Tag: Wisconsin Badgers

What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after Badgers blowout win vs. Detroit Mercy

What Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after Badgers blowout win vs. Detroit Mercy

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard addressed the media following the Badgers’ 23-point win over Detroit Mercy on Sunday.

Wisconsin big men Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter were the story of the contest. The two 7-footers combined for 33 points and 15 rebounds off 13-of-19 from the field and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.

After building a 20-point lead early in the second half, Gard was able to deploy a batch of his bench players to close the contest. Carter Gilmore, Kamari McGee, Markus Ilver, Jack Janicki and Xavier Amos each logged at least 10 minutes in the 23-point triumph.

“Happy for our guys to be able to get through finals week and a few days off this week,” Gard said after the win. “I thought we did a lot of good things, and it was good to go really deep into the bench for some substantial minutes. I think that’ll help not only those individuals, but us collectively going forward because we’re going to continue to need all the help we can get. We’ve got a long road ahead of us.”

That road includes 18 consecutive Big Ten games to close the season. While wings John Blackwell and John Tonje have played exceptionally well to begin the season, the crew’s team defense and consistency down low will prove critical to close the season.

“I thought the two bigs were good and efficient,” Gard said. “We didn’t shoot the three great, but I thought we had really good looks and defensively did a lot of good things to keep the ball out of the paint for the most part. In the first half, they only had one basket at the rim. By and large, a pretty workmanlike effort.”

UW spread the wealth with 22 bench points, 36 points in the paint and 13 assists. The story still revolved around Winter and Crowl. Over the past two wins, the two are accountable for 71 combined points and 29 rebounds.

“I have always known the potential of those two and how complete their games can be,” Gard said. “Steve, over the last two games, has done a better job at being more aggressive and intentional with it. Nolan’s just been hatched so to speak. He’s so young in terms of where he can be and what he can do. You see that size, skill level and athleticism he has, and he has a motor. I don’t know if he realizes how impactful he can be. It’s our job to keep pushing that bar higher for him.”

Wisconsin returns to the hardwood for a Jan. 3 showdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center.

RECAP: Wisconsin basketball snaps losing streak with 83-74 victory over Butler

Quick thoughts on Wisconsin’s win over Butler

Wisconsin basketball returned to the win column with an 83-74 win over Butler on Saturday.

The Badgers started hot, bursting out to a 9-0 lead in the game’s early stages. They kept that advantage throughout the first frame before an important closing 16-5 run built a 47-33 halftime lead.

Butler remained within striking distance for much of the second half. But Wisconsin held the opponent at arm’s length, holding on for a wire-to-wire victory.

The big story of the game was the performance of the Badgers’ big men, led by senior Steven Crowl. Crowl had been the center of conversation after he failed to record a rebound during the Badgers’ recent loss at Illinois. His response: 18 points and six rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting and 2-of-3 from three.

Nolan Winter was just as good, finishing with a team-high 20 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-15 shooting.

Wisconsin rebounded the ball better than it did during its three-game losing streak. It grabbed 32 total rebounds, matching Butler’s total. Most importantly, the Badgers held the Bulldogs to just five rebounds on the offensive end.

That rebounding and interior performance carried the team throughout. The Badgers shot just 44.8% from the field and 24% (6-of-25) from three-point range. They did, however, make 25 of 27 free throw attempts, while Butler went just 22-of-32. Those margins are where the game was decided down the stretch.

Wisconsin improves to 9-3 on the season with the victory. Butler drops to 7-4. The Badgers now have just one game (Dec. 22 vs. Detroit Mercy) before Big Ten play heats up on January 3. The win over Butler builds critical momentum before a quiet few weeks.

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

Wisconsin football full 2025 schedule

A look at what Wisconsin faces in 2025. It’s a gauntlet:

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin’s full schedule for the 2025 football season is out. The word ‘gauntlet’ is an apt description of what the Badgers face.

Luke Fickell’s team opens the season with two home nonconference matchups (Miami (OH), Middle Tennessee) before a road trip to face what should be a top-ranked Alabama team.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s newly-released 2025 football schedule

The Badgers then return home to begin Big Ten play. Unlike a Big Ten West-era schedule that may have one or two premier games, the slate is a test from start to finish.

Luke Fickell’s team opens conference play at home against Maryland, before beginning a headline-grabbing month of October: at Michigan, vs. Iowa, vs. Ohio State, at Oregon. The Badgers then close vs. Washington, at Indiana, vs. Illinois and at rival Minnesota.

We’ve outlined big takeaways from the schedule, including a general recalibration of expectations. For more on each matchup and Wisconsin’s recent history against that program, here is an extended look at what the Badgers face in 2025:

Week 1: Miami (OH) (home)

Date: Aug. 30

Miami (OH) 2024 Record: 8-5, 7-1 MAC, Arizona Bowl vs. Colorado State

Series History: Wisconsin is 1-0 all-time, a 58-0 win in 2015.

Wisconsin begins with appears to be a lighter home matchup against Miami (OH) — though the RedHawks have become one of the better programs in the MAC. These games will be critical as Jeff Grimes installs his offense and the team works to build an identity.

Week 2: Middle Tennessee (home)

Date: Sept. 6

Middle Tennessee 2024 Record: 3-9, 2-6 CUSA

Series History: Zero prior matchups

Middle Tennessee is by far the easiest matchup on the schedule. The Blue Raiders went 3-9 in 2024 under first-year head coach Derek Mason. Before the upcoming gauntlet, these first two games are necessary wins.

Week 3: Alabama (away)

Date: Sept. 13

Alabama 2024 Record: 9-3, 5-3 SEC, ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Michigan

Series History: Alabama is 2-1 all-time, including a 42-10 win in 2024.

Wisconsin’s tough stretch begins in Week 3 with a trip to Alabama to complete the home-and-home series. The Crimson Tide beat the Badgers 42-10 at Camp Randall this season. A road matchup against what will likely be a top-ranked team doesn’t project to be any easier.

Week 4: Maryland (home)

Date: Sept. 20

Maryland Record: 4-8, 1-8 Big Ten

Series History: Wisconsin is 4-0 all time, including a 23-10 win in 2022.

On paper, Maryland looks like Wisconsin’s easiest conference game. The Terrapins struggled in 2024 after a string of 8-5 seasons from 2022-23. Mike Locksley’s program needs a rebound. For Wisconsin’s season-long outlook, this needs to be a win.

Week 5: Bye Week

Wisconsin gets a bye week on each end of its October gauntlet. This week will serve as an important re-set before the biggest stretch of the season.

Week 6: Michigan (away)

Date: Oct. 4

Michigan 2024 Record: 7-5, 5-4 Big Ten, ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Alabama

Series History: Michigan is 52-17-1 all-time, though Wisconsin has won two of the last three (2019, 2020). Last meeting was a 38-17 Michigan win in 2021.

The month of October projects to be quite the challenge for the Badgers. It begins with a road trip to Michigan — a team that projects to be improving entering 2025. The Badgers had great success against the Wolverines from 2017-20. That halted in 2021, the last time these two teams played.

Week 7: Iowa (home)

Date: Oct. 11

Iowa 2024 Record: 8-4, 6-3 Big Ten, Music City Bowl vs. Missouri

Series History: Wisconsin leads the all-time series 49-47-2. Iowa is winners of the last three meetings, and four of the last five.

Wisconsin is 0-2 against the Hawkeyes in the Luke Fickell era, including a 42-10 loss in 2024. This rivalry matchup could go on to define the team’s 2025 season, as it won’t be expected to win matchups against Ohio State or Oregon.

Week 8: Ohio State (home)

Date: Oct. 18

Ohio State 2024 Record: 10-2, 7-2 Big Ten, CFP first round vs. Tennessee

Series History: Ohio State leads 63-18-5, bolstered by a 10-game win streak dating back to 2010. That streak includes wins in the 2014, 2017 and 2019 Big Ten title games.

Wisconsin played Ohio State close at home in 2023, falling 24-10. The Badgers need to do the same in 2025. It is just another of a large collection of high-profile home games in the Luke Fickell era. 2025 needs to be the year one or those matchups is won.

Week 9: Oregon (away)

Date: Oct. 25

Oregon 2024 Record: 12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, CFP quarterfinal (first-round bye)

Series History: Oregon leads 4-3 all-time, including a 16-13 win in 2024. The series is highlighted by two Rose Bowl matchups (2012, 2020). Oregon won both.

