Tag: Recap

Three key takeaways from Florida basketball’s win over Virginia

The Gators have opened their season with nine straight wins for the first time since 2005.

Florida basketball continued its hot start to the season with an 87-69 win over the Virginia Cavaliers in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night inside the O’Connell Center.

After falling behind 18-9 early, the Gators rallied with determination, clawing their way back into the game before seizing control and turning up the pressure. It was a pivotal early-season test for head coach Todd Golden and his squad, as they sought to make a statement and build on their strong start to the season.

Florida leaned on standout performances from Walter Clayton Jr. and Alex Condon, as well as key contributions from their bench, to get the win. As a result of the midweek victory, the Gators are off to a 9-0 start to the year for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

Here are three key takeaways from Florida’s win over Virginia.

Clayton and Condon steer the ship

Clayton and Condon led the charge for Florida, combining for 46 points. The former showcased his scoring ability, pouring in a game-high 27 points on 10-for-19 shooting, including five three-pointers, adding four assists and two steals.

Condon provided a strong inside presence, contributing 19 points on an efficient 7-for-8 from the field while pulling down eight rebounds — including five on the offensive glass. He also played well defensively, tallying two steals and a block.

Gators’ bench provided a spark

Florida’s bench provided a much-needed spark in the game, particularly in the first half, led by junior guard Denzel Aberdeen. The junior had 12 points on a 4-for-5 shooting effort — including a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc — in 21 minutes of action.

Sam Alexis also contributed valuable minutes grabbing six rebounds and adding physicality on both ends of the floor.

This kind of depth not only gives Golden more flexibility in rotations but also underscores the team’s ability to find contributions from up and down the roster.

Defense forcing turnovers

Florida’s defensive intensity was on full display as the Gators forced Virginia into 15 turnovers — a key factor in their victory. Aggressive on-ball pressure and active hands disrupted the Cavaliers’ offensive flow, creating opportunities for transition and quick scoring chances.

The Gators’ ability to force mistakes prevented the Cavaliers from gaining consistent momentum. The 15 turnovers translated into crucial stops and kept Florida in control during key stretches of the game.

Florida converted Virginia’s turnovers into 20 points, providing a crucial boost to their offensive output and helping to secure the victory.

Up next for Florida

The Gators will play against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday, Dec. 14 as part of the Holiday Hoopsgiving Event in Atlanta, Georgia. Tipoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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RECAP: Wisconsin basketball falls short against Michigan, drops first game of 2024-25 season

RECAP: Wisconsin basketball falls short against Michigan, drops first game of 2024-25 season

Wisconsin basketball fell to the Michigan Wolverines 67-64 on Tuesday night, dropping its first game of the 2024-25 season.

The story of the game can be told by a pair of stat lines:

Michigan center Vladislav Goldin finished the contest with 24 points, four rebounds and three blocks on 9-of-16 shooting, while forward Danny Wolf closed with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and five blocks on 7-of-11 shooting.

Michigan’s two big men dominated the contest from start to finish. In a game where neither team found its shooting stroke from deep (Michigan 24% from three, Wisconsin 22%), the interior play of those two players ignited the Wolverines’ victory.

The game was tightly contested in every category. Michigan shot 39% to Wisconsin’s 34.4%, grabbed 43 rebounds to Wisconsin’s 41 and scored 34 points in the paint to Wisconsin’s 28.

The back-and-forth battle was decided by a key exchange late in the second half: Wisconsin led 64-61 with 2:23 remaining. A Goldin dunk cut the deficit to one point, before another layup gave Michigan a one-point lead with 1:34 remaining. Max Klesmit got several clean looks from three-point range to put the Badgers back in front. He missed the first, which allowed the Wolverines to extend the lead to 67-64. He then missed the second as time expired.

Wisconsin falls to 8-1 and 0-1 in Big Ten play with the loss. Michigan, meanwhile, is 7-1 to start Dusty May’s first season in charge. The triumph also pushed the Wolverines to 1-0 in Big Ten play.

