Tag: wisconsin badgers basketball

North Carolina State would love to be in Wisconsin’s shoes

A look at the North Carolina State Wolfpack before their game with the Wisconsin Badgers.

The North Carolina State Wolfpack, who face the Wisconsin Badgers on Wednesday night in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, have been known for making a sneaky run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament every now and then. The specific details: North Carolina State has made three Sweet 16s in the previous 15 college basketball seasons, once under Herb Sendek and twice under Mark Gottfried.

The three Sweet 16s were never closer than three years apart (2013 and 2016 under Gottfried). They also never came as a seed higher than No. 8. North Carolina State was not an unfamiliar face on the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. If you compare that to Wisconsin’s body of work in the first nine years under Bo Ryan, there is a small to modest degree of similarity. Ryan made three Sweet 16s in his first nine years (with one of them turning into an Elite Eight, interestingly due to a Sweet 16 win against North Carolina State in 2005 in Syracuse). Those Sweet 16s also did not come in consecutive seasons. Wisconsin’s NCAA seeds from 2002 through 2006 were no higher than No. 5.

Fine — those similarities exist. Yet, the larger profiles of the two programs are and have been profoundly different this century. Whereas North Carolina State has endured noticeable NCAA Tournament droughts, Wisconsin is an annual NCAA Tournament team. Whereas Wisconsin eventually moved past the “mid-level-seed” identity under Ryan and became a top-three seed in several NCAA Tournaments, North Carolina State — when it makes the NCAA Tournament — is still a road-team Dance guest. In other words, N.C. State almost always wears the road jerseys of a lower seed in the NCAAs, occupying the 9-12 seed range and occasionally being an 8, which gets a home jersey in round one but not in any subsequent round of the tournament.

N.C. State’s lack of high-end NCAA Tournament seeds is borne out in another substantial difference between the Wolfpack and the Badgers: the number of seasons with single-digit losses. North Carolina State hasn’t had a season with fewer than 10 losses since 1989 under the man himself, Jim Valvano. Wisconsin has had NINE seasons with fewer than 10 losses this century alone.

Imagine yourself in 1989 — when everything about Wisconsin sports was about to change and enter a golden era — saying that Wisconsin would clearly surpass North Carolina State as a program. The arrival of Dick Bennett in 1995 was still six years away. Valvano led N.C. State to the Sweet 16, and the Wolfpack very nearly defeated top-seeded Georgetown with Alonzo Mourning. Yet, it can’t be any plainer: Wisconsin is in much better shape than N.C. State on a larger level.

Only if Kevin Keatts shows substantial proof of a sustained turnaround will the Wolfpack begin to change perceptions and reality in the ACC, and on a national level. This year’s NCSU team has clearly failed to make significant early-season statements. North Carolina State has lost its two most important games of the young season, to Georgia Tech and Memphis. The effort has been there but the execution has not. Yup, sounds like N.C. State. The Sendek and Gottfried teams could be so good when at their best, but the “best” didn’t materialize very often. Playing to the competition, not making the simple play, and enduring prolonged shooting droughts have all been part of the N.C. State portfolio to varying degrees over the past few decades. The 2019-2020 Wolfpack are trying to begin to create a cultural shift in Raleigh.

Wisconsin just got roughed up in Brooklyn. The Badgers do not stand on especially solid footing as they travel to the Carolinas. Yet, Wisconsin’s long-range body of work gives the Badgers the benefit of the doubt. N.C. State is still trying to earn it heading into Wednesday night’s game.

Three North Carolina State players Badger fans need to know

Wisconsin takes on NC State on Wednesday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.

Wisconsin (4-3) will look to rebound from its abysmal performance at the Legends Classic last week and snap a two-game losing streak when it takes on NC State (5-2) in Raleigh tomorrow night as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Badgers got the better of the Wolfpack in last season’s matchup between these squads at the Kohl Center, pulling out a narrow 79-75 victory.

Both sides are coming off of losses in their most recent outings, with Wisconsin falling to New Mexico by nine last Tuesday and NC State by five to then-No.16 Memphis on Thursday in the Barclays Center Classic.

After how awful the Badgers looked at the Legends Classic, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that ESPN’s Basketball Power Index is giving them just a 39.9 percent shot at taking down the Wolfpack on the road tomorrow evening. Head coach Kevin Keatts boasts a talented roster with five players currently averaging double-figures and eight averaging over seven points per game.

Here are the three players on the other side who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout tonight’s contest.

C.J. Bryce – Guard

2019 stats: 16.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.9 spg, 54.3 FG%, 33.3 3P%

Bryce has been a massive addition to this NC State program since he opted to transfer and follow Keatts from UNC-Wilmington to Raleigh. After making an instant impact for the Wolfpack last year by starting 35 of 36 games and averaging 11.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while leading the team in steals, the 6-5 guard has been playing the best ball of his career this season.

The senior has been stuffing the stat sheet, leading NC State in scoring, rebounding, and steals and ranking second in assists. Bryce has without question been the team’s go-to bucket getter, scoring 16 or more points in five of the Wolfpack’s first seven games. However, he is coming off what may have been his worst outing of the season in last Thursday’s loss to Memphis, having only mustered seven points on 2-12 shooting from the floor.

Bryce had an excellent game in last season’s showdown between these programs, racking up 18 points (6-11 shooting) and seven rebounds.

Markell Johnson – Guard

2019 stats: 12.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 38.7 FG%, 22.2 3P%

Mar 14, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Markell Johnson (11) dunks the ball against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half in the ACC conference tournament at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolfpack’s third-leading scorer this season, if Johnson can replicate the success he found against Wisconsin last year when he led all scorers with 21 points to go along with five assists, three rebounds and a steal, NC State will likely be sending the Badgers home with its third consecutive loss.

After trailing only Bryce in scoring average in 2018-19, Johnson’s production as a shooter has declined a bit so far this season. His average has dipped from 12.6 to 12.0, as have his shooting percentages from beyond the arc and the field overall. However, I would expect those numbers to get better sooner rather than later, as Johnson has proven to be a far more efficient player throughout his career than what he has shown so far this year. For example, he shot 42.2 percent from long range and 48.8 from the field last season.

He’s capable of being NC State’s top scorer on any given night, but where Johnson makes his biggest impact on the game is as a facilitator. His career assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.11 ranks seventh in program history, and he actually led the ACC in assists per game in 2017-18. It’s been more of the same for Johnson this year, as his current average of 6.7 is No. 3 in the conference and No. 13 nationally.

DJ Funderburk – Forward

2019 stats: 12.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 70.0 FG%, 

Funderburk finished in a tie for second in the ACC Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, and based on his production so far in 2019, he looks to once again be a top contender to take home the award this time around.

He may not start or play the type of heavy minutes that Bryce and Johnson do (he has only averaged 21 per game to this point in the season), but Funderburk sure does make the most of them. For example, despite playing more than ten fewer minutes per contest than Johnson, the 6-10 big man boasts the same scoring average right now.

Funderburk has only shot the ball from the field 30 times in the five games he’s played since missing the first two with a suspension, but he’s made 21 of them. His efficiency isn’t a fluke, either: his he led the Wolfpack in field goal percentage a year ago at 55.2 percent, and his two-point percentage of 59.5 was fifth in the ACC. Funderburk also takes advantage of his trips to the line as a career 77.1 percent shooter from the charity stripe.

3-Point Shot Wisconsin vs. North Carolina State

What are three things Wisconsin needs to do in order to win on the road against North Carolina State?

When Wisconsin tips off against North Carolina State on Wednesday as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge it will mark the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools. The Badgers have won the three previous meetings against the Wolfpack as the most recent meeting came a season ago in Madison as the Badgers won 79-75. This will mark the first time Wisconsin will travel to play North Carolina State as the Wolfpack has posted a 5-1 home record this season.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play North Carolina State.

LAYUP: CAN WISCONSIN GET BACK ON TRACK FROM THREE?

To put it simply Wisconsin didn’t shoot the basketball well from three over their two days in Brooklyn as the Badgers shot a combined 9-for-53 (16.9 percent).

In order for Wisconsin to generate an offensive rhythm that kind of shooting from three isn’t going to cut it. On the season North Carolina State is allowing its opponents to shoot 35.2 percent (45-for-128) from three.

Making it important that Wisconsin is able to effectively pass the basketball around and generate post touches as North Carolina State is allowing an average of 29.7 points in the paint. If they are able to consistently attack the paint it should open up an open shot from three.

In particular, Wisconsin is going to need to try and generate open looks for Brevin Pritzl. Pritzl went a combined 2-for-9 over the last two games as he’s shooting 34.5 percent from three, which leads the team (minimum 20 3-point attempts).

Pritzl’s ability to catch the ball in rhythm will give him the best chance of connecting on his 3-point attempt. D’Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison also need to be able to regain their form from three as well to help create a balance amongst Wisconsin’s offense.

MID-RANGE: WISCONSIN’S ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE BASKETBALL

One area where Wisconsin certainly needs to clean up as the season progresses is in the turnover department. The Badgers are averaging 12.6 turnovers a contest and over Wisconsin’s two days in Brooklyn, that number increased to 14.5 turnovers a game.

Wisconsin needs to find a way of valuing the basketball and not allow for opposing opponents to generate points off of their miscues as the Badgers on the year are allowing 11.7 points off of turnovers.

North Carolina State, on the other hand, has been able to consistently cash in on their opponents mistakes. Considering North Carolina State is forcing an average of 17.4 turnovers and turning those turnovers into an average of 16.8 points per game.

In particular, North Carolina State has been able to consistently create turnovers thanks to generating steals as they’re averaging eight per game. Three different players for the Wolfpack have at least registered 11 steals as C.J. Bryce leads the way with 13, Devon Daniels has 12, and Markell Johnson has registered 11 steals.

Making it important that Wisconsin doesn’t allow for either of the three to disrupt Wisconsin when they’re on offense. If the Badgers can learn from their mistakes against Richmond and New Mexico it should prevent the Wolfpack from creating too many extra offensive possessions for themselves.

3-POINTER: TAKING PAINT OPPORTUNITIES AWAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Wisconsin’s post defense over their last three games hasn’t been ideal. Considering over that span the Badgers have allowed 32.6 points in the paint.

If Wisconsin isn’t able to shore up its interior defense North Carolina State is going to take advantage. Considering the Wolfpack has made a living down low over their first seven games as they’re averaging 38.5 points in the paint.

North Carolina State does a good job of generating post touches for D.J. Funderburk as he’s one of five players to average double figures as he’s averaging 12 points per game and is shooting 70 percent (21-for-30) from the field.

Outside of generating post touches for Funderburk the Wolfpack also do well of attacking the paint in order to create free throw opportunities. North Carolina State on the season is averaging 21.2 free throw attempts a game and is making 74.5 percent (111-for-149) of their attempts.

Bryce leads the team in free throw attempts with 27 as he’s made 22 of his attempts. Bryce also leads the team in scoring as he’s averaging 16.1 points per game as the Badgers defense will need to be able to keep him out of the lane and make him earn his points by forcing him to settle for jump shots.

If Wisconsin can it will disrupt North Carolina State’s offense and force them to settle for shots from the perimeter as they’re shooting 33.1 percent (50-for-151) from three.

 

The worst stat for Wisconsin vs. New Mexico was not 2-26 on 3s

Reaction to the Wisconsin Badgers’ 59-50 loss to the New Mexico Lobos.

When a team makes only 2 of 26 3-pointers, as the Wisconsin Badgers did against the New Mexico Lobos on Tuesday in a discouraging loss, it is easy to look at that fact and declare it to be the worst statistic in the box score. I will be clear here and tell you that if you think the 3-point shooting line is the worst stat from the New Mexico game, you’re being reasonable. You’re being perfectly logical and sensible.

I won’t try to be the “I AM VERY INTELLIGENT!” meme from the cartoon in “The Nib” by Matt Bors, and tell you that you’re overthinking it.

You’re not overthinking it. You are exercising good judgment. In many ways, the short article I wrote about the Richmond loss applied to the New Mexico loss as well. It is striking to notice the similarities in the box score between the two games.

The Richmond and New Mexico games both featured the following:

  • At least 20 missed 3s by Wisconsin
  • No more than 16 free throw attempts by the Badgers
  • No Wisconsin player had more than four free throw attempts
  • At least 14 turnovers

The 3-point shooting is problematic, to be sure. Again, you are not overthinking it if you cite that as a big concern. Nevertheless, it’s not the shooting in isolation which stands out the most. The biggest problem with this team in Brooklyn and overall (it was true in the loss to Saint Mary’s as well) is that when shots don’t fall, the Badgers don’t compensate in the other aspects of offensive play. The defense is fine. It’s at the offensive end where the lack of high-level recruiting by Greg Gard shows up. It is also the end of the floor where the inability of someone to rise above the chaos and the limitations of this roster is most apparent.

Someone has to be able to get to the foul line 10 times a game when the threes aren’t dropping. I said that after the Richmond game. Beyond that, however, if the Badgers are going to miss at least 20 threes (20 versus Richmond, 24 versus New Mexico), they should at least be able to limit turnovers to only five or six, and compensate by not giving away extra possessions. You don’t need high-end talent to do that. You need unselfish team basketball, which is supposed to be UW’s identity, and which definitely rose to the surface in the brilliant takedown of Marquette.

Let’s say something more about that notion of unselfish team play, while we’re on the subject, because it leads me to what I view as the most alarming statistic from the New Mexico game. Yes, 2 of 26 on 3-pointers is a legitimate No. 1 candidate as “most alarming,” but for me, I choose another stat: Wisconsin had only six assists in that game.

Six. Assists.

Maybe, in the Frank Kaminsky-Sam Dekker era, one could accept that one or both players would get into a zone a few times a season and go wild in one-on-one situations. Maybe, under a special set of circumstances, Wisconsin’s best basketball players this decade (and century) would create shots through individual skill and not require passes to put them in position to score in big numbers. Fine… but with THIS roster, this 2019-2020 group of Badgers, Wisconsin cannot have six assists per game. That is TOTALLY unacceptable and an unsustainable way of playing.

Sure, the missed threes limited the assist count. No one needs to explain that part of the equation. However, if the Badgers are going to commit 14 turnovers, they ought to finish a game with 20 assists. If the Badgers are going to fail to move the ball well enough to create more free throw opportunities, the system is still failing beyond the missed 3-pointers.

Six assists shows that the blended team game so apparent against Marquette in the Kohl Center has not been carried on the road and taken to places such as Sioux Falls or Brooklyn. Wisconsin players need to help each other out. They need to assist each other a little more. It’s the holidays, after all.

Game Day Grades: Wisconsin vs. New Mexico

Handing out grades from Wisconsin’s loss to New Mexico in the Legends Classic.

Offense: F

Different day. Same story.

Wisconsin struggled from the field for a second consecutive game in addition to struggling to take care of the basketball. The Badgers finished the game shooting 18-for-53 (33.9 percent) from the field and committed 14 turnovers, which New Mexico turned into 10 points.

Similar to the game against Richmond the Badgers had a chance of stealing a victory. At the same time due to how poorly Wisconsin shot the basketball against New Mexico it never seemed like Wisconsin was a true threat in making the comeback.

It also didn’t help matters that Nate Reuvers fouled out with 2:23 to go in the game. Reuvers was the only player for Wisconsin who could generate an offensive rhythm as he led Wisconsin with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field. D’Mitrik Trice was the only other Badger to reach double figures with 11 points but he didn’t shoot the basketball well as he went 4-for-12 from the field.

When Wisconsin generated a post touch the Badgers were able to generate good offense as Wisconsin finished the game with 18 points in the paint. Although Wisconsin did a better job of generating post touches compared to the game against Richmond there were still instances where Wisconsin didn’t touch the post as the alternative was Wisconsin attempting a three.

It didn’t seem like Wisconsin could shoot the three any worst after their game against Richmond as they went 7-for-27 (25.9 percent) in the loss. Unfortunately, their poor 3-point shooting continued but it only got worst as the Badgers only managed to make two of their three’s on 26 attempts.

Wisconsin was able to generate open looks at times from three but they simply didn’t make them. At the same time with how poorly Wisconsin was shooting the basketball and Reuvers having success down low should have meant that Wisconsin tried to generate their offense through the paint.

