Tag: Nate Reuvers

Brad Davison’s career night propels Wisconsin past North Carolina in the round of 64

The Wisconsin Badgers beat the North Carolina Tar Heels 85-62 tonight thanks to a career night from Brad Davison and a stellar all-around

Wisconsin entered their NCAA Tournament first-round matchup with the North Carolina Tar Heels with the opposite of positive momentum.

The team had lost four of its last five, nine of its last 14 and were struggling due in large part to inefficient nights behind the arc. Plus, if any more of a reason for doubt was needed, the program’s record in Mackey Arena—Purdue’s home stadium and location for the game—stood at a whopping 4-42.

Tonight, all of the negatives suddenly became positives as the Badgers beat the Tar Heels 85-62 thanks to a 48-percent shooting performance from three, 51-percent shooting performance from the floor and a stellar all-around defensive effort.

North Carolina’s strengths entering the contest were exactly what the Badgers struggled with—a big, athletic team who makes their mark on the offensive glass. But Wisconsin stood tough, out-rebounding the Tar Heels 37-34, recording five steals and blocking eight Tar Heel shot attempts.

The specific positives were plentiful, with Greg Gard perfectly setting his team up for success thanks to new rotations that saw Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers play at the same time, D’Mitrik Trice continuing to lead the team on the offensive end, Tyler Wahl continuing his stellar defensive efforts, Jonathan Davis scoring at will and, obviously, Brad Davison putting up 29 points on 10/15 shooting and 5/7 from three.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1373072952422375427

Davison, for the first time in a while, was shooting the ball with confidence, bailing out bad offensive possessions with deep threes and providing a spark plug to a Badger offense that struggled with inconsistency much of the season. His performance tonight, on the stage he did it on, should be put up there with the best of his Wisconsin career.

Wisconsin will now prepare for a round of 32 matchup with 1-seed Baylor, one of the nation’s top teams and another group that will present real challenges to the Badgers’ style of play.

But for now, it’s time to appreciate Wisconsin’s winning effort tonight. The win was the program’s first in the NCAA Tournament since 2017 and provided a glimpse of what Badger fans saw during the 2019-2020 run to the top of the Big Ten.

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What the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament bracket looks like if it started today

A look at the Big Ten tournament bracket

We are still a few weeks out from the 2021 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, but the bracket is beginning to take shape with just a handful of games left in conference play.

One thing will be for sure on March 10 when the tournament gets under way: this is the toughest road to a conference championship in the nation. If the tournament started today, the top three seeds in the conference would be three of the top five teams in the nation according to the AP Poll. The top four seeds receive a coveted first and second round double bye, while the bottom four have to play in the first round of games.

Wisconsin has an outside chance of landing a top four seed as the Badgers sit two back in the loss column from current fourth-place team Iowa, who Wisconsin will meet again in Iowa City before the year is over. Here is a complete look at the bracket if the tournament were to start today:

There will likely be little change near the top, as the top six seeds are all but locked in. It would be difficult for Wisconsin to jump to four, but it is very possible for the Badgers to leap over Purdue as the two squads meet next Tuesday and are only separated by one game in the loss column. There is no advantageous third round matchup, and taking care of business in the second round is no walk in the park either. This is setting up to be one of the deepest Big Ten tournament fields ever, and it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be raising the hardware in Indy come March 14.

How to watch Wisconsin basketball vs. Rutgers

On Friday night, the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the last game of their short road trip… 

On Friday night, the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the last game of their short road trip. A victory against the Scarlet Knights will be crucial for the Badgers to stay near the top of an extremely competitive Big Ten, especially after Wisconsin’s blowout loss to the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines earlier this week.

Related: Wisconsin basketball vs. Rutgers: Through the years image gallery

Wisconsin needs to see improvements from senior starters Nate Reuvers, Brad Davison and Aleem Ford, who combined for only 12 points and an abysmal 20 percent from the field against Michigan. Although they were not the only ones who had an off night, there need to be more than 12 points coming from three of Wisconsin’s starters.

In Big Ten play this season Rutgers has struggled, losing four of its last five games to Big Ten opponents. Despite losing to No. 5 Iowa, No. 21 Ohio State twice and Michigan State, the Scarlet Knights are still 7-4 overall with big wins against No. 14 Illinois, Purdue and Maryland. Wins do not come easy in the Big Ten this season, especially on the road, and the Badgers will need to play well as a team to come away with this crucial Big Ten victory.

How to watch Wisconsin basketball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday night.

How to watch:

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Where: Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J.