The Badgers are back in action on Saturday on the road at rival No. 5 Marquette.

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What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after Badgers win over Chicago State

What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after Badgers win over Chicago State

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard addressed the media following the Badgers’ 74-53 win over Chicago State on Saturday.

For the first time since Wisconsin reached the NCAA Tournament Final Four in 2014, the team is 8-0. To achieve that on Sunday, the Badgers orchestrated a 21-5 scoring burst to break the game open in the second half against a winless Chicago State squad.

Wisconsin looked much more poised in the closing frame. In the second half, the Badgers worked through the post, nailed open looks and shared the basketball. It’s safe to say Gard was pleased with the performance.

“Simple post touches got us to the free throw line, and simple post touches got us wide-open threes,” Gard said after the game. “I thought we shared the ball really well to get 17 assists on 23 baskets. Defensively, we were solid. When the ball is not going in, you have to continue to find ways to have success.”

Wisconsin also received 19 bench points from Xavier Amos, Riccardo Greppi, Jack Janicki, Markus Ilver and Carter Gilmore. Even though the second-unit guys don’t often receive the headlines from media or attention from Badger faithful, Gard honored those contributions following the win.

“The other thing that jumped out is the guys that got minutes off the bench, even if it was the small amount that Camren Hunter [or] Riccardo Greppi got,” Gard said. “I thought they made the most of it… I always remind guys that no matter if you’re getting 20 seconds or 39 minutes, make the most of it because they all add up.”

Another bright spot for Wisconsin was big man Steven Crowl. The senior assisted or scored on UW’s first seven points in the win and finished with nine points, seven rebonds and five assists in the effort.

“His ability to pass, he’s a very willing and sometimes too unselfish of a passer,” Gard said. “At seven feet, he’s such a great weapon. You’re inverting your offensive. You just throw it in and play off that. Guys are getting more comfortable on when to cut, where to cut to. He does a really good job of finding people whether it’s backside or if they don’t cover a cut at the rim, he finds them.”

UW will return to the hardwood for its first Big Ten game against the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 3 with hopes of remaining undefeated before the I-94 rivalry game vs. No. 10 Marquette on Dec. 7.

Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke discusses future with the Badgers after loss to Minnesota

Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke discusses future with the Badgers after loss to Minnesota

Wisconsin’s 2024 regular season came to a crashing end on Friday afternoon with a 24-7 loss to rival Minnesota. The loss finishes the team’s quest for a 23rd consecutive bowl appearance — barring a significant collection of Week 14 upsets and the Badgers edging other 5-7 teams in APR (Academic Progress Rate).

For all intents and purposes, Wisconsin’s 2024 season came to a close with a decisive loss to its biggest rival.

Related: Braelon Allen, notable former Wisconsin players react to Badgers loss to Minnesota, worst season since 2001

The result begins what will be a pivotal offseason for Luke Fickell. He must hire an offensive coordinator, reshape the program’s identity, reload the roster in the transfer portal and work to reverse what has gone wrong over the last two seasons.

One big variable in that equation is the quarterback position. Veteran Tyler Van Dyke, who tore his ACL during the Badgers’ Week 3 loss to Alabama, could return for another season. Braedyn Locke, who played the majority of the 2024 season in relief of Van Dyke, is only a redshirt sophomore. Other potential factors in the room include true freshman Mabrey Mettauer and incoming top recruit Carter Smith.

Wisconsin may be forced back into the transfer market for 2025 given the questions surrounding Van Dyke’s health and Locke’s on-field results. Van Dyke may not be ready for Week 1 next fall, while Locke finished 2024 with a 3-7 overall record, 1,936 yards, a 55% completion rate, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His play was one of the many factors in the team’s five-game losing streak to close the season.

Locke discussed his future with the program when meeting with the media after the Minnesota loss on Friday. Here is his full comment, courtesy of The Athletic’s Jesse Temple:

“I’ve got a lot of pride in this program,” Locke said. “I love being a Badger. This place has been so special to me. I’ve got a heart for every single guy in that locker room. I love them to death. I’d do anything for them. I lay it on the line for our program every day. And I say that without a doubt at all. So, yeah, I love being here. I want to be here. It’s been an absolute pleasure to take the field nine Saturdays this fall. Something I’ll never forget. Regardless of the outcome, it’s been very, very special for me and I want to continue to do that.”

Locke’s future is worth watching with Wisconsin set to hire a new offensive coordinator this offseason. That new hire will install a new system, which will likely be different from Phil Longo’s air raid. Locke was one of Longo’s initial transfer additions, transferring from another air raid system at Mississippi State.

The dynamic of a new coordinator and the team’s urgency after a 5-7 season will likely lead to a new signal-caller under center to begin 2025. While that appears likely, it remains challenging to predict player movement in the current age of the sport.

Given Locke’s sentiment after the Badger’ season-ending loss, he may still stick around and compete for the job amid the inevitable offseason changes.

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Luke Fickell explains message to fan base after Wisconsin’s first losing season in 23 years

Luke Fickell explains message to fans after Wisconsin’s first losing season in 23 years

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell explained his message to the Badgers’ fan base after Friday’s 24-7 loss to Minnesota completed the program’s first losing season since 2001.

“Just like I told the players, those that stay will be a champion,” Fickell said postgame when speaking with the assembled media. “You’ve got to have people that believe in you. I know it’s hard. Having faith in things you can’t see. Right now, I’m sure they can’t see it either, and that’s the tough part.”

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s loss to Minnesota, disastrous finish to 2024 season

His comments follow the Badgers’ largely noncompetitive loss to the rival Golden Gophers. Wisconsin closed the 2024 season on a five-game losing streak, highlighted by blowout losses to rivals Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. The program is 12-13 in Fickell’s two-year tenure.

Fickell’s sentiment will be tested as program changes inevitably follow this offseason. Wisconsin fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo with weeks remaining in the season. It needs an important hire this offseason, as well as a personnel group that fits the new scheme. Overall, the 2025 Badgers are assured of looking different than the team that closed the 2024 season, both on the sideline and on the field.

With likely no bowl game, attention turns to the winter transfer window which opens on Dec. 9. Fickell and his staff need to reshape the roster entering a critical 2025 season.

Talent retention will be an important measure of program health. Fickell’s thought that “those who stay will be a champion” can only apply if the team’s top contributors do, in fact, stick around. This is one of the many main storylines to watch as the offseason begins.

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RECAP: Wisconsin falls to Minnesota 24-7, clinches first losing season in 23 years

RECAP: Wisconsin falls to Minnesota 24-7, clinches first losing season in 23 years

This story was updated to add new information.

The worst Wisconsin football season in 23 years came to a crashing end on Friday afternoon.

The Badgers fell to the rival Minnesota Golden Gophers 24-7. The loss dropped the team to 5-7 to officially close its season. That result clinches the program’s first losing campaign since 2001.

The loss followed a similar script to many of the Badgers’ recent defeats. The team struggled to move forward on offense, totaling just 48 yards on its first eight drives of the contest. Minnesota dominated in every facet. It out-gained Wisconsin 374-166, held the ball for 33:51 and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.

Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke went 15-of-23 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown in the loss. He and the Badgers’ offense showed a glimpse of life in the third quarter, one time threatening to narrow the deficit to one score. But their momentum was quickly extinguished by a strong Minnesota defensive unit, and by yet another Nathanial Vakos missed field goal.

The story of Minnesota’s all-around victory is accurately told by the scoreboard, and by the final stat sheet.

The loss means that Luke Fickell and the Badgers finish the season on a five-game losing skid after a 5-2 start. The final 5-7 record is, again, the program’s first losing season since 2001. Its 22-year bowl streak, which was the was third-longest in the nation behind only Georgia (28 years) and Oklahoma (26), will likely end barring a large collection of significant upsets during Saturday’s schedule.