With Wisconsin again consistently attempting long jump shots or long three’s it prevented the Badgers from consistently generating second chances to help jump start their offense. Wisconsin finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds as nine of them came over the final 20 minutes. But because Wisconsin couldn’t buy a basket at times the Badgers finished the game with five second chance points.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Wisconsin hopefully learned a basic lesson against Richmond

Reflections on the Wisconsin Badgers’ loss to the Richmond Spiders.

Big-time college basketball played on national television at a neutral site just before Thanksgiving is not the same as playing pickup basketball on the playground in many ways. Yet, there is a basic principle about basketball, no matter where it is played, which applies to the sport and needs to be understood at all times. The Wisconsin Badgers hopefully absorbed that principle after losing to the Richmond Spiders on Monday night in Brooklyn.

That principle is simply this: When you miss a lot of long-range shots, take the ball to the basket. That’s it. That’s the tweet. If you miss 25-footers, create some two-footers or dunks, or at least some six-foot floaters. You can go back to the 3-point line at some stage of the game, but establish the ability to go to the rim and put the defense on its heels.

This isn’t a sermon on needing to play basketball inside-out, starting with forays to the tin and then kicking the ball out for threes. If one has shooters, there is nothing especially wrong or misguided about starting with 3-point shots to create drives to the basket on subsequent possessions. If the defense begins a game playing against the drive and allowing the jump shot, fine — you’re going to have to make some jump shots at some point. Shooters have to take them if given them.

However, if a team misses a ton of threes at the outset, it has to be willing AND able to go to the rack and collect foul shots. That is basic basketball. It is not a foreign concept or a strange notion to anyone who has played or watched the sport, whether on a playground or in an arena.

Very simply, Wisconsin missed 11 of its first 12 3-pointers against Richmond. The Badgers finished the night 7 of 27 from long distance. It is true that Wisconsin committed 15 turnovers, and that its offense simply didn’t function well against the Spiders. “Playing better” obviously fixes a lot of problems. Yet, this wasn’t just about “playing better.” This is more precisely about playing smarter and with more force.

If you’re going to struggle from 3-point range, you have to be able to formulate a Plan B. That Plan B when the long shots aren’t falling is to get to the foul line. Wisconsin generated only 14 free throws against Richmond. That is a problem. When threes don’t fall, someone has to be the alpha dog on the court and get two free throws against robust and vigorous defense. Wisconsin produced three players — Nate Reuvers, Aleem Ford, and Kobe King — who earned four free throw attempts, but no one earned more.

The next time Wisconsin shoots under 26 percent from three, the Badgers need to have 26 or more free throws as a counterbalance. That is a simple way of conveying the need to have a Plan B when shots don’t fall.

3-Point Shot Wisconsin vs. New Mexico

What are three things Wisconsin must accomplish in order to beat New Mexico?

Wisconsin will need to be able to bounce back after they lost to Richmond in their opening round game in the Legends Classic in Brooklyn. The Badgers will play in the consolation game against New Mexico as the Lobos lost to Auburn 84-59 on Monday night. This will mark the first game between Wisconsin and New Mexico since 1984.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play New Mexico.

LAYUP: WISCONSIN’S ABILITY TO LIMIT POST TOUCHES

Over Wisconsin’s last two games the Badgers have allowed an average of 32 points per game in the paint. Wisconsin allowed UW-Green Bay to score 36 points in the paint and against Richmond allowed 28 points as those are the most points Wisconsin has allowed in the paint this season.

Wisconsin will need to be able to shore that up against New Mexico as the Lobos are coming off their loss scoring 38 of their 59 points in the paint.

It wasn’t just one game where the Lobos have had success as on the season they’re averaging an impressive 41.4 points in the paint.

Nate Reuvers has done well in defending the post as he leads Wisconsin with 17 blocks as he has registered at least one block in every game. But until Micah Potter is eligible to play he’ll have to be careful of not getting into foul trouble.

Corey Manigault and Makuach Maluach are both averaging 11.9 points per game and Carlton Bragg is averaging 10.7 points per game. All three have had success around the post but Reuvers ability to stay out of foul trouble will make sure that New Mexico can’t have the similar success they’ve had in past games.

MID-RANGE: CAPITALIZING ON NEW MEXICO’S TURNOVERS

Wisconsin through six games is forcing an average of 13 turnovers per contest. The Badgers, if they are active on defense, will have a chance of easily matching that number if not exceeding it.

Considering New Mexico is turning the basketball over an average of 17.7 times a game and had a whopping 24 turnovers in their loss to Auburn.

Wisconsin’s defense has been able to get after its opponents this season on the defensive end and has made it difficult at times for opposing offenses to get into an offensive rhythm. Wisconsin didn’t play with the same activeness on defense like they’ve displayed against Richmond on Monday night but if they can return to form they should be able to create plenty of extra offensive possessions for themselves.

Making it important that if Wisconsin is able to force New Mexico into meeting their season average in turnovers that they consistently turn their mistakes into points. Wisconsin is averaging 16.3 points off of opposing teams turnovers and if Wisconsin can continue to do that it will allow for Wisconsin to possibly take control of the game and start building a lead.

3-POINTER: GENERATING POST TOUCHES

Wisconsin at times against Richmond settled for long two’s or for three’s as 27 of Wisconsin’s 50 field goal attempts came from three. That won’t cut it against New Mexico.

The Badgers can’t continue to settle for shots as they need to be able to consistently work the basketball around and at least touch the paint once per each offensive possession.

Wisconsin scored only 10 points in the paint against Richmond and that was easily the fewest points scored by Wisconsin this season as in the other five games the Badgers have averaged 27.6 points in the paint.

If Wisconsin effectively runs their offense they should be able to have a better performance in the paint as Auburn was able to score 40 points in the paint.

Wisconsin’s ability to feed the post to Reuvers or have Aleem Ford or Kobe King attack the paint will help open up other opportunities on offense besides trying to generate high percentage shots around the basket.

Three takeaways from Wisconsin’s 62-52 loss to Richmond in the Legends Classic

Wisconsin fell to the Richmond Spiders in the Legends Classic on Monday night. Here are the top three takeaways from the 62-52 loss.

Wisconsin was handed its second defeat of the season on Monday night, falling to Richmond 62-52 in the Legends Classic. Here are our top three takeaways from the game for the Badgers.

Wisconsin never had any business being in this game.

The Badgers certainly didn’t play their best defense of the season against the Spiders, who shot 46.4 and 35.3 percent from the field overall and long-range, respectively. Richmond guard Blake Francis torched Wisconsin with 19 points, many of them coming in critical moments when the Badgers were threatening to tie or take the lead.

However, many of the shots Francis knocked down were quite difficult, and Wisconsin was able to hold the other two members of Richmond’s high-scoring backcourt trio, Jacob Gilyard and Nick Sherod, well in check. The Badgers held the Spiders to 62 points, far below their season average of a 92.5 coming into last night’s contest. Overall, the Badgers’ defense was sufficient to win the game.

What doomed Wisconsin from start to finish last night was its putrid performance offensively.

The Badgers shot a woeful 17-50 (34%) from the field including just 7-27 (25.9%) from beyond the arc. They also committed a season-high 15 turnovers. Simply put, very few teams are going to win games when they put up those kinds of numbers.

However, Wisconsin somehow was still in this one late in the second half and found itself tied with Richmond at 50 with a little under five minutes remaining. The Badgers didn’t make a single field goal the rest of the game, which fit into the narrative of the rest of the contest for Bucky: whenever Wisconsin had the opportunity to tie or take the lead throughout most of the game, in many cases the Badgers either threw up an awful shot, committed a turnover or gave up a silly foul.

As a result, no matter how close the score was, it just never felt like Wisconsin had a chance in this one.

Wisconsin looks increasingly likely to be a team that will live or die by the three this season.

Nov 25, 2019; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Richmond Spiders forward Souleymane Koureissi (2) defends against Wisconsin Badgers forward Nate Reuvers (35) in the second half of the Roman Legends Classic at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

When the Badgers have gotten hot from long-range this season, this is a group that has looked capable of beating just about anyone they will face on their schedule. However, when the shots inevitably are not falling at some point, as was the case against Richmond last night, Wisconsin will be in danger of losing to most squads it will match up with the rest of the way.

It is true that last season’s squad experienced a similar dynamic. The difference between then and now? Over the last few years, if the shots weren’t dropping and Wisconsin needed a bucket, it could dump the ball down low to arguably the nation’s top post player in Ethan Happ, who was obviously more than capable of creating an opportunity for himself near the rim.

