Tag: Wisconsin Badgers

Badgers wing John Tonje earns AP national player of the week honor

John Tonje earns AP national player of the week nods

The Associated Press named Wisconsin Badgers’ wing John Tonje the National Player of the Week in men’s college basketball on Tuesday.

Four days removed from his historic 41-point barrage vs. No. 17 Arizona, Tonje pocketed the honor on Tuesday morning. This follows Tonje reeling in Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday, becoming the first UW player to receive the award since Johnny Davis in 2022.

Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn was named runner-up after dropping 29 points and eight rebounds vs. No. 8 Alabama. Ante Brzovic (College of Charleston), Kam Jones (Marquette) and Abdi Bashir Jr. (Monmouth) were included as honorable mentions.

Through five games this season, Tonje is averaging 22.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 steal per game. The graduate student is also shooting 56.3% from the field, 50.0% from beyond the arc and 95.9% from the free throw line.

Tonje has officially emerged as Wisconsin’s offensive replacement for transfer wing AJ Storr. The volume scorer averaged 16.8 points per game in 36 appearances for Wisconsin a season ago, but he shot just 43.4% from the field and 32.0% from distance.

Obviously, Tonje’s splits will dip as the season progresses. He does, however, possess unquestionable touch from the free throw line and poised shot selection. Some could make the argument that Tonje, who spent the 2023-24 season at Missouri, is a better fit than Storr ever was.

Regardless, the national distinction is worth celebrating. Wisconsin’s next game is on Nov. 22 against UCF at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia.

Wisconsin stands in the way of Nebraska extending a record losing streak

Wisconsin stands in the way of Nebraska extending a record losing streak

The stakes are high for the Wisconsin Badgers (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) road matchup against rival Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) on Saturday.

Both teams enter the game at 5-5, needing just one more win to clinch bowl eligibility.

Related: Everything Luke Fickell said about the Phil Longo firing, Badgers’ offensive plan moving forward

Normally, that would be enough stakes alone. But how each team has reached this point is significant to note.

Wisconsin was 5-2 through seven games after a win over Northwestern capped an impressive three-game winning streak. The season has somewhat tanked since then, with demoralizing losses to Penn State, Iowa and Oregon, respectively.

The Badgers fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after the latest loss, signaling the current state of affairs in year two of the Luke Fickell era. Overall, the program is far from where many expected it to be.

The Nebraska side is somehow even worse. The Cornhuskers were 5-1 to start the year, headlined by a big win over Colorado. They appeared to be at the start of a resurgence in year two under Matt Rhule.

Since that point: 56-7 loss to Indiana, 21-17 loss to Ohio State, 27-20 loss to UCLA and 28-20 loss to USC. Nebraska brings a four-game losing streak into Saturday’s matchup.

That four-game losing streak means a bit more to Nebraska than Wisconsin’s losing streak does to its program. Nebraska has not made a bowl game since 2016. It is now a whopping 0-9 in games with bowl eligibility on the line during that time, including now 0-8 under Rhule — 0-4 in 2023, 0-4 in 2024.

The FBS record for consecutive losses with bowl eligibility at stake is 10 (Mike MacIntyre and Colorado from 2017-18 and Lou Holtz at South Carolina from 2002-04). Another loss for Rhule would bring him within one defeat of the record. Losses to both Wisconsin and Iowa to close the season would bring him to that mark.

That’s what Wisconsin has to play for on Saturday, other than the famous Freedom Trophy — that Nebraska has yet to possess. With a win, the Badgers would put Nebraska in a record category of programs to lose 10 straight games with bowl eligibility at stake. With a loss, Wisconsin would forever be the team that ended that record bowl drought.

There are larger Fickell vs. Rhule implications after both were high-profile hires before the 2023 season. But that conversation can wait until postgame. Just note: coaches that lose nine or ten straight games with bowl eligibility on the line usually don’t stick around for very long.

Wisconsin and Nebraska will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. CT from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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Where Wisconsin basketball stands in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over UT Rio Grande

Where Wisconsin basketball stands in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over UT Rio Grande

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin basketball improved to 5-0 on the 2024-25 season with an 87-84 win over UT Rio Grande on Monday.