Minnesota evens the all-time series at 63-63-8 with the victory. It closes a successful regular season for P.J. Fleck’s team against one of the nation’s toughest schedules.

The win is an important one for Minnesota as it jockeys for position in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, it is a historic one for the Wisconsin football program. It now turns focus to 2025 in an unprecedented position.

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Tigers gallop out of the gates early, trot past Tar Teels 85-72

The Tigers will have the chance to capture a championship tomorrow afternoon.

The Auburn Tigers are one win away from collecting their first trophy of the 2024-2025 basketball season.

After a thrilling win against Iowa State to open the ‘Maui Invitational’, Auburn played a much fuller, albeit still stressful, 40 minutes in round two against No. 13 ranked North Carolina. Johni Broome and company started off the night sizzling early, building a lead as high as 18 points early in the first half.

The Tar Heels did manage to fight back with their high-paced attack, but a first half double-double by Johni Broome was enough to land the Tigers a 40-32 lead going into the half time locker room. Auburn opened up the second stanza much like the first, using phenomenal perimeter defense and timely shooting by Miles Kelly (15 points) and Denver Jones (10 points) to open up another near 20-point lead once again.

UNC again managed to hang around however, even without the normal scoring impact of star guard RJ Davis (12 points). Junior Seth Trimble (17 points) and senior Jae’Lyn Withers (10 points) were able to attack the bucket enough to keep Auburn’s lead barely above 10, but a lack of scoring from the Tar Heels bench and front court options kept the game mostly out of reach.

As for the Tigers, Chad Baker-Mazara (15 points), Chaney Johnson (11 points), and freshman Tahaad Pettiford (10 points), joined Broome (23 points, 19 rebounds), Kelly, and Jones in double figures. Although Pettiford finished with the lowest total among Auburn’s double-digit scorers, he had possibly the biggest impact in the middle of the second half. With UNC making a push, the freshman hit multiple big buckets, including a near-half court long ball that pushed Auburn’s lead to an insurmountable 18 points.

The strong 40-minute effort was amazing to see from an Auburn team that came out flat in the first half against Iowa State on Monday. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers will now have the opportunity to win the ‘Maui Invitational’, and prove Tiger supremacy, with a win against also undefeated Memphis tomorrow afternoon.

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Tigers weather early surge, storm past Cyclones 83-81

Bruce Pearl’s squad came out with intensity and new life in the final 20 minutes after a subpar first half

The post was edited to update a score misprint in the headline

The Auburn Tigers have their second victory over a top 5 opponent this season, taking down No. 5 Iowa State in round one of the Maui Invitational, 83-81.

It wasn’t an easy task for the No. 3 ranked Tigers. After Johni Broome and company rode a paddle boat during their off-time across the Pacific Ocean, the Tigers were hit by a metaphorical bus for much of the first half on Monday night in Maui. After a slugfest early on, Iowa State became unconscious from the field, connecting on nearly 60% of its field goals in a 49-point first half. The Cyclones No. 4 rated KenPom defense showed up as well, holding Auburn to 33 points in the first stanza.

Despite the horrendous first half showing, Bruce Pearl’s squad came out with intensity and new life in the final 20 minutes. Auburn’s defense tightened up, holding the Cyclones without a field goal through nearly 6 minutes to open the half. Auburn’s offense followed suit, mainly due to the “microwave” scoring ability of Chad Baker-Mazara. The senior erupted by scoring 7 of his 18 points in the first 4:30 of the second half. He would later go on to score 9 more points over the final 15:30 of the contest, including a key go-ahead baseline floater with 90 seconds remaining in the game.

While Baker-Mazara was the star of the second half, it was superstar forward Johni Broome who stole the show, both on the stat sheet and on the eventual social media highlights. Auburn’s best player finished the top 5 matchup as the best scorer on either side with a 21-point, 10-rebound, 2-block effort. Every 21 points Broome accumulated mattered, but his final two were the most crucial, coming on an offensive rebound put-back that won the Tigers the game with 1.3 seconds to go.

