Tag: Recap

2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was Chase Young a good signing?

Taking a look back at the 2024 offseason, was defensive end Chase Young a good free agent signing for the Saints?

The New Orleans Saints have desperately needed an influx of talent along the defensive line for a few seasons now, and despite their attempts to fix that through the draft vis-à-vis the selections of Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey, it has not panned out how they expected.

In the 2024 offseason, they tried at a different method of adding talent, signing defensive end Chase Young to a one-year deal. With him coming off a neck injury and requiring surgery to get back to where he needed to be, the Saints took the shot on him with a short contract.

With the 2025 offseason nearly upon us, we will first take the opportunity to look back at the 2024 signings and grade them based on their first season with the black and gold. So without further ado, we begin with arguably their biggest signing of the offseason.

Free agent contract

Young was signed by the Saints to a 1-year, $13 million deal last offseason, with $12.55 million being guaranteed. This contract was the 26th largest contract at his position among the 244 signed defensive ends/edges in 2024. His cap hit did get split partially into 2025 however, with his 2024 cap number at $3,912,000 and his 2025 cap number at $9,088,000. 

The 2025 number was via a prorated signing bonus, so if Young were to leave this offseason, it would count towards the dead cap figure. If he were to return on a new contract it would be added onto that new deal, and would be able to be spread out further over the life of that instead.

Snap counts

When it comes to career snap counts for Chase Young, he has been utilized pretty heavily. Here is his defensive snap rate for each season of his career, only counting games he played in:

  • 2020: 78% (770)
  • 2021: 80% (477)
  • 2022: 65% (115)
  • 2023: WAS 84% (407), SF 58% (328)
  • 2024: 63% (742)

As you can see, he has always been a pretty heavily played pass rusher when on the field, but years like 2022 stand out where he missed all but three games, and 2021 where he played in nine.

2024 season review

2024 was a relatively solid season for Young, and while it was not as strong as his rookie season in 2020, he was making a positive impact all season long. This was the first season of his career where he has played every game, and in that span had 5.5 sacks, 31 total tackles (21 solo, 10 assisted), 8 tackles for loss, 21 QB hits, 66 pressures, 3 pass deflections and a forced fumble. 

Overall he performed better in the second half of the season as he grew more accustomed to the system. While the Saints are looking for a new head coach entering 2025, if he were to return it would likely benefit him to get a jump start and have a full offseason process.

Report card grade

Grading this signing is a little difficult, as on one hand Young was enormously impactful in many key statistics, but the sack number being only 5.5 is slightly underwhelming. This defense needs someone who can get the quarterback on the ground more than anything at the moment, and despite Young being exceptional at getting into the pocket, he had a tough time finishing the rep fast enough to get the quarterback down.

Regardless, for a one-year rental and only 13 million dollars spent, this was a strong season for Young. If he could be brought back for that range on multiple years it would be a positive, and that’s all you could ask for.

Signing Grade: B+

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Wisconsin basketball surges in KenPom, ESPN’s BPI after win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball surges in KenPom, ESPN BPI after win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball notched an important win on Sunday. After the team’s seven-game winning streak was recently snapped on the road at UCLA, it bounced back with a dominant 83-55 win over Nebraska.

The Badgers improved to 16-4 (6-3 Big Ten) with the triumph. The result importantly held the team’s spot at No. 4 in the Big Ten standings, still 2 1/2 games behind first-place Michigan State.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Nebraska

The 28-point triumph also adds to Wisconsin’s growing list of dominant conference victories. That resume now includes wins of 31 points (Iowa), 12 (Rutgers), 21 (Minnesota), 12 (USC) and 28 (Nebraska).

Wisconsin’s win-loss record will matter far more for March Madness seeding than how those games are specifically decided. But the team finding dominant wins over inferior competition, plus only losing narrowly to top teams, continues to raise what was already a sky-high ceiling.

Importantly, results like Sunday’s win continue to raise the team’s ranking in predictive metrics, including KenPom and the ESPN BPI. Here is where the Badgers now rank, both nationally and in the 18-team Big Ten:

  • KenPom: No. 14 overall (up from No. 21) and No. 3 in the Big Ten, with the No. 7 offense and No. 50 defense in the country.
  • ESPN BPI: No. 22 overall (up three spots) and No. 5 in the Big Ten, with a projected record of 22.6 – 8.4 and a 10.5% chance to win the Big Ten.