This projects as the toughest game on Wisconsin’s 2025 schedule. The Ducks are the current class of the sport. A road trip to Eugene, Oregon makes that matchup even more daunting. The Badgers fared well against the Ducks in 2024, falling 16-13. They will need a repeat performance.

Week 10: Bye Week

Wisconsin gets a bye after that October gauntlet. It will likely need a re-set before a critical closing stretch of the season. Just like this past season, bowl eligibility will likely be at stake over the final month.

Week 11: Washington (home)

Date: Nov. 8

Washington 2024 Record: 6-6, 4-5 Big Ten, Sun Bowl vs. Louisville

Series History: Washington is 4-0 all-time. The last meeting was in 1992 (27-10 Washington win).

Wisconsin meets Washington in 2025 for the first time since the Huskies joined the Big Ten. This is an interesting matchup — Washington went 6-6 in 2024 after a national title trip in 2023. The Huskies should only improve under Jedd Fisch. But this game doesn’t reach the challenge of the Ohio State, Oregon or Michigan matchups.

Week 12: Indiana (away)

Date: Nov. 15

Indiana 2024 Record: 11-1, 8-1 Big Ten, CFP first round vs. Notre Dame

Series History: Wisconsin leads 41-20-2. Indiana has won two straight — 14-6 in 2020 and 20-14 in 2023.

This game is a significant wild card on Wisconsin’s 2025 schedule. Historically, Indiana is among the bottom teams in the Big Ten. But the Hoosiers went 11-1 and made the College Football Playoff in the first year under Curt Cignetti. This game could look entirely different come next November.

Week 13: Illinois (home)

Date: Nov. 22

Illinois 2024 Record: 9-3, 6-3 Big Ten, Citrus Bowl vs. South Carolina

Series History: Wisconsin leads 45-39-7, including a last-second win in 2023.

The final two games could be must-wins for the Badgers as they look to return to bowl eligibility. Illinois is another former Big Ten West program looking to establish a place in the new conference landscape. It had a program-best season in 2024, momentarily elevating it above Wisconsin and others.

Week 14: Minnesota (away)

Date: Nov. 29

Minnesota 2024 Record: 7-5, 5-4 Big Ten, Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Virginia Tech

Series History: Series is tied 63-63-8 all-time. Minnesota has won three of the last four, including a 24-7 win in 2024.

This the importance of this matchup should go without saying. Wisconsin’s season-ending loss to Minnesota was costly — it closed a 5-7 campaign and saw the Badgers miss a bowl game for the first time since 2001. This game needs to be a win in 2025.

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

BREAKING: Wisconsin quarterback enters NCAA transfer portal

BREAKING: Wisconsin quarterback enters NCAA transfer portal

Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke entered the transfer portal on Wednesday.

He is Wisconsin’s 16th scholarship player to enter, 18th overall player and third quarterback (Cole LaCrue, Tyler Van Dyke).

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

His move follows two years with the Badgers under head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo. He initially transferred to the program after a redshirt season at Mississippi State.

The former four-star recruit went 3-8 starting under center and 3-10 overall, as saw extensive time filling in for injured veterans Tanner Mordecai and Van Dyke. He completed 53.6% of his passes over those appearances for 2,713 yards, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He enters the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

Locke’s move follows Wisconsin’s recent hire of offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. Given the new dynamic within that offensive room and the program likely to bring in another veteran transfer, Locke was set to again enter the 2025 season as the primary backup. He’ll likely seek a transfer destination where he can start for his final two collegiate seasons.

Wisconsin’s current quarterback room now consists of redshirt freshman Mabrey Mettauer and incoming freshmen Landyn Locke (Braedyn Locke’s brother) and four-star Carter Smith. The program will be active recruiting the position during this transfer cycle.

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

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard after loss to Illinois: ‘How does [center Steven Crowl] have no rebounds?’

Greg Gard discussed Steven Crowl’s rebounding struggles postgame

The Wisconsin Badgers fell to Big Ten rival Illinois 86-80 on Tuesday night, extending their current losing streak to three games.

A significant story of the game was rebounding. Illinois entered as one of the nation’s top rebounding teams, while Wisconsin has struggled in that area. Those divergent trends led to Illinois grabbing 40 total rebounds to Wisconsin’s 29. The Badgers’ 18 defensive rebounds were barely more than Illinois’ tally on the offensive end (15). That discrepancy explains where the game was mostly decided.

