.2% from the charity stripe.

As of Nov. 25, Tonje’s scoring average is the ninth-best in the nation. Only Green Bay’s Anthony Roy (28.0 PPG), UC Davis’ Ty Johnson (26.8 PPG), Villanova’s Eric Dixon (26.7 PPG), Colombia’s Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa (24.0 PPG), Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli (23.8 PPG), Temple’s Jamal Mashburn Jr. (23.3 PPG), Jacksonville State’s Jaron Pierre Jr. (23.3 PPG) and FDU’s Terrence Brown (23.1 PPG) boast higher individual points-per-game rates.

If Tonje’s season points average were to stick, it would be the second-best in Badgers history behind Clarence Sherrod, a guard who played with UW from 1968-71. Tonje’s free throw percentage is also currently the best in program history by over 0.3 percentage points.

The conversation surrounding Tonje’s acquisition revolved around his ability to replicate what A.J. Storr did in his lone season in Madison. As it stands today, Tonje looks like a much better player.

The North Omaha, Nebraska native emerged in national conversations after scoring a career-high 41 points in Wisconsin’s season-defining win against Arizona on Nov. 15. He then dropped 33 points in the Badgers’ 81-75 win over Pittsburgh at the Greenbrier Tip-Off on Nov. 24.

Tonje is unquestionably Wisconsin’s most valuable player to date. He has been as aggressive as any player in college basketball this season. And, when the game is on the line, fans can rest assured that Tonje will cash in on any free throw opportunities.

At this current pace, Tonje could be in consideration for the Wooden Award at the end of the season.

The 7-0 Badgers are back in action on Nov. 30 against Chicago State at the Kohl Center.

What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard, wing John Tonje said after Greenbrier Tip-Off win

What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard, wing John Tonje said after Greenbrier Tip-Off win

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and star wing John Tonje addressed the media following the Badgers’ 81-75 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.

For the first time since Wisconsin reached the NCAA Tournament final in 2015, the team is 7-0 and has scored 79 or more points in every win. To achieve that on Sunday, the Badgers needed to rally back from 14 down in the first half against a tough Pittsburgh team.

“Heck of a game against a really, really good team,” Gard said. “Not a great start for us offensively, but the resilience these guys showed being down 14 and not being able to get anything going offensively, they leaned into their defense even more.”

Wisconsin did just that. After posting 27 points in the opening frame off abysmal shooting splits, Wisconsin put together a 54-point second half and held the Panthers to under 16% from distance.

To correct that, Gard looked inward at UW’s offensive possessions during the first half.

“[In the] second half, we were able to get some things going,” Gard said. “I felt offensively we had to do a better job at shot selection,” Gard said. “We took some quick ones at times, we took some look twos… and then we go 0-of-10 from three for the first half. Analytically at halftime, we were getting what we wanted. We just needed a couple threes to go in.”

Fortunately, Wisconsin’s program is well aware of its culture. When those shots weren’t falling, Gard was able to lean on his depth to uplift stars like John Tonje and John Blackwell.

“You lean into your defensive when your offensive isn’t clicking like it has been,” Gard said. “Eventually, we got to the point where we were able to get to the free throw line.. The resilience of this group, the toughness of this group, the guts within this group in [Max] Klesmit, [Kamari] McGee and [Carter] Gilmore, those are the fighters that help in those situations. That’s the core of our program.”

Tonje, who dropped 33 points in the victory, was virtually un-guardable. The wing scored 25 of his 33 in the second half off 9-of-11 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

“I was trying to be aggressive from the start,” Tonje said. “I didn’t shoot the ball well early, but I just kept with it. The primary defender on me had three fouls, so I was trying to be aggressive. A couple of the guys that were switching out on me had a couple fouls as well. I knew on the scouring report that they’re not necessarily as deep of a team, so we knew we had to take advantage of guys in foul trouble. So that was what I was looking for.”

The 7-0 Badgers will return to the Kohl Center on Nov. 30 for a game against Chicago State.

RECAP: John Tonje explodes for 25 second-half points as Badgers beat Pittsburgh to win Greenbrier Tip-Off

RECAP: John Tonje explodes for 25 second-half points as Badgers beat Pittsburgh to win Greenbrier Tip-Off

Wisconsin basketball squeezed past Pittsburgh 81-75 to pick up its seventh victory of the 2024-25 season on Sunday.

With the win, Wisconsin pocketed first-place at the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off. The tournament triumph is UW’s third non-conference November tournament title dating back to 2021 and it’s sixth since 2005.