When: Jan. 15, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. CST

Where to watch: FOX Sports 1 (FS1)

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Brian Custer
    • Analyst: Jim Spanarkel

Where to stream: Fox Sports app or online at foxsportsgo.com

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app, or Satellite on SiriusXM 83

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
    • Analyst: Mike Lucas

 

How to watch Wisconsin basketball vs. Indiana

After the postponement of their Sunday game against Penn State due to COVID-19, No. 8 Wisconsin has had the entire week to prepare for Th…

After the postponement of their Sunday game against Penn State due to COVID-19, No. 8 Wisconsin has had the entire week to prepare for Thursday’s matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers at the Kohl Center.

Related: Wisconsin basketball falls in the latest AP poll, stays in top 10

This break has been Wisconsin’s first extended time off since the beginning of December, which could serve well in resting the starting five that has seen a lot of minutes down the stretch. It will also allow Greg Gard and the Badgers to have more time to prepare for another deceptively good Big Ten matchup.

Although the Hoosiers are 2-2 in conference play, they are 7-4 on the year with notable wins against Providence, Butler and Maryland. Indiana is led in points and rebounds by forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who is averaging 20.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists a game. He will be a troublesome matchup for Wisconsin’s Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers that have been extremely inconsistent in the Badgers’ last few games.

This matchup is the start of a stretch of more difficult games for Wisconsin, so it will be vital for them to get started with a victory on Thursday. After the game against Indiana, the Badgers will play on the road against No. 10 Michigan and No. 15 Rutgers.

How to watch Wisconsin basketball against the Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday night.

How to watch:

Matchup: Indiana Hoosiers at Wisconsin Badgers

Where: Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.

When: Jan. 7, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CST

Where to watch: FOX Sports 1 (FS1)

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Adam Amin
    • Analyst: Stephen Bardo

Where to stream: FOX Sports GO app, or online at foxsportsgo.com

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app, or Satellite on SiriusXM 83

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
    • Analyst: Mike Lucas

How to watch Wisconsin basketball against No. 21 Minnesota

After a disappointing loss to the Maryland Terrapins, the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers look to rebound in Big Ten play against the No. 21 Minn…

After a disappointing loss to the Maryland Terrapins, the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers look to rebound in Big Ten play against the No. 21 Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Kohl Center on New Year’s Eve.

Related: Five stats that defined No. 6 Wisconsin’s upset loss to Maryland

The Badgers struggled on offense throughout the game against Maryland, and it will be important for Wisconsin to be more efficient in shooting, especially from their starters, to win the game against Minnesota. D’Mitrik Trice has been exceptional in the last two games against Maryland and Michigan State, averaging 27 points. Despite his success, Wisconsin will need more from starters like Micah Potter, Brad Davison and Nate Reuvers, who all had lackluster performances against the Terrapins.

MADISON, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 28: D’Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers is defended by Aquan Smart #23 of the Maryland Terrapins during the first half of a game at Kohl Center on December 28, 2020 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Minnesota has a lot of momentum going into this game because of their back-to-back upset wins against No. 10 Iowa and No. 17 Michigan State. The Golden Gophers are led by the fifth-ranked scorer in the Big Ten, junior guard Marcus Carr. He is averaging 24 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds a game.

Minnesota will be a tough test for Wisconsin, and a win for the Badgers will help to push them back to the top of the Big Ten.

How to watch Wisconsin basketball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on New Year’s Eve.

How to watch:

Matchup: Minnesota Golden Gophers at Wisconsin Badgers

Where: Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.

When: Dec. 31, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. CST

Where to watch: Big Ten Network (BTN)

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Kevin Kugler
    • Analyst: Robbie Hummel

Where to stream: FOX Sports GO app, or online at foxsportsgo.com

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app, or Satellite on SiriusXM 84

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
    • Analyst: Mike Lucas

What Michigan State HC Tim Izzo said about Wisconsin basketball after the game

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo spoke to reports after Wisconsin’s win yesterday and had a lot to say about D’Mitrik Trice, Greg Gard and

The No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers ended their long-standing losing streak in East Lansing yesterday by defeating No. 12 Michigan State 85-76.

The win was an impressive one for many reasons and sent Greg Gard’s team into the top spot in the Big Ten standings.

Related: PHOTOS: D’Mitrik Trice leads Wisconsin past Michigan State

Site editor Asher Low went through the contest yesterday and put together five stats that defined the Badgers’ victory. Two main takeaways: it was a complete team effort on all accounts and D’Mitrik Trice is playing some unbelievably-impressive basketball.

After the game, Michigan State HC Tim Izzo spoke to reporters and had nothing but glowing remarks for the Wisconsin basketball program and the job they did on the court yesterday.

He opened the presser with his immediate takeaways from the contest.

