Tag: max klesmit

Wisconsin basketball ‘receiving votes’ in first AP Poll update

Wisconsin basketball ‘receiving votes’ in first AP Poll update

Wisconsin basketball received six votes in the latest AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday.

Despite amassing a 3-0 start to the 2024-25 season, Wisconsin didn’t experience much of a shift from its position in the AP Top 25 poll from Oct. 14. In that iteration of the hierarchy, Greg Gard’s program pocketed five votes ahead of the season.

Since then, Wisconsin has vanquished all of its early-season opponents by an average of 22.3 points per triumph. In his first season as a Badger, transfer wing John Tonje has spearheaded the offensive attack with 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Max Klesmit has followed with 16 points per game, and John Blackwell, Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter have chipped in with at least 10 points per contest as well.

As a team, Wisconsin is shooting a blistering 92.5% from the charity stripe and 37% from beyond the arc. Even though their adversaries aren’t anywhere near the AP’s top 25, Wisconsin has done exactly what its needed to do thus far.

In UW’s most recent win over Appalachian State, the Badgers orchestrated a 23-0 scoring spurt and saw five players score at least 10 points in the effort.

Wisconsin was also rated No. 40 in the latest KenPom ranking and No. 29 in ESPN’s latest BPI. The three wins have elevated them at least nine spots in both lists.

The Badgers return to the hardwood for a marquee matchup against No. 9 Arizona on Friday. A win against the touted Wildcats could catapult UW into the top 25 bubble.

WATCH: Full highlights from Wisconsin basketball’s 79-67 win over Montana State

Highlights from Wisconsin basketball’s 79-67 win over Montana State

Wisconsin basketball added a tally to the win column on Thursday night with a 79-67 triumph over Montana State.

The Badgers’ performance was far more complete than the one from their opening victory over Holy Cross. The team shot well from every level, highlighted by a 50% (11-of-22) mark from three-point range and 95% (20-of-21) from the free-throw line. Unlike in the opener, the Badgers mostly controlled the game throughout.

Related: What Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard and players said after win over Montana State

Senior guard Max Klesmit led the effort with a career-high 26 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 6-of-11 from three. Starting guards John Blackwell and John Tonje each added 13 points of their own, while sixth-man Kamari McGee had another big performance with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 27 minutes off the bench.

The Badgers improve to 2-0 with the victory over the Bobcats. The performance and result are important as the team gels, and as Greg Gard works to find an effective rotation with the program’s cast of new faces.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Sunday, Nov. 10 against Appalachian State. Before moving forward to that matchup, here are the full highlights from the Badgers latest win:

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

RECAP: Wisconsin surges past Montana State in second game of 2024-25 season

RECAP: Wisconsin surges past Montana State in second game of 2024-25 season

This story was updated to add new information.

The Wisconsin Badgers secured a 79-67 win in their second game of the 2024-25 season over Montana State at the Kohl Center on Nov. 7.

After scoring just seven points in the season opener, senior guard Max Klesmit tied his career-high with 26 points off six made three-point field goals. Transfer guard John Tonje continued his strong start to his Badger career with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists, and sophomore guard John Blackwell notched 13 points, six rebounds and two steals in the win.

As he did in UW’s season opener and preseason exhibition, head coach Greg Gard went with Blackwell, Klesmit, Tonje, sophomore center Nolan Winter and senior center Steven Crowl in the starting unit.

Similar to what the Badgers did against Holy Cross, UW went back-and-forth for nearly the entire first half against the Bobcats. The two teams combined for six ties and 10 lead changes during the opening frame before Wisconsin went into intermission with a 39-33 edge.

At the half, Tonje netted eight free throws for 11 points, and Klesmit nailed three 3FG for 11 points himself.

Montana State opened the second half with a quick 3FG, but Wisconsin responded with a 10-2 run courtesy of a pair of Klesmit three-pointers and a Nolan Winter dunk to establish an 11-point lead with 17:03 to spare on the game clock.

Following an extended scoring drought, Klesmit and Blackwell continued to apply offensive pressure to push the Badgers ahead by 17 with just under 10 minutes to play. Montana State would eventually cut it to 10, but UW’s lead proved too vast to overcome.

As a team, Wisconsin shot over 45% from the field, 50% from outside and a perfect 20-21 from the charity stripe. On the season, UW is 36-37 from the charity stripe.

Wisconsin also out-rebounded Montana State 32-27 and scored 10 more points in the paint, but the story of the game revolved around the Badgers’ efficiency from the outside and ability to create from the foul line.

Tonje , who shot 8-8 at the foul line against Holy Cross, shot 8-9 from the charity stripe against the Bobcats. Tonje can score from all three levels on the hardwood and creates an instant matchup problem for any guard with his size and strength.