For the second time this season, wing John Tonje spearheaded the Badgers’ offensive effort in historic fashion. The transfer wing scored 33 points off 11-of-19 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 clip from the free throw line. Most notably, 25 of his 33 points arrived in the second half.

By no surprise, Tonje’s output earned him 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off MVP nods.

Down by as many as 14 in the first half, the Badgers never wavered. UW opened the second half with an 11-2 scoring surge courtesy of five buckets from five different playmakers. Fueled by an unconscious Tonje, Wisconsin used that momentum to take a 51-50 lead at the 11:15-minute mark.

The score would seesaw until veteran guard Kamari McGee, who scored 10 points off the bench, canned a three-pointer to push Wisconsin ahead 65-62. Tonje would follow with a layup on the ensuing possession, and the Badgers did not relinquish their lead for the remainder of the game.

Pittsburgh did bring it to within one, 71-70, but the Badgers made timely shots when it mattered most. In the end, late-game shot-making and superstar contributions from one of college basketball’s most talented transfers proved the difference.

For the game, Wisconsin shot 48.3% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw line. In just the second half, UW scored 54 of its 81 points, shot 60% from the field, recorded 50% mark from the three-point line and registered a 92.9% clip from the free throw line.

John Blackwell added 14 points, three rebounds and two steals in the win, Nolan Winter scored 11, Kamari McGee accounted for 10 points off the bench and Steven Crowl snagged nine rebounds.

The Badgers’ start to the season is the program’s best since 2014-15, the year Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes led UW to the NCAA Tournament Title game. By the looks of it, this team could be special.

Wisconsin basketball’s win over UCF matches best start since … 2014-15

Wisconsin basketball’s win over UCF matches best start since … 2014-15

Wisconsin’s basketball program made history in its 86-70 win over UCF on Friday.

For the first time since 2014-15, the Badgers have started the season with a 6-0 record. That legendary team amassed a 36-4 overall record and reached the 2015 NCAA Tournament title game.

Unlike the 2014-15 crew, the 2024-25 Badgers have scored 79 or more points in each of their first six games of the season — five games with 86 or more. That is a program-best mark.

While this version of UW does not roster Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker or Nigel Hayes, it does blend a unique combination of experience, size and athleticism.

Through six games, transfer wing John Tonje has been nothing short of a star for Greg Gard. The senior is averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in just under 30 minutes per appearance. He’s also shooting a blistering 53.2% from the floor, 44.4% from three-point range and 94.3% from the foul line.

Sophomore guard John Blackwell accounts for 16.3 points per contest, and senior Max Klesmit puts up over 13 points per game. The Badgers lead the nation in free throw percentage, outscore opponents by nearly 17 points and dish out just under 16 assists per game.

Wisconsin was ranked No. 19 in the latest AP Poll before a pair of victories. That ranking should rise if the team defeats Pittsburgh in the Greenbrier Tip-Off final. As they seem to do every year, the Badgers are overachieving based off their preseason expectations.

RECAP: Wisconsin rolls past UCF to improve to 6-0 on 2024-25 season

RECAP: Wisconsin rolls past UCF to improve to 6-0 on 2024-25 season

Wisconsin basketball rolled past the UCF Knights 86-70 on Friday to pick up its sixth win of the 2024-25 season.

Unlike its previous two victories which were fueled by individual scoring outbursts from wing John Tonje and guard John Blackwell, the Badgers cruised to victory against UCF with swift ball movement and dominant team defense.

On the offensive side of the hardwood, the Badgers logged 21 assists, scored 38 points in the paint and had 10 of their playmakers scratch the scoresheet. Defensively, Gard’s unit held the Knights to just 34% from the field and 12% from the three-point line.

Blackwell spearheaded the scoring charge with 17 points off 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep. Tonje dropped 15, snagged six rebounds and dished out four assists, veteran guard Kamari McGee notched a season-high 14 points off 5-of-6 from the floor and sophomore center Nolan Winter registered 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the blowout win.

Wisconsin practically sealed the deal in the first half. After UCF’s Darius Johnson cashed in on a layup inside at the 11:45-minute mark, Wisconsin orchestrated an extended 20-8 run to extend its edge to 21 points with 4:52 remaining before intermission.

Everything was clicking for UW. Wisconsin moved the ball seamlessly and found open men both near the painted area and outside the arc. The Badgers paired their interior attack with five looks from deep in the first half en route to a 15-point lead by the break.

Winter and Tonje picked up right where Wisconsin left off in the second half to extend the lead to 20 within the first three minutes of the final stanza. Gard’s team maintained a 20-point advantage up until the final minutes of the contest.