The Badgers’ most notable jump is on the defensive side of the court. Top-end offensive efficiency has defined the team’s season to date. A return to the program’s classic defensive dominance is what was needed for the team to reach contention. Its standing in KenPom reflects that improvement, as Wisconsin is up more than 30 spots in defensive efficiency compared to where it stood earlier in the season. That boosted the team’s overall ranking up to No. 14, just six spots behind Purdue (No. 8 overall, No. 1 Big Ten).

Wisconsin is back on the court on Wednesday on the road at Maryland (KenPom No. 21). Another signature victory could send the Badgers closer to KenPom’s top 10 and, more importantly, closer to the top of the Big Ten standings.

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Five stats that defined Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Nebraska

Five stats that defined Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win vs. Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball cruised to an 83-55 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday afternoon.

Backed by another stellar scoring performance from star wing John Tonje, the Badgers controlled the score for virtually all 40 minutes. Eleven different playmakers scored for Greg Gard, and Wisconsin led by as many as 31 points late in the second half.

Tonje dropped 27 points, 15 of which arrived in the first frame, and corralled five rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Sophomore guard John Blackwell finished with 14 points and four boards, Kamari McGee scored 11 points and nailed three three-pointers off the bench and Max Klesmit chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds.

As a team, Wisconsin shot a blistering 45.9% from outside. While the team reached the charity stripe just eight times, it chalked up 18 assists on its 30 made field goals.

Here are five stats that defined UW’s 16th win of the 2024-25 season and sixth in Big Ten play.

1. 17 made three-point field goals

Sunday’s performance should remind Badger fans of what the team accomplished in its 116-85 route over Iowa on Jan. 3. Wisconsin drilled 21 three-pointers that night, a program record. Through the first five minutes of action on Sunday, it appeared as if UW would shatter that mark.

Still, 17 made looks from outside personifies what this cohort has done offensively this season. The Badgers have evolved from a meticulous defensive-oriented team to one more focused on the damage it can inflict offensively. In today’s game, that is paramount.

2. Wisconsin’s 19-2 run to start the game

This outburst set the tone for what would ensue in the following 35 minutes of play. During the spurt, both Tonje and Blackwell dropped eight tallies, and the Badgers netted five total three-point field goals in that span. Nebraska, meanwhile, mustered just one made field goal.

Yes, the Badgers needed to play well for the remainder of the contest, but the run clearly sucked the life out of Nebraska’s crew from the opening tip.

3. Wisconsin’s eight free throw attempts

For a team with the most proficient free throw percentage in the nation, eight free throw attempts would likely translate to a Wisconsin loss. Fortunately for UW, the Badgers covered any free throw holes with one of the program’s best showings from outside all season. Still, given the Badgers’ seasonal output from the free throw line, this type of performance is a rarity.

4. 27 points from John Tonje

The two-time Big Ten Player of the Week finished atop Wisconsin’s score sheet for the second straight week. After going scoreless against USC on the road, Tonje has scored a combined 51 points against the Cornhuskers and the UCLA Bruins dating back to Jan. 22. He’s now up to 18 points and 4.9 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game in his first season in Madison.

5. 8 points from Connor Essegian

Essegian, who played under Greg Gard for two seasons, made his return to the Kohl Center for the first time since he transferred to the Cornhuskers’ program this spring. In 23 minutes off the bench, he shot 3-of-10 and 2-of-7 from deep. He’s flashed his skill set several times throughout the 2024-25 season, but his loss has ultimately not proven detrimental for the Badgers.

How Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr performed in Kansas’ 2OT loss to Houston

Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr late free-throw misses key to Kansas’ 2OT loss to Houston

Wisconsin transfer guard A.J. Storr was a big story from No. 12 Kansas’ double-overtime loss to No. 7 Houston on Saturday, and not in a good way.

Storr was scoreless during 18 minutes of action, going 0-of-6 from the field, 0-of-3 from 3-point range and 0-of-4 from the free-throw line. His only contributions to the stat sheet were a rebound and an assist.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss

The performance halted Storr’s recent stretch of strong play dating to a Jan. 18 win over Kansas State. It also played an integral role in the outcome of the tightly-contested game.

The Wisconsin transfer was on the court during the closing moments of double overtime. He went to the free-throw line with Kansas trailing 88-84 with 45 seconds remaining. Two makes were critical to the Jayhawks’ chance at a signature victory.

