Tag: Steven Crowl

The sum of this years Badgers team is greater than it’s parts

This Wisconsin Badgers are much more than just Johnny Davis. The sum of this team is far greater than it’s individual parts.

The Wisconsin Badgers (17-3, 8-2 Big Ten) are currently tied for first place in a conference they were picked to finish tenth in before the season started.

Yes, a great deal of this team’s success can be attributed to the ascension of sophomore guard Johnny Davis. He’s gone from a dependable rotation member with obvious upside last season, to the most improved player in the country and a potential NBA lottery pick.

However, to say this team is where they are solely because of the poker-faced assassin would be disrespectful to his supporting cast. The Badgers might not contain a ton of household names, but few programs deploy players that understand their roles better than UW. Knowing your identity is half of the battle.

Veterans Brad Davison and Tyler Wahl have elevated their games this season, and are currently playing the best ball of their respective careers.

Davison has become a reliable second scoring option, and provides UW a 3-point weapon to help promote spacing on offense. If you can watch the Minnesota native play and still fail to see all the way’s he impacts a game, I’m not sure we’re watching the same game. Davison’s decision to return for a fifth and final season has turned out to be such a blessing for the program.

Wahl has become a versatile two-way player that’s proved he’s capable of helping shoulder some of the scoring load as well. The Swiss-Army knife is the best defender on a team that prides themselves on their defense. He’s also made a living around the rim as Wisconsin’s best low post presence. This is the third-year jump everyone in the program was hoping for, and he’s become one of the most irreplaceable players on the entire roster.

Additionally, you have two underclassmen that have started every game this season.

True freshman Chucky Hepburn has been terrific manning the lead guard role for the Badgers. He’s shown tremendous poise and maturity at the position despite his inexperience. Hepburn has shown control of the offense, pushed the pace, taken care of the basketball, and been a tenacious on ball defender at times. He does a lot of thankless work that often seems to go unnoticed.

Wisconsin’s starting center Steven Crowl has shown a great deal of in-season development. The player we’ve seen over the last month or so is leaps and bounds ahead of the player we saw back in November. Crowl has been more assertive on the low block while also showing improved footwork. Defensively, he’s done a nice job defending ball screens and battles down low despite giving up a good deal of size to opposing big men.

The starters are all performing at a high level, and are playing heavy minutes as a result. The bench performance has been a bit of uneven at times, but have a bevy of players capable of spelling the starters when necessary. Pending health, I think there are enough players capable of seeing their roles expand to help prevent starter fatigue late in the season.

Greg Gard has done a terrific job coaching this young team. It’s easy to forget that this is the most inexperienced roster of Gard’s tenure, so it would be ignorant to not give him the credit he deserves for his role in molding this young group. I’d be hard pressed to think of a coach more deserving than Gard for Big Ten Coach of the Year if Wisconsin can continue playing at this level.

So, even though Johnny Davis is a contender for National Player of the Year, understand that this team is more than just one player. The sum of the Badgers is greater than it’s individual parts, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

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How to watch: Wisconsin basketball vs. Purdue

How to watch, listen and stream Wisconsin basketball against the Purdue Boilermakers:

On Monday night, the Wisconsin Badgers will match up one of their toughest tests of the season as they face off against the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers on the road.

Related: Greg Gard has his young Badgers team limiting turnovers

Wisconsin will need a phenomenal team effort to beat a very talented and physical Purdue team, including from guard Jonathan Davis, who will likely be lined up on the Boilermakers’ leading scorer, Jaden Ivey. Badgers’ forward Steven Crowl will also be vital coming off his career-high scoring night, to stop one of the best backcourts in the country of Trevion Williams and Zach Edey

It should be another great game to watch, as the Badgers will try to upset one of the top teams in not only the Big Ten but in the country.

How to watch:

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers at Purdue Boilermakers

Where: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

When: Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. CST

Where to watch: BTN

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Brandon Gaudin
    • Analyst: Robbie Hummel
    • Reporter: Andy Katz

Where to stream: Fox Sports App or foxsports.com

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app or Sirius Satellite Radio XM 195

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

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

The tale of two Crowls

Wisconsin Badgers center Steven Crowl has had an up and down sophomore season. I break down the Minnesota native’s season thus far.

Steven Crowl out of Eagan (Minn.) was a skilled three-star center coming out of high school. He was viewed as a player that would need some time to develop and physically mature before he was ready to log minutes in the Big Ten.

After a true freshman season that saw him battle/learn from the likes of Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers on the scout team – a much larger role awaited him in year two.

As a sophomore, Steven Crowl has started all 12 games at center for the Badgers – with varying results.

It was expected that Crowl would suffering through some growing pains while learning on the job, because experience is the best teacher for a player who is already skilled enough to see the floor.

Offensively, we’ve seen flashes of Crowl as a floor spacing big man with excellent court vision and passing ability – we just haven’t seen it consistently. Crowl struggles when facing an opposing big man that’s stronger than him, allowing them to frequently move him off his spot and make life tough for him on the low block.