Wisconsin improves to 6-0 on the young season with their first road victory of the season. UCF, meanwhile, drops to 4-1. Wisconsin will play its next game on Nov. 24 against Pittsburgh in the second leg of the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

LOOK: Wisconsin arrives at Greenbrier Tip-Off for first road games of 2024-25 season

LOOK: Wisconsin arrives to Greenbrier Tip-Off for first road game of 2024-25 season

Wisconsin (5-0) will play its first road game of the 2024-25 season against UCF (4-0) at the Greenbrier Tip-Off on Friday.

Staged at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, the non-conference tournament serves as an early-season test for the No. 19-ranked Badgers.

Unlike any other game throughout the season, the atmosphere surrounding these two or three-day tournaments is much different than a contest at the Kohl Center or elsewhere. The environments often stray from what players may be accustomed to, as they’re usually played in a condensed gymnasium or a ballroom.

Just a day before their test vs. the Knights, Wisconsin’s group appears to be acclimating to that environment. The Badgers staged Thursday’s practice in what appears to be an actual ballroom. Ornate drapes and chairs quite literally surround the hardwood.

Luckily for John Tonje and company, Greg Gard has been here before. The Badgers have participated in 17 non-conference tournaments over the past 19 seasons, including seven of the previous eight seasons under Gard.

Wisconsin has found immense success at these events under Gard, headlined by a recent win at the 2023 Fort Myers Tip-Off.

The Badgers’ second game of the weekend is scheduled for Nov. 24 against either LSU or Pittsburgh, depending on Friday’s results. A tournament triumph would unquestionably elevate in the Badgers even higher in the next version of the AP Poll.

Where Wisconsin basketball lands in Joe Lunardi’s latest 2025 bracketology

Where Wisconsin basketball lands in Joe Lunardi’s latest 2025 Bracketology

Wisconsin men’s basketball program appeared in Joe Lunardi’s latest 2025 March Madness men’s field prediction on Wednesday. 

After being projected as one of the bubble teams in Lunardi’s May installation of his bracketology, the ESPN analyst now considers the Badgers a No. 9 seed in the Midwest region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Wisconsin’s placement arrives on the heels of UW’s statement win over No. 17 Arizona on Nov. 15 at the Kohl Center. The win, fueled by 41 points from wing sensation John Tonje, rocketed Wisconsin up to No. 19 in the latest AP Poll.

If Lunardi’s forecast comes to pass, the Badgers will square off against Mississippi State, a program that holds the No. 8 seed in the Midwest cohort. The Bulldogs most recently dropped their first-round match as an eight-seed to No. 9 Michigan State in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, lost its opening round contest to No. 12 James Madison in the 2024 tournament. Shortly after, veteran point guard Chucky Hepburn and volume scorer A.J. Storr elected to transfer from the program.

Now, UW looks like it can compete once more in the postseason. The Badgers lead the nation in free throw percentage at 88.64% (117-of-132) and can turn to several playmakers for scoring contributions at all three levels.

Greg Gard’s program will return to the court for a bout against UCF on Nov. 22 at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia.

Badgers wing John Tonje earns AP national player of the week honor

John Tonje earns AP national player of the week nods

The Associated Press named Wisconsin Badgers’ wing John Tonje the National Player of the Week in men’s college basketball on Tuesday.

Four days removed from his historic 41-point barrage vs. No. 17 Arizona, Tonje pocketed the honor on Tuesday morning. This follows Tonje reeling in Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday, becoming the first UW player to receive the award since Johnny Davis in 2022.

Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn was named runner-up after dropping 29 points and eight rebounds vs. No. 8 Alabama. Ante Brzovic (College of Charleston), Kam Jones (Marquette) and Abdi Bashir Jr. (Monmouth) were included as honorable mentions.

Through five games this season, Tonje is averaging 22.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 steal per game. The graduate student is also shooting 56.3% from the field, 50.0% from beyond the arc and 95.9% from the free throw line.

Tonje has officially emerged as Wisconsin’s offensive replacement for transfer wing AJ Storr. The volume scorer averaged 16.8 points per game in 36 appearances for Wisconsin a season ago, but he shot just 43.4% from the field and 32.0% from distance.

Obviously, Tonje’s splits will dip as the season progresses. He does, however, possess unquestionable touch from the free throw line and poised shot selection. Some could make the argument that Tonje, who spent the 2023-24 season at Missouri, is a better fit than Storr ever was.

Regardless, the national distinction is worth celebrating. Wisconsin’s next game is on Nov. 22 against UCF at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia.