Tag: Wisconsin basketball

Arizona’s strong form continues to bolster Wisconsin basketball’s resume

Arizona’s strong form continues to bolster Wisconsin basketball’s resume

After dropping just six points against the Wisconsin Badgers on Nov. 15, Arizona star guard Caleb Love came alive against No. 3 Iowa State on Monday.

Searching for its first signature win of the 2024-25 season, the unranked Wildcats faced a 71-68 deficit with just 2.2 seconds remaining. Love, who had scored 11 points prior to the game’s final sequence, received the inbounds pass with thousands of Wildcat fans praying for a miracle.

Luckily for them, the veteran guard delivered.

From 60 feet away, Love nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the contest at 71 apiece and send the game into overtime. In that five-minute period, the former North Carolina Tar Heel added eight more points to his total to finish with 22 on the night.

 

The win was easily the most impressive for Arizona all season and immediately bolstered its likelihood of returning to national hierarchies. Iowa State, which had dropped just two games prior to Monday’s game, falls to 17-3 with the heartbreaking loss.

Most notably for Wisconsin fans, the team’s early-season win over the Wildcats, which held the No. 9 position in the AP Poll at the time, looks much more impressive.

In that game, Wisconsin star wing John Tonje dropped a career-best 41 points  off 21-of-22 from the free throw line to set the tone for the Badgers’ 2024-25 season. Love, the hero on Monday, accounted for only six.

All four of Wisconsin’s losses prior have now arrived against teams in the top 20 of the NCAA NET Ranking.

This could prove even more beneficial if the Badgers defeat Maryland in College Park on Jan. 29 and Northwestern on Feb. 1. If Greg Gard’s group accomplishes that, fans should expect Wisconsin to continue to rise near the nation’s top 10.

Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky reacts to Badgers’ record scoring output

Wisconsin legend Frank Kaminsky reacts to Badgers’ current offensive form

Over the past decade, the Wisconsin basketball program has been no stranger to developing legends on the hardwood.

During that span, the program has rostered greats like Nigel Hayes, Johnny Davis, Sam Dekker and Ethan Happ. Of all the luminaries, former Naismith College Player of the Year Award winner Frank Kaminsky stands alone.

It’s safe to say the NBA veteran, whose jersey currently adorns the Kohl Center’s rafters, is a fan of what he’s witnessing from Wisconsin’s current team.

This season, Greg Gard’s group averages 82.5 points and 15.3 assists per game off 47.2% shooting from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. To put that into context, Kaminsky’s 2013-14 Final Four squad averaged 71.9 points and 12.7 assists on 48% from the field and 35.7% from outside.

Wisconsin’s 2014-15 Final Four squad produced similar numbers — 73.5 points and 12.1 assists per bout off 45.8% from the field and 37.3% from downtown.

Statistically, the 2024-25 Badgers are set to surpass both of those historic teams. Here’s Kaminsky’s reaction to that program-best output from this season’s team:

National hierarchies reflect Kaminsky’s feelings surrounding this team. KenPom ranks the Badgers’ offense No. 8 in the nation, the AP Top 25 Poll pegs UW as the No. 17-best team in the country, while the NCAA NET Ranking positions Wisconsin at No. 18.

Wisconsin’s offense, similar to its 2013-14 and 2014-15 squads, is as deep as it gets. All five of Wisconsin’s starters — Tonje, Blackwell, Klesmit, Crowl and Winter — average at least 10 points per game. UW does not boast a player as gifted as Kaminsky, but all signs point to this platoon’s offense being as efficient as almost any team in the nation, plus the best in program history.

Wisconsin basketball rises in USA TODAY Bracketology update

Wisconsin basketball rises in latest USA TODAY Bracketology

Wisconsin basketball rose to a No. 5 seed in USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament bracket projection following its win over Nebraska.

The Badgers were on the No. 6-seed line in USA TODAY’s last bracket reveal on Jan. 24. The team’s 83-55 triumph over the Cornhuskers proved significant, as it joined Arizona, Missouri and Louisville on the No. 5-seed line.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Jan. 27): Wisconsin holds serve

Notably, Wisconsin defeated Arizona 103-88 at the Kohl Center earlier this season. The Wildcats have risen significantly since that date, bolstered by a recent home win over top-ranked Iowa State.

Wisconsin also currently sits No. 17 in the AP Poll, No. 17 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, No. 15 in KenPom, No. 22 in ESPN’s BPI and No. 18 in the NCAA NET Ranking. Those top positions follow the team’s streak of seven wins in its last eight games, five of which coming against Big Ten opponents.