On defense, he still needs to pack on weight and doesn’t yet possess the toughness to battle opposing big men for 30+ minutes – so Greg Gard brought in Chris Vogt via the transfer portal to have big bodied center that could better handle the rigors of the grind that is Big Ten basketball.

 

The disparity in production

Crowl’s up and down season in terms of production can be easily explained – he plays well against the teams he should, and struggles against better teams.

Against non-power six programs, Steven Crowl is averaging 11.1 points and 6 rebounds per game – which is pretty impressive for a relatively inexperienced sophomore.

Where things greatly differ is against power six programs. Against the P6, Crowl is averaging a mere 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds.

It’s not uncommon to see inflated numbers against smaller schools, but his lack of production against tougher opponents has opened the door for Chris Vogt to see additional opportunity at center.

Where things go from here

I’d like to caution fans from jumping to conclusions about a player this early in his career. He’s going to continue to get stronger and mature physically as his career progresses, and once that catches up with his skill-set – he’s going to be a very important player for this program.

Steven Crowl is a talented big man that lacks confidence at this point in his career. His teammates know the kind of untapped potential he possesses, and will continue to push him to become that player.

The finished product of Steven Crowl will be worth the wait.

 

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WATCH: Aleem Ford drains three-pointer in 25-point unanswered Wisconsin run

In the No.7 Wisconsin Badgers Friday night matchup against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, the Badgers started the game on an insan…

In the No.7 Wisconsin Badgers Friday night matchup against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, the Badgers started the game on an insane 25-0 run.

This effort was led by Aleem Ford who had eight points, a rebound, and an assist in the first ten minutes of the first half. These points came off of two three-pointers and a layup. Micah Potter also contributed significantly to the run with five points, two steals, two assists, and a rebound.

Wisconsin has looked phenomenal in the first half of the game, leading 53-19 against the Southwestern Athletic Conference Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at halftime. This game has allowed many key freshmen to get minutes early on, with Jonathan Davis, Ben Carlson, and Steven Crowl all getting significant minutes in the first half.

Stay tuned to Badgers Wire for continued updates.

One way that Wisconsin basketball could look very different this season

One major change from last year to this year for the 2020-2021 Badgers

The 2019-20 Wisconsin Badgers were as resilient of a group as you will find throughout the history of college basketball. A tragedy before the season began, losing a key member of the rotation in Kobe King during the middle of the year, and yet somehow finding a way to win eight games and take a title share in the best conference in college basketball.

There’s the obvious differences with this upcoming season surrounding fans in the stands, the schedule, and more, but this change is one that will take place on the court. With over 80% of the scoring returning to Madison, and losing only one key contributor in senior Brevin Pritzl, what could feel significantly different between the 2019-20 Badgers and this edition? The answer lies in the 2020 freshman class.

During the dominant month of February for Wisconsin basketball, perhaps the most impressive element was the fact that head coach Greg Gard was only playing eight players per night. The shortened leash and big minutes for his key contributors helped Gard lead UW to an all-time turnaround. In this 2020-2021 squad, however, consistently playing ten or 11 players, especially early in the season, would be more expected than surprising.

Expect the two top-ranked 2020 recruits, Ben Carlson and Johnny Davis to see the court immediately. Beyond them, how deep will this bench go? Does senior guard Walt McGrory find the hardwood early on after appearing in 14 games last season? Is the Steven Crowl hype real enough to give him rotational minutes in his true freshman season? Does Gard feel that Wisconsin needs another ball handler in Detroit native Lorne Bowman, or does the freshman decide to redshirt?

Despite these being questions, they are ones that do not feel like their is a bad answer attached. These are good problems to have, and depth issues that only elite teams will face in 2020-2021. For a team that went eight deep in order to win a Big Ten championship, it would be hard to see the Badgers playing less than ten guys at the outset of the year. Over time, expect the rotational picture to become clear. Expect early mistakes, and short stints and leashes for young players, but also expect wins. This team is as deep as any in the country, and ready to turn a weakness from 2019-20 into one of their most important strengths in 2020-2021.

A freshman is turning heads early for Wisconsin basketball

A freshman has been the standout of early practices for the Badgers according to CBS insider Jon Rothstein

Despite uncertainty surrounding a Big Ten college basketball season, Wisconsin basketball has been practicing for the past few weeks at the Kohl Center.

In this early stage, freshman have been leaving their first impressions upon the coaching staff, with one sticking out in particular as a surprise. According to CBS college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, 2020 signee Steven Crowl has been turning heads in Madison.

After a standout career at Eastview Senior High School, Crowl comes to Madison as another piece in the Minnesota to Wisconsin pipeline. I broke down Crowl’s game over the summer, and after looking through high school tape it was his offensive feel that stood out most, especially as a 6-foot-9 modern big:

Crowl’s passing ability is what surprised me most on tape. At 6-foot-9, 210 he not only made point-guard-like bounce passes in transition, but also had the basketball IQ to make quick interior passes for open layups. The speed of his decision making will help him find early success at the next level. For a big man, he already has the ability to put the ball on the deck. He also has the range to step back and knock down long jumpers. There is not a ton of film of Crowl hitting jumpers off the dribble, although as an open, set shooter he can cash his checks.