UW was also able to lean on its overall perimeter play as opposed to Winter and Crowl down low. Klesmit, Tonje and Blackwell combined for 52 of Wisconsin’s 79 points and canned 10 3FG as a trio.

UW will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 10, against Appalachian State at the Kohl Center.

RECAP: Wisconsin basketball beats Holy Cross in season opener

RECAP: Wisconsin basketball beats Holy Cross in season opener

The Wisconsin Badgers opened their season with an 85-61 win over Holy Cross at the Kohl Center on Nov. 4.

In his Badger debut, transfer guard John Tonje captained scoring duties with 23 points and corralled five rebounds. Sophomore center Nolan Winter shot a perfect 6-6 from the field for 15 points and snared a game-high eight rebounds, and sophomore guard John Blackwell registered 16 points and four boards as well.

Wisconsin utilized the exact same starting lineup vs. Holy Cross as it did in its scrimmage against UW-River Falls:

G: John Blackwell

G: Max Klesmit

G: John Tonje (transfer)

F: Nolan Winter

C: Steven Crowl

While the final score suggests a wire-to-wire domination, UW’s first half output said otherwise. After veteran center Steven Crowl nailed his first 3FG of the season, Holy Cross wing Gabe Warren scored 11 points to push the Crusaders ahead 13-3 within the first four minutes.

He and forward Caleb Kenney would maintain the pressure to bring the Holy Cross edge to 23-7 at the 11:54-minute mark. Tonje and Blackwell would help UW regain control, however, as they combined for 20 first-half points at intermission.

After sparring with Holy Cross for the first stanza of the second half, the Badgers surged offensively. Tonje and Blackwell picked up right where they left off; the duo scored 14 of UW’s first 22 second half tallies to make it 59-46 Wisconsin with just under 10 minutes to spare.

From then on, Winter handled virtually all the scoring duties for the Badgers. The 7-footer shined with 13 points in the final six minutes and showcased his range with two 3FG.

As a team, Wisconsin shot 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from outside and a perfect 16-16 from the charity stripe. Wisconsin out-rebounded Holy Cross 38-21 and scored 18 more points in the paint.

With both Crowl and Winter down low, UW poses a challenging matchup for any team without size. Against Holy Cross, a team without a 7-footer on its 2024-25 roster, there’s no denying that the Badgers entered the game with a clear advantage,

Still, the story was the play from Tonje. A capable shooter and veteran presence in UW’s locker room, it appears as if head coach Greg Gard will lean on the former Missouri and Colorado State hooper to pick up some of the scoring slack after AJ Storr transferred to Kansas.

Guard Kamari McGee also looked sharp. In 27 minutes off the bench, the senior logged 7 points and four assists as the pilot of Wisconsin’s second unit.

Wisconsin now moves to 9-0 in season openers under Gard. The Badgers will be back in action on Thursday, Nov. 9, vs. Montana State at the Kohl Center.

Sights and sounds from Wisconsin Badgers at 2024 Big Ten Basketball media days

Sights and sounds from Wisconsin Badgers at 2024 Big Ten Basketball media days

Wisconsin basketball was well represented at the 2024 Big Ten Basketball media days on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Head coach Greg Gard, sophomore guard John Blackwell, senior center Steven Crowl and senior guard Max Klesmit made the trek to Chicago, Illinois to represent the Badgers this week.

The group participated in several hits for Big Ten Network, spanning from short social media videos to entertain badger faithful and panel discussions about the team this coming season.

While Blackwell, Gard and Klesmit were present at the Big Ten Network studio set, Blackwell fielded a question about Klesmit being the top trash talker on the 2024 team.

Here’s what he and Gard had to say:

UW’s representatives also participated in individual interviews and photo ops during their time in Chicago.

Before the media day appearance, Wisconsin was ranked No. 12 alongside   Nebraska by the Big Ten media on Wednesday. Given the departures of guard Chucky Hepburn, wing AJ Storr and veteran Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin finds itself in its typical preseason position: underrated.

The Badgers will kick-start its loaded 2024-25 schedule with an exhibition game against UW-River Falls on Oct. 30 and look to build off its 22-14 output and first-round loss in the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament a season ago.

Wisconsin men’s basketball releases 2024 non-conference schedule

Wisconsin men’s basketball releases 2024 non-conference schedule

The Wisconsin Badgers’ men’s basketball program released its 2024 non-conference schedule on Thursday.

Greg Gard’s group will open the season against Holy Cross on Nov. 4 at the Kohl Center. The Badgers will follow their first regular season match with four consecutive non-conference home contests in Madison.

Montana State (Nov. 7), Appalachian State (Nov. 10), Arizona (Nov. 15) and UT-Rio Grande Valley (Nov. 18) will each venture to Wisconsin in the opening month of the 2024 season.

The first-ever Greenbrier Tip-Off follows the local action shortly thereafter. Wisconsin will face UCF and either LSU or Pittsburgh on Nov. 22 and Nov. 24, respectively.

A quick Kohl Center tune-up vs. Chicago State on Nov. 30 follows before UW makes its way to Milwaukee for its annual I-94 rivalry game against Marquette on Dec. 7.

The final roadblock arrives during the recently announced Dec. 14 match against Butler at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Indiana Pacers. The Detroit Mercy Titans will also play Wisconsin at home on Dec. 22.

On top of the non-conference campaign, which figures to be one of the more challenging slates across the college basketball landscape, Wisconsin will also face a bevy on conference opponents in Madison and across the country.

UW will host 10 Big Ten opponents this season and travel to Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Rutgers and USC for road conference games.

Prior to the chaos, Wisconsin will play host to UW-River Falls in an exhibition on Oct. 30 at home.

Impressive Iowa State guard from state of Wisconsin enters transfer portal

Impressive Iowa State guard from Wisconsin enters transfer portal

The numbers in the NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal continue to grow,  and a Kimberly, Wisconsin, native from Iowa State entered his name Saturday.

After one season with the Cyclones, guard Jackson Paveletzke will head to his third school in three years. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound athlete averaged 3.4 points per game while playing an average of 10.5 minutes per contest with Iowa State.

What makes Paveletzke an interesting option on the open market is his freshman season with Wofford. In his first collegiate season, he averaged 15.1 points and 3.7 assists while shooting 49.3% from the field.

Considering Wisconsin has already reeled in one Wisconsin native from Wofford, Max Klesmit, Greg Gard and his staff could certainly revisit the well again this offseason with Paveletzke.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzzyj3n3jt6m7 player_id=none image=]

Wisconsin basketball 2024 signee climbs high school scoring leaderboard

Wisconsin basketball 2024 signee climbs high school scoring leaderboard

Jack Robison, a Wisconsin men’s basketball signee, moved up to third on Lakeville North Basketball’s all-time scoring list following his senior season. 

The 247Sports three-star committed to the Badgers’ program on Nov. 11, 2023, after being recruited by head coach Greg Gard and assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft. The 6-foot-6 small forward visited UW five times from October 2021 to October 2023. 

The Lakeville, Minnesota native also snagged offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa and South Florida. 

Robison’s high school is notorious for producing future Wisconsin men’s basketball players. Nate Reuvers, a member of the 2019 Big Ten title team, started over 100 games for Greg Gard. Fifth-year player Tyler Wahl and freshman big man Nolan Winter also donned the Panthers’ uniform before collegiate hoops.

Through March 15 of this past season, Robison averaged 21.9 points per game off 52.5% from the field. The future Badger could bolster Wisconsin’s wing next season alongside Max Klesmit and AJ Storr.

WATCH: Wisconsin G Connor Essegian predicted dramatic overtime win over Purdue

Connor Essegian had a crystal ball:

Wisconsin basketball’s 75-74 overtime win over Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal was one of the program’s best wins in years.

For me, it’s the Badgers’ best victory since Chucky Hepburn’s banked-in buzzer-beater to beat Purdue and clinch the Big Ten title at the end of the 2021-22 regular season.

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

The performance had everything. It had questionable foul calls on and against Purdue star big man Zach Edey, a dramatic overtime-forcing buzzer beater from Hepburn and a classic back-and-forth finish with Max Klesmit’s basket with five seconds remaining proving to be the difference.

The Big Ten Network cameras were predictably right there for all of the action. As released on X Wednesday afternoon, the cameras actually caught Wisconsin guard Connor Essegian saying “this is gonna be iconic” right before Hepburn’s basket and the ensuing heroics.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

[lawrence-related id=72531,73188,73152,73089]

WATCH: Matt Lepay calls the final moments of Wisconsin’s electrifying win over Purdue

Your reaction to Wisconsin’s buzzer-beating win over Purdue?

Wisconsin basketball put forth the effort of the year Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. It defeated Purdue, 76-75, with a last-second shot in overtime despite the dominance of Boilermakers big man Zach Edey and nearly every Wisconsin big man having fouled out.

The win is significant for numerous reasons. First, the Badgers are on to the final of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament to face Illinois. Second, Greg Gard’s team is playing its best basketball at the perfect time and appears to have put its month-long struggles in the past.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s heart-stopping overtime win over Purdue

One of the reasons for the victory today, and the general turnaround, is the stellar play of point guard Chucky Hepburn. His 22 points led the Badgers while his stellar defense on Braden Smith set up the team’s chance at the game-winning basket.

Wisconsin fans know what came next: Max Klesmit made a last-second bucket to give the Badgers an improbable and electrifying victory.

Here’s Matt Lepay on the call:

Wisconsin is back at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Sunday to play for the Big Ten Tournament title.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

[lawrence-related id=72850,72834,72818,72551]