Storr, a career 77% free-throw shooter, missed both. Houston added several makes at the line to ice the game.

Kansas went 17-of-30 from the free-throw line on the evening, including Storr’s four misses. That performance was is punctuated by a 6-of-14 conversion rate during the two overtime periods. Jayhawks coach Bill Self was asked postgame whether fatigue played a role in the team’s heightened late-game struggles in the area.

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Self said. “But certainly, you have go to the line and make two, or at least make one. We were 6-of-14 in overtime from the line. So that obviously played a role. We still had our chances to put it away if we just executed better, if I had done a better job.”

Storr wasn’t alone in his struggles at the line. Forward Flory Bidunga missed a pair of key free throws early in the first overtime period. Guard Dajuan Harris Jr.’s two late misses led to a game-deciding sequence. Kansas led 79-73 with 18 seconds remaining in the first overtime. Harris Jr. missed two free throws, and Houston hit a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to make the score 79-76. Kansas turned the ball over on the inbounds pass, and Houston made another late 3 to tie the game at 79.

According to KenPom, Houston had a 0.4% win probability when Kansas had the ball, a six-point lead and free-throw attempts with 18 seconds remaining in the first overtime. It turned that circumstance into one of the most improbable wins of recent memory.

The result dropped Kansas to 15-4 (5-3 Big 12). Houston is 16-3 (8-0 Big 12).

Storr’s scoreless performance dropped his per-game averages to 17.9 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and one assist on 40% shooting and 26.7% from three. Those totals are all far below what was expected when the former Badger made his high-profile transfer move to the Jayhawks.

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Tigers volunteer chaos to ‘The Jungle’, win rock fight over Rocky Top, 53-51

The Tigers now have a program-best 8 ranked victories on the year to go along with a college basketball-best 11 ‘Quad 1’ wins.

If anyone was looking for the since trampled barricades that were supposedly meant to control a mob of  ‘College GameDay’ ready fans on Saturday morning, they may had been placed above the Neville Arena rims.

In an era in which scoring has never been more prevalent in college basketball, or basketball in general, the first half of Auburn’s top ten showdown with No. 6 Tennessee featured just 42 total points. [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], who came into the contest shooting 29% from 3-point range before a week-long absence, managed the only make from beyond the arc by either team in the first 20 minutes.

Along with the triple, Broome contributed a team-leading 9 points in the first frame. No other Tiger had more than 5 points, with [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag], [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag], and [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] providing the only other baskets of the half for Auburn. Tennessee’s production wasn’t any better, as the Volunteers shot an atrocious 23% from the field before hitting the half time locker room.

Auburn’s “rock fight” with ‘Rocky Top’ continued into the first few minutes of the second half, with both teams infrequently trading buckets until the score knotted up at 33 entering the under 12 media timeout. The seesaw nature of Saturday’s showdown continued through the remainder of the half, albeit with increased offensive efficiency, mainly due to the contributions of both backcourts.

Tennessee senior [autotag]Zakai Zeigler[/autotag] was the star down the stretch for Rick Barnes’s squad, finishing with a team-high 14 points, which may have been much more if the referees refilled their contact prescription. Chad Baker-Mazara, [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag], Chaney Johnson and [autotag]Miles Kelly[/autotag] all contributed important points down the stretch on the Auburn side, although most of the heavy lifting was done by Johni Broome, who finished with a game-high 16 points and 13 rebounds.

It was Broome, and Miles Kelly, who would outduel Zeigler in the end though. After Tennessee grabbed a late two-possesion lead with just over a minute remaining, Auburn was able to storm back thanks to a nifty floater by freshman Tahaad Pettiford followed by an incredibly timely go-ahead, corner 3-point shot by Kelly. The Georgia Tech transfer, who’s eventual game-winning shot was only his second field goal of the night, sent ‘The Jungle’ into an absolute frenzy with 30 seconds remaining.

Tennessee would go on to have an empty possession, leading to an Auburn rebound and a 1/2 trip at the free throw stripe from Pettiford. Zeigler would then be given a chance to win the game, missing a corner three long before Johni Broome heaved his thirteenth rebound of the night down the floor to milk the remaining seconds on the game clock.