It’s unreasonable to expect him to be as deadly in the paint as Happ, but at this point, the Badgers desperately need Nate Reuvers to emerge as a consistent scoring option in the post to make this offense a bit more multidimensional.

Reuvers very well could become that guy at some point this season. We have seen flashes of brilliance from him in the paint on multiple occasions so far this year, including the first half in last night’s contest in which he scored ten points and deployed an array of moves near the basket.

However, the consistency from Reuvers was not there the rest of the game; he would ultimately finish 6-14 from the field, and like the rest of his teammates, could not buy a basket in some critical moments.

While Micah Potter’s return next month could help immensely in giving the Badgers more of a presence down low, Greg Gard needs more physicality and efficiency from Reuvers moving forward.

Tyler Wahl continues to impress.

This feels like it has been one of the top takeaways from each game Wisconsin has played this season, but man is Tyler Wahl fun to watch.

He’s had a hiccup here and there in a few games this season, but overall, the true freshman from Minnesota does not play like a rookie and continues to live up to the reputation he built on the recruiting trail as a versatile, hard-nosed player who will do all the little things to help his team win games.

He finished with a career-high seven points, two rebounds and a steal in 16 minutes of action against the Spiders last night, with that steal coming in a huge moment for the Badgers: with Wisconsin down five with seconds to go in the first half, Wahl poked the ball away as Richmond was setting itself up for the final shot before intermission and proceeded to drill a buzzer-beater from half-court. The shot brought the Badgers back within two and looked like it would provide them with a much-needed boost of momentum.

Wahl’s long-range shooting continues to come along nicely as well: in addition to that heave from half-court, he knocked down a big three in the second half to keep Wisconsin within four with about 11 minutes to go in the game.

Overall, Wahl continues to look like a guy who is going to have a major impact on the success of this program throughout his career in Madison.  I have a feeling Gard is going to be giving him an increasingly long leash off the bench as the season moves forward, especially given the inconsistent play of others in the rotation.

Game Day Grades: Wisconsin vs. Richmond

Handing out grades from Wisconsin’s 62-52 loss to Richmond in Brooklyn.

Offense: F

Wisconsin was able to take its second lead of the game at 47-45 with 9:56 to go in the game. But how Wisconsin ended the game shooting the basketball against Richmond is a summary of how poorly Wisconsin shot from the field throughout the game.

Wisconsin closed the game by shooting 1-for-10 from the field while committing four turnovers. If you break it down a little farther the Badgers only made two field goals on 12 shot attempts over the final 11:15 of the game.

Nate Reuvers made three with 11:15 tied the game at 45 and his two made free throws gave Wisconsin a 47-45 lead. But the Badgers didn’t make their next field goal until the 4:44 mark as Brad Davison’s three tied the game at 50.

Despite how poorly Wisconsin shot the basketball as they finished the game 17-for-50 (34 percent) from the field they still somehow had a chance of pulling out a victory. Simply put Wisconsin could never get over the hump and string together successful offensive possessions against a Richmond defense that forced Wisconsin into a season-high 15 turnovers.

With how poorly Wisconsin was shooting the basketball they didn’t do themselves any favors by failing to give themselves second chances. Wisconsin finished the game with eight offensive rebounds, which they only turned into four points.

The lack of presence in the paint didn’t just include failing to get offensive rebounds but also generating a lack of post touches for Reuvers. Wisconsin scored a season-low 10 points in the paint as they shot 5-for-14 on their opportunities in the paint. Including missing their last five shots in the paint as the last made field goal by Wisconsin in the paint came with 13:17 to go in the second half.

Grant Golden did a good job of challenging each shot against Wisconsin in the paint as he was responsible for one of the three blocks by Richmond. In addition, Golden was one of the main reasons why Wisconsin couldn’t generate second chances as 10 of his 12 rebounds came on the defensive glass.

Although Richmond did a good job of taking away the paint from Wisconsin at the same time the Badgers didn’t try and generate post opportunities either. Considering they needed to especially with Wisconsin struggling to find the bottom of the net from three.

Wisconsin attempted a three one too many times considering 27 of their 50 shot attempts came from three. Although Wisconsin shot a combined 26-for-54 (48.1 percent) from three the last two games the Badgers couldn’t recapture the same magic as Wisconsin only made seven of their 3-point attempts.