The Badgers are the fifth-highest-seeded Big Ten team in USA TODAY’s updated bracket, trailing just No. 2-seed Michigan State, No. 3-seed Purdue, No. 4-seeds Illinois and Oregon.

Wisconsin returns to the court on Wednesday night against Maryland (No. 9 seed). It is looking to improve on its road record of 2-3 to date, going up against a Maryland team that has lost just once at home.

The Badgers are threatening a significant rise in NCAA Tournament seeding if they can continue their current form. A win over Maryland is a necessary first step in that regard.

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Comparing Wisconsin basketball’s NCAA NET Ranking, resume with its upcoming opponent’s

Wisconsin is set for a season-defining road trip on Wednesday

Wisconsin basketball (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) hits the road on Wednesday for a massive showdown against Maryland (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten).

The Badgers sit at No. 17 in both the AP and USA TODAY Coaches Poll after a recent 1-1 week. They are also up to No. 15 in KenPom and No. 22 in ESPN’s BPI. By all metrics, Wisconsin has emerged as a legitimate contender to both win the Big Ten and make a deep run in March.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Jan. 27): Wisconsin holds serve

Maryland does not enter Wednesday’s game with an AP ranking. That is somewhat of a surprise, given the team’s current form. The Terrapins have won five of their last six, including a 21-point road win at Illinois and a road win at Indiana. That stretch elevated the team to No. 20 in both KenPom and the BPI.

On paper, the Terrapins are Wisconsin’s toughest opponent since its December road trip to Illinois. That makes Wednesday’s matchup a potential resume-defining result as the Badgers look to elevate further into Big Ten contention. The same can be said for a Maryland team that still needs defining victories despite its recent surge.

Each team’s NCAA NET Ranking and resume displays the importance of Wednesday’s result:

Wisconsin NET Resume: No. 18 overall (No. 4 Big Ten). 4-4 vs. Quad 1, 5-0 vs. Quad 2, 2-0 vs. Quad 3 and 5-0 vs. Quad 4

Maryland NET Resume: No. 19 overall (No. 5 Big Ten). 3-4 vs. Quad 1, 3-1 vs. Quad 2, 2-0 vs. Quad 3 and 8-0 vs. Quad 4

Wednesday’s matchup is a clear Quad 1 game for both teams. The winner will rise closer to the top tier that Purdue (NET No. 9) and Illinois (NET No. 10) currently occupy. The victor will almost assuredly jump up to a No. 3-seed in most NCAA Tournament bracket projections.

One big trend to note, Wisconsin is just 2-3 in true road games this season, including Big Ten losses to Illinois and UCLA. Maryland, meanwhile, is 12-1 at home. But the Badgers do enter with similar momentum to Maryland’s. The team has won seven of eight, including blowout victories of 31 points vs. Iowa, 12 Rutgers, 21 vs. Minnesota, 12 vs. USC and 28 vs. Nebraska. Its one loss, meanwhile, was a two-point defeat at UCLA.

KenPom displays where the game may be decided: Wisconsin enters with the No. 8 offensive efficiency in the country, while Maryland sits at No. 24 defensively. The winner of that strength vs. strength matchup will likely finishing on the right end of the scoreboard.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT from the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Wisconsin just a 35.9% chance to exit with a much-needed victory.

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UCLA men left out of AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll

The Bruins received only one AP Poll vote despite taking down a ranked Wisconsin team.

The UCLA Bruins have found their footing lately, rebounding from a tumultuous four-game losing streak to start the new year. Jockeying for position in the Big Ten standings in the back half of their schedule, the Bruins seem to be figuring things out. Despite this, the Bruins did not crack the AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll.

Receiving only one vote, UCLA’s wins over Iowa, then-ranked No. 18 Wisconsin, and Washington were not enough to crack the Top 25. That said, a case could be made that it was a blessing in disguise.

With a handful of Big Ten games remaining on the Bruins’ schedule as they inch toward March, feats such as being ranked in the Top 25 are distracting.

As the Bruins continue to work out the kinks in their offense and maintain focus throughout the season, lofty goals of nationally-ranked recognition should not be in the front of their minds.

The Bruins boast a talented roster with above-average coaching which should focus on taking the remainder of their season one game at a time. If UCLA can do that, the Bruins should find themselves firmly in the mix in the NCAA Tournament when March rolls around.