Auburn’s victory was possibly it’s hardest fought, and most well-earned, of the season to this point. The Tigers now have a program-best 8 ranked victories on the year to go along with a college basketball-best 11 ‘Quad 1’ wins. Bruce Pearl’s team is all-but certain to hang onto its No. 1 AP and Coaches Poll ranking going into Wednesday’s road contest with LSU.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Wisconsin basketball rises in Big Ten standings, thanks to rival Minnesota

Wisconsin basketball rises in Big Ten Conference standings without playing a game

Wisconsin basketball (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten) is alone in fourth place in the Big Ten standings after Minnesota’s upset win over Oregon on Saturday.

The result dropped Oregon (16-4, 5-4 Big Ten) into a crowd of teams tied for fifth. Wisconsin was idle on Saturday as it prepared for a Sunday home game against Nebraska.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss

Minnesota’s recent play is one of the biggest stories in the conference. The Gophers have won three straight: 84-81 vs. No. 21 Michigan, 72-67 at Iowa, and 77-69 vs. No. 15 Oregon. That trio of Quad 1 victories follows the team’s 0-6 start in conference play. That start included an 80-59 loss to Wisconsin.

The Badgers’ victory over their rival continues to improve in quality with those results. The two teams are set for a rematch in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 5 in the second-to-last game of the regular season.

Oregon, meanwhile, will visit Madison, Wisconsin on Feb. 22. The team is falling in the conference standings after a red-hot start. It has two losses in the last three games.

Wisconsin takes the Kohl Center court against Nebraska at 1 p.m. ET, noon CT on Sunday. The team is looking to return to the win column after a road loss to UCLA.

The Badgers, alone in fourth place, are behind Michigan (14-5, 6-2 Big Ten), Purdue (16-5, 8-2 Big Ten) and Michigan State (17-2, 8-0 Big Ten) in the Big Ten standings. They have road games remaining against the top two teams.

Wisconsin isn’t far from contending for a Big Ten title. A win over Nebraska is a required first step in that direction.

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Top takeaways from Florida’s absolute beatdown of Georgia

Florida routs Georgia on Saturday inside the O’Connell Center by 30 points, 89-59, for their 12th-straight win over UGA.

The rivalry between the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs does not quite hit as hard when played on the parquet instead of the gridiron, but the Gator Nation always appreciates a win over UGA wherever it may occur.

On Saturday, [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag]’s team ran all over former UF coach Mike White’s inside the O’Connell Center, blowing them out by a final score of 89-59.

The Orange and Blue came out of the gates on fire, and save for a few slower stretches, kept the pedal to the metal for nearly a full 40 minutes. The result was a beatdown that Florida fans will savor as their beloved team marches toward March.

Below is a look at the three key takeaways from Saturday’s overwhelming win.

Alijah Martin, Gators catch fire early

[autotag]Alijah Martin[/autotag] came out guns-a-blazing, scoring 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the first five-plus minutes while the team as a whole tormented the ‘Dawgs on defense. Georgia’s turnovers were quickly turned around and the Gators attacked the other end in transition, building an early double-digit lead.

Florida made eight straight shots and 13 of 14 in the middle of the half before finally cooling off, but at one point had hit 77.8% of its attempts from the field. Meanwhile at the other end, the Gators grabbed 15 rebounds, 11 steals and blocked three shots as they pushed the lead over 20 points — nearly doubling the ‘Dawgs up heading into halftime.

After 20 minutes of play, Florida notched 51 points on 18-for-27 shooting overall (66.7%), including a 7-for-14 mark (50%) from beyond the arc and 8-for-9 (88.9) from the charity stripe. The team’s 11 steals in the opening half was three short of their tally last Wednesday when they snagged 14 steals for the first time in SEC play since 2014 en route to a last-second win over the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Slow 2nd-half start before hitting overdrive

The opening five minutes of the second frame were rather lackluster for the Orange and Blue, allowing 10 points while scoring just four of their own and not looking sharp handling the ball. But Florida would pick up the pace as the half wore on and built the lead to as large as 34.

[autotag]Walter Clayton Jr[/autotag]. took over, leading his team with 10 of his points 17 (tied with Martin for the team-high) on 5-for-7 shooting over 14 minutes in the second half. Alex Condon joined in with nine out of 14 total points of his own on 4-for-7 shooting while grabbing four rebounds and a steal to help the Gators keep the Bulldogs at bay.