Wisconsin’s depth could be their most effective weapon come the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and with added freshman impact, especially from a surprising source, the sky is the limit for the Badgers.

 

 

Three Badgers included in the final 247sports 2020 basketball rankings

Wisconsin basketball’s strong 2020 class gets more national recognition

[lawrence-newsletter]Wisconsin basketball’s promising six-person class of 2020 had three names included in the final 247sports ranking of the season.

The class was led by consensus four-star signee Ben Carlson, a versatile 6-foot-9 power forward from Saint Paul, Minn. (East Ridge). Our full BadgersWire breakdown of Carlson’s game can be found here: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-ben-carlson/

One half of the Davis brother duo that will make its way to Madison next season was also included in the top-150. Johnny Davis, a player known for his silky smooth offensive game, came in at 147 overall. For more on the three-star recruit out of La Crosse, Wis. (Central) here is our BadgersWire scouting report: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/25/scouting-report-wisconsin-2020-signee-johnny-davis/

The third and final 2020 Badger signee included was Steven Crowl who came in at 121 overall. The three-star prospect out of St. Paul, Minn (Eastview) made a name for himself as one of the best big men in the midwest this past season. Here is our full BadgersWire breakdown of the intriguing future Badger: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/06/scouting-report-steven-crowl/

Scouting Report: Steven Crowl

Breaking down Steven Crowl’s game as the 6-9 center gets ready for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report series, we are going to take a look at what each 2020 Badger signee will bring to Madison this fall and beyond.

According to 247sports, Steven Crowl is a three-star prospect who is ranked as the seventh-best player in his home state of Minnesota. The 6-9 center led his Eastview Lightning high school team to a perfect 11-0 conference record, and a 23-4 mark overall in his senior season. Crowl chose Wisconsin over the likes of Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado.

Steven Crowl in one word: Crowl is a modern 6-9 center. The Minnesota native is not your classic, back-to-the-basket big man. Instead, the three-star prospect has the versatility to handle the rock, see the floor, and bring the ball up himself at the high school level.

Offense: Crowl’s passing ability is what surprised me most on tape. At 6-9, 210 he not only made point-guard-like bounce passes in transition, but also had the basketball IQ to make quick interior passes for open layups. For a big man, he already has the ability to put the ball on the deck. He also has the range to step back and knock down long jumpers. There is not a ton of film of Crowl hitting jumpers off the dribble, although as an open, set shooter he can cash his checks.

Defense: Crowl looks like the type of player, given Wisconsin’s depth on the frontline, that could consider a redshirt in terms of physically being ready. The talent is there, and that is easy to see on tape. On a college lifting program, the Minnesota native will certainly become a better interior defender. Crowl already is a solid rim protector at the high school level, but defensively he certainly has room to grow. Down the line, the 6-9 center has the athleticism and versatility to be a solid collegiate rim protector. 

Overall: Crowl is a modern big who fits well in Wisconsin’s fluid system. He runs the floor well, has a solid jumper, and is an underrated passer, especially given his size. After some time for development in the weight room and on the defensive end, Crowl is going to be an exciting part of the future at Wisconsin.

Steven Crowl Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Steven Crowl signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday becoming the latest member of 2020 class for Greg Gard.

Steven Crowl

6’9″, 210, center, Eagan, Minn. (Eastview)

Crowl used a strong summer in front of the Wisconsin coaches to earn his offer from the Badgers this past July. After taking an official visit to Wisconsin in September he made his commitment to the Badgers in mid-September. Crowl officially became a Badger on Wednesday when he signed his letter of intent to play for Wisconsin.

Crowl and Ben Carlson will complement each other well when the duo are on the floor together. Similar to Carlson, Crowl is able to stretch the floor in addition he’s able to make an impact on the defensive side too. Crowl could use a redshirt year as it would be beneficial for him to continue to add strength in addition due to the depth Wisconsin has in the frontcourt.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Crowl chose Wisconsin over other offers from: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota

Crowl’s Accolades: Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … his junior season, led Eastview High School to the Minnesota Class 4A state tournament while averaging 19.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 39% 3FG from beyond the arc … scored 630 points as a junior and 470 points as a sophomore giving him 1,100 career points entering his senior season … first-team South Suburban All-Conference in 2019 and second-team in 2018 … plays travel basketball for D1 Minnesota, the same program as current Badgers Nate Reuvers and Tyler Wahl.

Gard on Crowl: “Steven has so many of the characteristics that we look for, both on and off the basketball court. He has excelled at a high level both on the court and in the classroom. From the first time we saw him, Steven has continued to grow and develop as a player. He has a great feel for the game and he will be able to utilize all those skills as he continues to develop. Steven has the ability to score both inside and out, which will add him to a long list of big men who have come through this program over the years. We are excited to add Steven to the Badger basketball family.”