The Badgers struggled defensively for much of the contest, allowing the Vaqueros to shoot 49% from the floor and nearly 40% from 3. The team was somewhat on the ropes midway through the second half before John Blackwell and John Tonje led a scoring surge that tipped the scales, eventually leading to the three-point win.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s narrow win over UT Rio Grande Valley

One big stat that continues to matter: Wisconsin shot 84.4% (27-of-32) from the free-throw line in the victory. The team’s final 11 points came from the charity stripe. The Badgers are No. 2 in the nation in team free throw percentage at 88.6%; the stat has been a driving force behind the team’s 5-0 start.

That undefeated start led to national recognition, even before the win over UT Rio Grande. Wisconsin entered the AP Poll at No. 19 and USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll at No. 25 on Monday.

While the Badgers’ resume is building with each passing performance, their win on Monday didn’t impress some rating metrics. Wisconsin dropped 11 spots in KenPom from No. 29 to No. 40 after the win. Greg Gard’s team possesses the 18th-ranked offense and 83rd-ranked defense in the metric.

Allowing 84 points to a UT Rio Grande team that is No. 199 in KenPom assuredly led to the ratings downgrade, specifically defensively.

The Badgers also dropped from No. 22 in ESPN BPI to No. 30, reflecting the same general trend. BPI has the team’s projected final record at 19.6-10.4 and gives it an 8.2% chance to win the Big Ten.

Minus the needed defensive improvements, it’s hard to not be impressed by Wisconsin’s start to the season. This early season stage figured to see significant growing pains with new faces in the rotation. Instead, the Badgers are flashing top form and entering the conversation atop the Big Ten.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Friday against UCF at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

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Photo Gallery: Ducks sneak out of Camp Randall with a close win

Photo Gallery: Ducks weasel out of Camp Randall with a close win to keep their perfect season alive.

It certainly wasn’t drawn up this way, but no one can argue with the end result.

The Oregon Ducks football team strolled into Camp Randall Stadium and quickly found themselves in a dogfight with the Wisconsin Badgers. The game was tight throughout, but the Ducks made just enough plays to escape with a 16-13 victory, keeping their perfect season alive.

They’re now 11-0 on the year and are looking forward to a much-needed bye week after playing eight straight games without a break. Oregon doesn’t play until Nov. 30 when Washington comes calling to Autzen Stadium for the regular season finale.

Oregon can also heal up a bit before the playoffs as well. Tez Johnson, Jordan Burch and Marcus Harper II were all out for this Wisconsin matchup. No telling what the extra week of rest will do as there is no guarantee those injuries will heal up in time for Washington, but the bye week can only help those chances.

Here are the best photos from Oregon’s close victory at Wisconsin.

Big Ten dominates top five of US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 12

Big Ten dominates top five of latest US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 12

Wisconsin lost to No. 1 Oregon 16-13 on Saturday, falling to 5-5 on the season and 3-4 in Big Ten play.

The Badgers have now lost three consecutive contests after their impressive three-game win streak to open October.

The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the college football regular season and the Badgers have been out of contention for the majority of the 2024 season.

After Week 12, the top five didn’t change much. Oregon is still No. 1 after its win over the Badgers,  Ohio State stayed at No. 2, Texas remained at No. 3, while Penn State and Indiana rounded out the top five, moving up one spot each ahead of Week 13.

Here’s a look at the full Week 12 US LBM Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports:

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon Ducks 11-0 1,375 (55)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes 9-1 1,316
3 Texas Longhorns 9-1 1,263
4 Penn State Nittany Lions 9-1 1,158
5 Indiana Hoosiers 10-0 1,109
6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-1 1096
7 Alabama Crimson Tide 8-2 996
8 Georgia Bulldogs 8-2 993
9 Ole Miss Rebels 8-2 984
10 Miami Hurricanes 9-1 847
11 Tennessee Volunteers 8-2 823
12 SMU Mustangs 9-1 744
13 Boise State Broncos 9-1 714
14 Texas A&M Aggies 8-2 646
15 BYU Cougars 9-1 633
16 Clemson Tigers 8-2 569
17 Army Black Knights 9-0 509
18 Colorado Buffaloes 8-2 464
19 South Carolina Gamecocks 7-3 379
20 Tulane Green Wave 9-2 280
21 Iowa State Cyclones 8-2 268
22 Arizona State Sun Devils 8-2 251
23 UNLV Rebels 8-2 93
24 Memphis Tigers 9-2 77
25 Kansas State Wildcats 7-3 67