Tyler Wahl was the only player for Wisconsin to make at least two three’s as he made both of his attempts. While all five of Wisconsin’s starters attempted at least three, 3-pointers as they went a combined 4-for-21.

Reuvers and Kobe King were the only two Badgers to reach double figures finishing the game with 17 and 10 points respectively.  

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Three Richmond players Badger fans need to know

Wisconsin takes on Richmond in the Legends Classic on Monday evening. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.

Wisconsin (4-1) will look to claim its fifth consecutive victory when it takes on Richmond (4-0) out of the Atlantic 10 tonight in the Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tonight’s matchup will be just the second time that these two programs have faced each other, with the first meeting coming in the First Round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament when the Badgers, a No. 6 seed, took down the No. 11 Spiders, 76-64.

Wisconsin is coming off of an 88-70 win over Green Bay at the Kohl Center last Thursday, while Richmond took down one of Bucky’s foes from earlier in November, McNeese State, 87-57 on Friday.

The Badgers are currently six-point favorites in this one, but the Spiders have had one of the nation’s most potent offenses to this point in the season and have already taken down one high major opponent this month in Vanderbilt.

Here are the three players on the other side who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout tonight’s contest.

Nick Sherod – Guard

2019 stats: 20.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 53.7 FG%, 55.6 3P%

Sherod was off to an excellent start to his sophomore season around this time a year ago, averaging 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Unfortunately, he then suffered a torn ACL in Richmond’s sixth contest of the season and would go on the miss the team’s final 27 games.

Four games into his junior season, it’s safe to say the 6-4 guard has come back from that injury with a vengeance.

Sherod is tied for the team lead in scoring at 20.8 points per game, which is the second-highest mark in the Atlantic 10. He’s also shooting a blistering 55.6 percent from beyond the arc, again the second-highest mark in the conference behind the next player on this list and the No. 13 percentage in the country.

Richmond ranks third nationally in scoring at an average of 92.5 points per game, which is thanks in large part to an outstanding trio of guards that includes Sherod, Blake Francis (averaging 18.5 points) and the next player on this list.

Jacob Gilyard – Guard

2019 stats: 20.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 6.3 apg, 4.0 spg, 65.9 FG%, 58.3 3P%

Feb 13, 2018; Kingston, RI, USA; Richmond Spiders guard Jacob Gilyard (0) grabs a rebound during the first half against the Rhode Island Rams at Ryan Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Gilyard is the Spider that’s tied with Sherod for the highest scoring average on the team, but the junior guard is probably Richmond’s best overall player. The 5-9, 160-pounder will be the smallest guy on the court tonight, but he’s a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the court.

During his first two years in college, Gilyard racked up 868 points, 290 assists and 177 steals; since 1992, only Jason Kidd and Allen Iverson accumulated each of those numbers by the end of their sophomore seasons. He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team and Second Team All-Conference a year ago after leading the Atlantic 10 in steals and averaging 16.2 points and 5.2 assists per game.

It’s been more of the same for Gilyard in 2019. His three-point percentage is tops in the conference and No.7 nationally, and his overall field goal percentage is second-best in the Atlantic 10 and No. 20 overall. Gilyard is also averaging more steals than all but 13 Division I players.

If Richmond knocks off the Badgers tonight, Gilyard will be a major reason why.

Grant Golden – Forward

2019 stats: 10.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.8 bpg, 47.3 FG%

Golden’s production has taken a bit of a dip this season as a result of the emergence of that high-scoring backcourt trio, but the 6-10 junior is still a guy who could give the Badgers some problems tonight in the post.

He was a Third-Team All-Conference performer each of his first two seasons at Richmond, the first player in program history to earn that distinction. Golden was the team’s leading scorer in 2018-19 at 17.2 points per game and finished the season with 1,083 career points to his name already, a total no other Spider had reached by the end of a sophomore season.

He also chipped in 7.1 rebounds per game and had more assists than all but one other player 6-10 or taller. That other player? Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ.

Again, while his numbers are obviously down through Richmond’s first four games, Golden remains a dangerous player who must be accounted for, and you can be sure Wisconsin will have his name circled on the scouting report.