“Well there’s part of that was pleased and part of me that was very disappointed,” Izzo said. “I walked by Greg Gard at halftime and I said ‘you know Jud [Heathcote], Bo [Ryan] and Dick Bennett wouldn’t be very proud of us.’ I mean 45-45 at halftime when I think we held Wisconsin to 45-50 points four times the year we won it. So neither team was guarding very good, or both teams were executing very well.”

He continued to talk about Trice and the part he played in the outcome of the game.

“Disappointed you get a nine-point lead and then you just don’t step on their throat,” Izzo said. “And I think the reason for that was the best player on the court, kind of by far, and that was [D’Mitrik] Trice.

He then mentioned sarcastically how Trice plays for Wisconsin after his brother played for the Spartans, saying “that shows you how bad of a recruiter I am. Not only did his brother play here, but his mother and father are really good friends of mine.”

Izzo continued to talk about the path the senior guard took and why he was “the difference” yesterday.

“I’m not sure he was a recruit at this level at the time. And to his credit, and this is what we all should learn, he went to a prep school for his fifth year, then he transferred, then they redshirted him. He is just a product of the process,” Izzo said. “Now I get to cheer for him for 18 games, glad I don’t have to play him again. But he was the difference. Not just because of the points he scored, but the way he did it, the way he calmed his team down. And he was very efficient, he was pretty good defensively.”

Later in the press conference, reporters asked the Michigan State coach whether he believes Wisconsin’s starting lineup of seniors and old core of players is good for the sport.

“I think six of their first seven are seniors and redshirts, I think they have seven or eight on their team. Yes, it’s good. It’s good for basketball,” Izzo said. “I’m a Greg Gard fan. Last year, remember, they wanted to fire him halfway through the season and all that. I just absolutely love guys that persevere and put their head to the grindstone and get it done.”

Although he wasn’t directly mentioned in the question, Izzo still circled back to D’Mitrik Trice and what he means to the basketball team.

“I’m not sure it’d be the same without the maestro. Trice has a calming effect on that team. He just knew who to get the ball, knew where to get them the ball and he might have the most experience of all of them. Because of that I give him credit. Not worried about leaving, not worried about doing this, not worried about doing that. Worried about being the best player you can be and see where that takes you.”

His final note carries arguably the most weight and didn’t even come from a direct question being asked.

“I know one thing. I have a lot of NBA buddies and if anybody calls me and talks to me about him, there’s going to be rave reviews,” Izzo said. “Because I’ve known him since he was little, but the way he’s grown each and every year over the last three years is a tribute to him, their staff, his family. And yea, that’s a special team.”

Wisconsin will be back in action on Monday, December 28 when they host the Maryland Terrapins at 6 p.m. CST.

Breaking: Wisconsin basketball vs. Louisville is back on this week

The Badgers now have two games this week

After an initial cancelation of Wisconsin’s Big Ten/ACC challenge matchup with Louisville due to COVID-19 positives within the Louisville program, the game is back on.

A battle of top-25 teams will take place this Saturday at the Kohl Center, when the Cardinals travel to face the Badgers.

No. 12 Wisconsin and undefeated No. 23 Louisville will face off at 11 AM CT. Why the early tip? Paul Bunyan’s Axe will be up for grabs later in the day when Wisconsin football greets Minnesota at 3 PM CT.

Louisville will enter the Kohl Center at 4-0, with quality wins over a talented Western Kentucky team and Seton Hall. They Cardinals haven’t played since December 1 due to COVID-19 complications, so it will be interesting to see how head coach Chris Mack and crew respond to the long layoff.

Wisconsin basketball now has two games scheduled for this week, with Loyola-Chicago coming to the Kohl Center on Tuesday night.

WATCH: Nate Reuvers sets Wisconsin’s all-time blocks record

The Badger senior sets an all-time Wisconsin record

In Wisconsin’s 73-62 win over Rhode Island yesterday, senior forward Nate Reuvers made Badger history. The senior leader was tied with Ethan Happ at 154 career blocks coming into Wednesday’s home contest, and he wasted little time in becoming the all-time program leader:

Reuvers finished with three blocks to move him to 157 for his career. When it’s all said and done, the Minnesota native is going to have one of those records that feels untouchable.

WATCH: Nate Reuvers sets Wisconsin’s all-time blocks record

The Badger senior sets an all-time Wisconsin record

In Wisconsin’s 73-62 win over Rhode Island yesterday, senior forward Nate Reuvers made Badger history. The senior leader was tied with Ethan Happ at 154 career blocks coming into Wednesday’s home contest, and he wasted little time in becoming the all-time program leader:

Reuvers finished with three blocks to move him to 157 for his career. When it’s all said and done, the Minnesota native is going to have one of those records that feels untouchable.

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.