Schools Dropped Out

No. 18 Washington State; No. 21 Missouri; No. 22 LSU; No. 24 Louisville;

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 65; Illinois 56; Missouri 44; Syracuse 18; James Madison 11; Duke 9; Pittsburgh 7; Louisiana 5; Louisville 2; Vanderbilt 1; Sam Houston 1; LSU 1; Colorado State 1;

Photo gallery from Wisconsin football’s narrow loss to No. 1 Oregon

Best photos from Wisconsin’s narrow loss to No. 1 Oregon in Week 12

The Wisconsin Badgers lost to No. 1 Oregon 16-13 on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. The loss marked Wisconsin’s third in a row, as the team is now 5-5 on the season and 3-4 in Big Ten play.

The Badgers looked markedly better on the defensive side of the ball versus the Ducks, limiting the No. 1 team in the country to a season-low 16 total points. That output came thanks to big plays in key moments, starting with Nyzier Fourqurean’s interception off Dillon Gabriel in the first quarter.

Wisconsin entered the halftime break up 10-6, in a strong position to pull the upset win.

The Badgers then got a stop to open the second half before embarking on a nearly nine-minute, 16-play drive that ended with a field goal. It expanded Wisconsin’s lead to 13-6, which remained the score to open the fourth quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gabriel was able to complete a 15-yard pass to tight end Terrance Ferguson to convert a fourth-and-nine. The Ducks finished off the drive with a touchdown on the ground by running back Jordan James, knotting the game up at 13-13.

Oregon later added a field goal with less than three minutes left in the game and the Badgers weren’t able to answer, falling 16-13.

Wisconsin will now travel to face Nebraska at Lincoln Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23. In the meantime, here some of the best photos from Wisconsin’s almost historic upset against the Ducks:

Jordan James’ angry running makes him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game

Oregon Ducks RB Jordan James’ angry running earns him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game against Wisconsin.

Things looked bleak for a while in the Oregon Ducks Week 12 matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers, but ultimately, the Ducks came out on top, winning 16-13. Oregon is now 11-0, but without running back Jordan James, the Ducks may not still be undefeated.

On a night when offense came at a premium for both teams, James was electric. The junior RB finished with 121 rushing yards on 25 carries (4.8 YPC), 25 receiving yards on two catches, and he scored the Ducks’ only touchdown. James also eclipsed 1,000 season rushing yards in Saturday’s game, the first time he’s done so in his career.

James was playing through an injury this Saturday, after after getting dinged up last week against Maryland. But even below full capacity, James was able to carry the Ducks to a win. James runs angry, and it makes him a powerful back. But as strong as he is, James is just as fast. That mix of skills has served him well throughout his career, and this week, an injury wasn’t enough to prevent James from playing like his typical self.

This game, and this win, can be boiled down to one drive. After Oregon was fortunate enough to hold Wisconsin to a field goal after a long third-quarter series, the Ducks started their march inside the 20-yard line — down 13-6 with an offense running on nothing. On that drive, James was given a much heavier dose of the football, and he finished the drive with 38 yards. His final touch was an 11-yard dash to the pylon which tied the game 13-13.

Oregon finished the game with 354 total yards, 146 of which came from James (41.2%). That’s a staggering statistic, but it still doesn’t encapsulate James’ full impact. Oregon’s offense struggled for so long because the ball wasn’t in James’ hands enough, and once Will Stein committed to James as the leader on offense, the Ducks instantly began to move the football. Without James’s impact, the Ducks would’ve lost.

The Ducks are looking forward to a much-needed bye week before their rivalry week matchup against Washington. After not looking great against Maryland, the Ducks looked flat and had a major scare. With some rest, Oregon will, hopefully, be better prepared for Washington and the pending postseason.

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Wisconsin vs No. 1 Oregon injury report: Ducks without two star players vs. Badgers

All the latest updates and news on Wisconsin’s injury report ahead of a Week 12 game vs. Oregon

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) and No. 1 Oregon Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) are close to 90 minutes away from kickoff at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin enters as a sizable underdog, looking to pull its first upset over an AP No. 1 overall team since it defeated then-No. 1 Ohio State back in 2010.