Related: Big takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s loss to Illinois

There is one glaring number on the box score in that regard. Wisconsin starting center Steven Crowl finished with zero rebounds in 19 minutes, to go along with just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting.

The veteran center is key to the Badgers’ rebounding effort, given his size and position. A lack of production in the area is costly, especially against a team like Illinois with top-end size and rebounding ability.

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard discussed Crowl’s struggles after the game when asked specifically about how Crowl and John Tonje’s quiet offensive night was limiting.

“There’s ways that they can impact the game in other areas,” Gard began. “I think defensively, you look at [Steven Crowl’s] line, he has no rebounds. How do you have no rebounds?”

He went on to specifics on the team’s offensive inconsistency. In his words, due to Tonje and John Blackwell ‘over-dribbling.’ But the focus then returned to how the two veterans can impact the game when they aren’t scoring at a high clip.

“The biggest thing is obviously our 4s and 5s, the rebounding,” Gard continued. “I thought Nolan [Winter] was active and aggressive. He’s still young in terms of what he will he, he showed flashes of how good a player he can be. So I was happy for him.”

The Illinois matchup continued what has been an extended stretch of struggles from Crowl. He’s tallied just 13 total points and eight rebounds over the last three games, all losses, on 5-of-19 shooting and 1-of-7 from three.

He is play is an undeniable key to Wisconsin’s success. When he plays well, offensively and defensively, the team tends to win. His recent struggles, meanwhile, have directly correlated with a three-game losing streak against tough competition.

Gard has publicly expressed his desire for Crowl to be more aggressive in previous years. We’ll see what this sentiment on his rebounding tally leads to. Wisconsin is back on the court on Saturday for a neutral site matchup with Butler. The Badgers badly need a win with an extended holiday break upcoming.

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

Wisconsin kicker enters the transfer portal

Wisconsin kicker enters the transfer portal

Wisconsin kickoff specialist Gavin Lahm announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Saturday.

The former walk-on is the 15th Badger to enter the portal since the team’s season concluded on Nov. 29. He is the second walk-on to do so, joining offensive lineman Manny Mullens.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 transfer portal tracker

“First, I want to extend my gratitude to the University of Wisconsin for providing me with the support and opportunity to play football while furthering my education,” Lahm wrote on X. “It has been an honor to be a Badger and play for my home state…After much deliberation, I have decided to enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility.”

The Kaukauna, Wisconsin native joined the Badgers program in 2022. He played a total of 30 games over three seasons, primarily as the team’s kickoff specialist. 67 of his 135 career kickoffs went for touchbacks (49%), with an overall average of 62.2 yards. He also recorded one solo tackle during the 2024 season.

Lahm never won the job as Wisconsin’s starting placekicker. Nate Van Zelst and Vito Calvaruso split the job in 2022, while Nathanial Vakos has held the position for each of the past two seasons.

The junior kicker enters the portal likely looking for an opportunity to start. That was unlikely at Wisconsin with Vakos likely returning for 2025.

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

Wisconsin football legend named NFL FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week

Wisconsin football icon named FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week

Wisconsin Badgers’ football legend Russell Wilson was named the NFL’s FedEx Air & Ground Player of Week 13 on Thursday.

The nine-time Pro Bowler earned the honor for his stellar output in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The former Badger completed 29 of 38 pass attempts for 414 passing yards and three touchdowns in the narrow victory. He also registered a passer rating of 126.4 — his best as a Steeler.

With the win, Wilson helped the Steelers secure the franchise’s 21st consecutive non-losing season, tying the 1965-85 Dallas Cowboys for a league record.

In the game, Wilson registered 257 of his passing yards in the first half — the most of any first half of his storied 13-year career. He completed passes to 10 different wide receivers on the afternoon and displayed his deep ball proficiency throughout.

On the season, Wilson has now thrown for 1,626 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in six games as Pittsburgh’s starting pass-thrower. He is also responsible for a career-high 271 passing yards per game.

Head coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to start Wilson over dynamic quarterback Justin Fields ushered outside criticism, but it has paid off incredibly well for the Steelers. The team currently leads the AFC North at 9-3 and looks like they could host a home playoff game this winter.

BREAKING: Wisconsin loses 10th overall player, another class of 2023 commit to the transfer portal

BREAKING: Wisconsin loses 10th overall player, 10th class of 2023 commit to the transfer portal

Wisconsin redshirt freshman running back Nate White is entering the transfer portal, according to 247Sports’ Evan Flood.