Other than Broome and Baker-Mazara, Denver Jones (12), Miles Kelly (12), and Tahaad Pettiford (14) all reached double figures. Jones and Kelly were particularly important down the stretch, hitting key shots to keep Auburn within striking distance until the Tigers finally took a lead they would never relinquish.

Auburn’s fifth win of the season was its most impressive to date, but the undefeated Tigers won’t have much time to enjoy it, as a date with either Dayton or No. 13 ranked North Carolina is on the docket for tomorrow evening. If Bruce Pearl’s squad can prevail again tomorrow, Auburn will play for a ‘Maui Invitational’ championship on Wednesday afternoon.

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

Postgame encounter between Wisconsin head football coach, Nebraska assistant goes viral

Postgame encounter between Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, Nebraska assistant Donovan Raiola goes viral

The book isn’t entirely shut on Wisconsin’s loss to Nebraska.

In the aftermath of the game and the subsequent postgame reaction, a video went viral showing an exchange between Badgers coach Luke Fickell and Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola as Fickell was leaving the field.

Related: Braelon Allen, former Wisconsin players react to Badgers historic loss to Nebraska

Fickell is seen walking off with a Wisconsin assistant coach and several police officers — as Nebraska fans stormed the field to celebrate the program’s first bowl appearance since 2016 and first win over Wisconsin in 12 years.

Wisconsin’s coach said something to Raiola, who was walking in the opposite direction. Raiola flashed a thumbs-up and appears to respond before a police officer accompanying Fickell quickly runs over to confront the Nebraska assistant.

That is the extent of the interaction between the two. The video quickly went viral on X, amassing more than 2.7 million views:

For further context, Raiola was a decorated offensive lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers during the early 2000s. He has been on the Nebraska coaching staff since 2022, including the last two years under new coach Matt Rhule. On an unrelated note, he’s the uncle of Cornhuskers star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.

No information has been released on what was said between the two or what prompted the reaction from the police officer accompanying Fickell. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule called the interaction “no big deal” when meeting with the media on Monday.

Now, Wisconsin’s singular focus is on its season-ending Week 14 matchup against Minnesota. Fickell and the Badgers need a victory to avoid failing to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2001.

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RECAP: Wisconsin football suffers historic loss to rival Nebraska

RECAP: Wisconsin football suffers historic loss to rival Nebraska

Historic is an apt word to describe Wisconsin football’s 44-25 loss to Nebraska on Saturday.

The Badgers entered the contest on a 10-game winning streak against the rival. That win streak was defined by dominance on the ground, headlined by historic days from Melvin Gordon, Jonathan Taylor and Braelon Allen.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin’s 44-25 loss to Nebraska

On Saturday, Nebraska flipped the script. The Cornhuskers totaled 473  yards, including 180 on the ground on five yards per carry. Matt Rhule’s team, one that had lost four straight entering the matchup, scored on its final six possessions.

Wisconsin took a minor step forward on offense after making a coordinator change after its Week 12 loss to Oregon. Braedyn Locke led that effort with 292 yards and three passing touchdowns. But just like at Iowa two weeks ago, the story of the game was Wisconsin’s defense falling apart.

Nebraska’s offense averaged nearly 6.4 yards per play on the afternoon. Its 44 points are its most in the all-time series. It is the third time Wisconsin has allowed 40+ points this season. The last time that happened was 2001 — also the last year the program missed a bowl game.

Big picture, the defeat is Wisconsin’s first to Nebraska since 2012. The result also clinched Nebraska’s first bowl appearance since 2016, snapping a nine-game losing streak with bowl eligibility at stake. Finally, it handed the Cornhuskers the Freedom Trophy for the first time in its existence.

By any measure, the loss was an historic one.

Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) needs a win over Minnesota in Week 14 or the program will not be bowl eligible for the first time in 23 years.

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