Oregon is the consensus No. 1 team in the country with a flawless record and strong resume. It has won each of its last four games by at least 21 points, including a 39-18 win over Maryland in Week 11.

In advance of the opening coin toss, each team released its final injury status report. There are several notable updates, including Oregon missing two of its top players:

Wisconsin injury report

OUT: RB Chez Mellusi (for season), QB Tyler Van Dyke (for season), WR Joseph Griffin (for season), S Kamo’i Latu, OL Evan Brown, OL Leyton Nelson, TE Rob Booker, DL James Thompson Jr.

QUESTIONABLE: LB Jaheim Thomas, WR Tyrell Henry, DT Curt Neal

Oregon injury report

OUT: EDGE Jordan Burch, DB Jahlil Florence, DB Khamari Terrell, WR Tez Johnson, WR Kyler Kasper, OL Marcus Harper, OL Matthew Bedford, DL My’keil Gardner

QUESTIONABLE: None

Wisconsin WR Bryson Green injury update

Badgers veteran receiver Bryson Green appears poised for his first game action since suffering a lower-body injury in Wisconsin’s Oct. 5 win over Purdue.

Oregon WR Tez Johnson injury update

Tez Johnson went down with a shoulder injury during Oregon’s win over Michigan a few weeks ago. The injury is not considered season-ending, but he isn’t ready for Saturday’s contest.

Oregon edge Jordan Burch injury update

Oregon star defensive end Jordan Burch injured his ankle in the Ducks’ win over Maryland and will miss the Wisconsin matchup.

Wisconsin WR Tyrell Henry injury update

Wisconsin WR and kick returner Tyrell Henry is questionable for the Oregon game after missing several weeks due to injury. S Hunter Wohler has handled punt return duties in his absence.

Wisconsin and Oregon will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

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Former Wisconsin linebacker continues dominant 2024 season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin linebacker continues dominant 2024 season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun delivered another signature performance for the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.

After being named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, Baun captained the Eagles defense to its sixth straight win in a 26-18 victory over the division rival Washington Commanders.

Baun recorded 15 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass deflection in the triumph. He also denied Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels from moving the chains on a key fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter.

Down 12-10 at the Eagles’ 26-yard line, Washington elected to go for it on the short fourth-down sequence with hopes of reaching the end zone and shaving time off the clock. Daniels fielded the snap and scrambled to the right before Baun fended off an offensive lineman and executed the tackle.

Here’s the full play:

On the season, Baun has now recorded 102 total tackles, an NFL-best 64 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two sacks and one interception.

The season for Baun is nothing short of incredible. In four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Baun notched just 88 total tackles. In just one season, he has suddenly turned into one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL.

Baun will be back in action on Nov. 24 when the Eagles face off against the Los Angeles Rams.

John Tonje breaks Wisconsin program record in Badgers win over No. 9 Arizona

John Tonje broke a program record on Friday:

This story was updated to change a photo.

Wisconsin wing John Tonje continued his torrid start to the 2024-25 season on Friday night, leading the Badgers to a signature win over No. 9 Arizona.

With program legend Bo Ryan honored at halftime and the Badgers’ 2014 and 2015 Final Four teams in the building, the transfer wing came within a basket of breaking Frank Kaminsky’s single-game program scoring record (43 points).

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s big win over Arizona

Instead, he had to settle for the following stat line: 41 points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal on 8-of-14 shooting, 4-of-6 from three and 21-of-22 from the free throw line.

Those 21 free throws broke a program record, previously held by Nigel Hayes (17 made free throws on Jan. 26, 2016).

Tonje’s exceptional foul-line performance was part of Wisconsin shooting 87.2% (41-of-47) overall from the line, a decisive factor in the team’s signature victory. The Badgers entered the contest ranked No. 2 in the nation shooting 92.5% from the charity stripe. Tonje’s performance against the Wildcats embodies a critical combination of volume and efficiency, creating a margin that a top team in Arizona was unable to overcome.

Tonje’s performance continues to be among the biggest stories of Wisconsin’s season to date. He’s up to 94 total points over the four contests (23.5 points per game), seamlessly filling the scoring vacancy created by A.J. Storr’s offseason departure to Kansas.

The Badgers improve to 4-0 on the season with the statement victory. Most importantly, it appears that Greg Gard has found another big-time transfer addition.

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