Oh, and as far as total steals were concerned, Florida finished one short of Wednesday night’s total, snagging just a pair in the final frame for a baker’s dozen. Clayton paced Florida with five while Martin logged four, Reuben Chinyelu two and one apiece for Will Richard and Condon.

Golden’s gang finished with five players scoring in double figures on 34-for-64 shooting overall (53.1%) including a 9-for-26 mark (34.6%) from beyond the arc and 12-for-15 (80.0%) from the free-throw line.

Georgia did itself no favors

Turnovers and mental errors plagued the ‘Dawgs all day, giving the ball away 18 times with 13 coming off steals. Not every mistake resulted in a turnover, but particularly in the first half, White’s guys had a hard time setting the pace. Additionally, they only shot 35.6% (21-for-59) from the field and a paltry 23.8% (5-for-21) from downtown.

Also, Georgia avoided zone defense in this one but did try to apply full-court pressure at times. With the way Florida’s offense was clicking, one wonders why they did not try to mix things up more, especially as the Gators’ lead continued to balloon.

As Ron Burgundy once said, “Well that escalated quickly,” and boy did it ever for the Bulldogs.

White and his program just cannot catch a break against their rivals in recent years, now having lost 12 in a row to Florida and six straight under its current coach. They will get a chance to snap the schneid on Feb. 25 when they host the Gators in Athens.

Next up for Florida

The Gators get the week off and will return to action next Saturday, Feb. 1, in Knoxville for a rematch with the Tennessee Volunteers. Gametime is slated for an early noon ET start and the action will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Wisconsin transfer guard sees role increase in Kansas’ road win over TCU

Wisconsin transfer guard sees role increase in Kansas’ road win over TCU

It has been a rocky 2024-25 season for Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr.

Storr, now at Kansas, was a high-profile transfer last offseason after an excellent 2023-24 season at Wisconsin. Many thought he would be the missing piece for the top-ranked Jayhawks as they look to return to the Final Four.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss

That has not been the case up to this date. Storr operated as a primary reserve option throughout Kansas’ nonconference schedule. He then saw his role decrease dramatically over a five-game stretch in early January. That quiet string of performances dropped his season-long averages to just 17.7 minutes per game, 6.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 39.8% shooting and 29.7% from three.

That streak ended with the team’s Jan. 15 loss to No. 2 Iowa State. Over the two games since that point, Storr’s role and production are back to trending in the right direction.

First, Storr tallied seven points on three-of-six shooting in 17 minutes in an 84-74 win over Kansas State.

Next, he notched 12 points, six rebounds, an assist and three steals on six-of-10 shooting in 22 minutes in the team’s road win over TCU on Wednesday.

That second performance was his first game with 20-plus minutes since Dec. 22, and only his second game scoring in double-figures since Dec. 4.

 

The former Badger has yet to fulfill the expectations that followed his high-profile transfer move. His play is beginning to trend in a positive direction, however. By no coincidence, that stretch has also coincided with Kansas stringing together several important conference victories.

Storr’s season-long numbers now sit at 17.9 minutes per game, seven points, 2.1 rebounds and one assist on 42% shooting and 28.6% from three. Those are still all far below his tallies of 28.8 minutes, 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds with the Badgers last season.

He and the No. 12-ranked Jayhawks are back on the court on Jan. 25 for a big-time home showdown against No. 7 Houston.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, continues its strong play after Storr and Chucky Hepburn’s respective departures. The Badgers are 15-4 on the season, 5-3 in Big Ten play and ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll. Transfer wing John Tonje and rising star John Blackwell have led those impressive results.

It will continue to be worth monitoring how Storr and Hepburn progress at their new programs. Hepburn is amid a career year at Louisville — his numbers, which are up across the board, have him in position to earn a first-team All-ACC nod. Plus, he just recently set the Louisville single-game assists record.

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Top takeaways as Florida survives South Carolina scare on the road

Winning on the road in the SEC is never easy, but Florida trailed until the final moments on Wednesday against South Carolina.

Florida didn’t lead until there were 4.3 seconds left in Wednesday night’s win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, but all the wins count the same in the record books. The Gators moved to 17-2 on the season and 4-2 against the conference with the 70-69 victory.

[autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including three makes in five attempts from 3-point range. [autotag]Walter Clayton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Alijah Martin[/autotag] weren’t as efficient as usual but contributed 16 and 14, respectively.