He would be the 10th Badger to enter the portal since the team’s season concluded last Friday. Of note, he is yet another member of the program’s class of 2023 to depart after only two seasons.

Related: Key takeaways from Wisconsin’s early wave of transfer portal losses

White originally joined the program as a three-star recruit in that class. He was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 694 player in the country, No. 51 running back and No. 1 recruit from the state of Wisconsin.

The versatile running back did not see any playing time during his two years with the program. He was stuck in a crowded running back room, led by players including Braelon Allen, Chez Mellusi, Tawee Walker, Cade Yacamelli and Darrion Dupree over that time.

His path to future carries was a tough one. Wisconsin’s class of 2024 included top commits Dilin Jones and Dupree at the position, plus three-star Gideon Ituka. Even with Walker and Mellusi gone after 2024, the position group projects to be one of the deepest on the team moving forward.

White’s departure isn’t a surprise given that standing. But it is noteworthy, since he is now the 10th player from Wisconsin’s class of 2023 to enter the portal. Of the 15-signee class, only LB Christian Alliegro, LB Tyler Jansey, TE Tucker Ashcraft, DL Jamel Howard and iOL James Durand remain with the program.

Both White and promising wide receiver Trech Kekahuna joined the group of departures from that class on Wednesday.

Wisconsin needs a busy transfer cycle with all of its roster needs, and with the quantity of depth that has recently departed. Until the commitments begin, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal tracker to stay up-to-date on the full list of departures.

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

Steelers QB named recipient of 2024 Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award

Russell Wilson earns the 2024 Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award, adding another accolade to his legacy of leadership and community service.

The hits keep on coming for Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson. After a dominant Week 13 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals that saw Wilson throw for over 400 yards and 3 TDs, he has now received an incredible Big Ten honor. Wilson, who played his final collegiate season at Wisconsin, earned the prestigious 2024 Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award, which is given to former Big Ten athletes who exemplify leadership and humanitarianism.

The Steelers QB has not only personified leadership throughout his thirteen years in the NFL, but has also given back to the community, such as with his frequent visits to local children’s hospitals.

Wilson has also made history, as no recipient of the Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award has ever previously won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which Wilson accomplished back in 2020 for his incredible off-field generosity to the community.

It appears that every passing day proves why Wilson is not only the quarterback of the future for the Pittsburgh Steelers but also one of the kindest human beings to ever don the Black and Gold.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dusty May and Michigan basketball shock No. 11 Wisconsin with first loss

Big win for the Wolverines!! #GoBlue

New Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May promised early results and, boy, is he already delivering.

Right out of the gates, the Wolverines looked like a new team and one that can contend with anyone. But with Michigan losing in the second game to Wake Forest in Greensboro, there was some question as to whether or not this thing could really take off.

However, since then, Michigan destroyed teams in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, including Xavier, en route to a 6-1 record. But Tuesday night saw a different battle — playing on the road against a ranked Big Ten team. And that team being a pesky Wisconsin squad at the Kohl Center.

The Badgers looked better than the maize and blue in the early going, taking a commanding lead as Michigan started 2-of-14 from 3. But Michigan basketball fought back, with Vlad Goldin dominating in the middle. To start the second half, the Wolverines went on a run and erased the six-point halftime deficit.

But the two teams traded blows until late in the game, when the Wolverines took a three-point lead. And they managed to hold on to beat No. 11 Wisconsin, 67-64.

Here are the team leaders:

Player FG 3PT REB AST STL BLK TO PTS
Vladislav Goldin 9-16 0-1 5 1 1 3 2 24
Danny Wolf 7-11 2-4 7 5 3 5 1 20
Roddy Gayle Jr. 3-6 1-2 6 5 1 1 2 9
Nimari Burnett 2-7 2-6 7 1 1 2 1 8
Will Tschetter 2-4 1-3 2 0 0 0 0 5
Rubin Jones 0-2 0-2 2 1 1 1 0 1
Tre Donaldson 0-7 0-3 7 3 0 0 2 0
Sam Walters 0-3 0-3 1 0 0 0 0 0
LJ Cason 0-3 0-1 2 0 0 0 2 0

Up next, Michigan basketball hosts Iowa at Crisler Center on Saturday at 2 p.m. EST.