South Carolina guard Zachary Davis matched Richard with 22 points, 18 of which came in the second half. Davis made more than half of the Gamecock’s buckets after the break, while forward Collin Murray-Boyles delivered 11 of his 14 in the first.

The big story in the stat book is Florida getting outrebounded in the second half. The Gators are the best rebounding team in the country, but all four of the bigs were neutralized.

A weird first half

Florida didn’t shoot that poorly in the first half to be trailing by seven at the break. Six turnovers are concerning, but the team shot 45% from the field and 30% from three. A lack of opportunities from the free-throw line might explain a dip in points, but South Carolina only shot two in the first half as well.

The Gamecocks shot a strong 50% from the field with a similar 33% from 3-point distance in the first half. The difference on the scoreboard felt much larger than a pair of missed free throws, one 50-50 ball and a 3-pointer falling. Even the rebounding numbers were eerily similar, with Florida finishing with one more offensive board and the same amount on the defensive glass.

Being on the road against an SEC team is a handicap, even if it’s one of the worst teams by record in the conference. Florida had to battle back against the crowd and the players, and two of its top scorers were adjusting for most of the first half.

Turnovers matter

Those six turnovers in the first mattered for Florida, and so did the 12 from South Carolina after halftime. The Gators switched to a fullcourt press in the second half and forced multiple turnovers on the inbound play to chip away at a 14-point lead by the Gamecocks.

The last of South Carolina’s five turnovers in the final six minutes of the game lost them the game. Martin poked the inbound pass into Thomas Haugh’s hands and ran a makeshift give-and-go to draw the foul and tie the game up at 69 apiece.

Davis made just one of two free throws on the other end, and Richard took over on Florida’s final possession to go up by two with four seconds left.

Phew…

Wins are wins but this Gators team hasn’t played up to par in consecutive games since the calendar turned over to 2025. Maybe the Kentucky game shouldn’t be considered a bad showing, but it was certainly an ugly night for what’s supposed to be a top-25 defense in the country.

If Florida had won the Missouri game along with this one, there would be an argument against regression. The Gators appear unprepared to face opponents in expected wins unless there’s a number next to the program name on the schedule.

It’s not a physical thing. It’s mental, and something has to change over the next six weeks if Florida is going to win an SEC Tournament and national championship.

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UCLA head coach Mick Cronin praises Wisconsin program after Bruins’ narrow win

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin praises Badgers’ program after Tuesday’s win

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin praised the Wisconsin basketball program following the Bruins’ 85-83 win over the Badgers on Tuesday.

Fueled by a career-best 22 points from 7-foot-3 bench center Aday Mara and 19 more points from bench guard Sebastian Mack, UCLA put a pin in the Badgers’ recent seven-game win streak. It was UCLA’s second consecutive victory, those pair of results following a recent four-game losing streak.

After the match, the longtime Cincinnati head coach offered some kind words for Wisconsin’s team and program.

“Wisconsin’s got a really good team,” Cronin told media after the win. “They roll out graduate senior [Steven] Crowl and sixth-year player [John] Tonje. I think John Blackwell was as good as any guard we’ve played against, and I knew watching it on film.”

Cronin also offered some insight into the Badgers’ structure and coaching strength. With the sport’s evolving NIL and the transfer portal landscape, Wisconsin has adjusted well to the ongoing shifts.

“I watched [Greg Gard] back with Coach [Bo] Ryan, and the way they do things, they’ve recruited guys like Blackwell that nobody knew who the hell they were for years, whether it was him or Nigel Hayes,” Cronin said. “It’ll be interesting in the portal era if they can develop players. They’re a team that has a lot of returning players and obviously Tonje was a great addition for them. They shot it well and are extremely well coached.”

Cronin also mentioned how well the Badgers stack up against some of the best in a loaded 18-team conference. In UCLA’s first season in the Big Ten, Cronin believes the Badgers are as talented as any team.

“They’re as good as anybody we’ve played or better,” Cronin said. “Size, talent coaching, veterans, point guard, big guys. They got a bench. They bring in guys like Gilmore off the bench, [Kamari] McGee. They bring in guys that are winners. I’m a big fan of their program and have been for a long time back to Coach Ryan.”

The Badgers now sit at 15-4 through 19 contests during the 2024-25 season. Their next game is slated for Jan. 26 at home against Nebraska.