Where Wisconsin commit Zach Kinziger ranks in latest ESPN100 for class of 2025

Where Wisconsin commit Zach Kinziger ranks in latest ESPN100 for class of 2025

Wisconsin basketball class of 2025 commit Zach Kinziger now sits at No. 71 in the latest ESPN100 rankings.

In early September, the top-ranked shooting guard was ranked No. 68 following a busy summer at De Pere High School and Team Herro in the AAU circuit. Now, over a month into his senior season with the Redbirds, Kinziger moved down just three spots in the sport’s most prestigious recruiting ranking.

While the ESPN100 ranking moved the in-state recruit down a few spots, Kinziger’s standing in 247Sports’ composite has improved substantially from where he stood in September. The outlet currently ranks the 6-foot-3, 185-pound shooting guard as the No. 115 overall player in the class of 2025 (up 13 spots), No. 21 shooting guard (up three spots) and No. 3 prospect from Wisconsin (up one spot).

The De Pere, Wisconsin native is considered a four-star recruit by every major recruiting service.

As of Jan. 27, De Pere holds a 12-1 record and 9-0 mark in conference play with Kinziger as one of its leaders. The team is currently riding an eight-game win streak dating back to Dec. 21 as well.

Kinziger is one of three commits in Wisconsin’s 2025 class alongside New Zealand prospect Hayden Jones and three-star Middleton, Wisconsin, native Will Garlock. He first committed to the program back in August 2023.

Wisconsin basketball rises in AP Poll following a 28-point win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball rises in AP Poll after its 28-point win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) rose one spot to No. 17 in the AP Poll following its 83-55 win over Nebraska.

The updated ranking reflects the Badgers’ last week of play, which included that win over Nebraska as well as a two-point road loss to UCLA.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Jan. 27): Wisconsin holds serve

Wisconsin is now the fourth-highest-ranked Big Ten team in the poll, trailing just No. 7 Michigan State, No. 10 Purdue and No. 16 Oregon. It notably jumped No. 18 Illinois after the successful week.

The No. 17 mark is Wisconsin’s highest ranking since it rose to No. 11 in early December after an 8-0 start to the season. Three losses quickly followed that top ranking. The Badgers are looking for different results this time around, with big games upcoming at Maryland, at Northwestern and home against Indiana.

The Badgers are 8-1 since that mentioned three-game losing streak. That surge, which includes a 6-1 record against Big Ten teams in January, has the team up to No. 4 in the conference standings. Another string of victories is crucial to maintaining that standing.

Auburn leads the latest AP Poll after big wins over Georgia and Tennessee. It is followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Florida. How those top SEC teams perform against the Big Ten’s best in March is sure to dictate the annual argument regarding conference supremacy.

For more on where things currently stand, here is the latest AP Poll (Jan. 27):

Rank School Record Points
1 Auburn 18-1 1,550 (62)
2 Duke 17-2 1,484
3 Iowa State 17-2 1,404
4 Alabama 17-3 1,342
5 Florida 18-2 1,278
6 Houston 16-3 1,242
7 Michigan State 17-2 1,170
8 Tennessee 17-3 1,149
9 Marquette 17-3 1,068
10 Purdue 16-5 892
11 Kansas 14-5 877
12 Kentucky 14-5 858
13 Texas A&M 15-5 775
14 Mississippi State 16-4 715
15 St. John’s 17-3 588
16 Oregon 16-4 448
17 Wisconsin 16-4 440
18 Illinois 14-6 384
19 Memphis 16-4 383
20 Missouri 16-4 352
21 Louisville 15-5 346
22 Texas Tech 15-4 308
23 Ole Miss 15-5 215
24 Vanderbilt 16-4 132
25 UConn 14-6 131

Notable teams ‘receiving votes’ include Michigan (129), Maryland (126) and UCLA (1).

Wisconsin returns to the court on Wednesday night at Maryland (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten). The Badgers are looking to add another statement victory to close a successful month of January.

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Wisconsin rises in USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll after Nebraska win

Wisconsin rises in USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll after Nebraska win

Wisconsin basketball (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) rose to No. 17 in the latest edition of the USA TODAY Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

The team jumped two spots following a 1-1 week that included a convincing 83-55 victory over Nebraska and a narrow road loss to UCLA. The team’s vote total increased from 194 to 214 in the process

Greg Gard’s group is now the third-highest-ranked Big Ten team in the coaches poll behind only Michigan State (No. 7) and Purdue (No. 10). UW surpassed Oregon (No. 18) and Illinois (No. 20). Michigan and Maryland were placed in the ‘receiving votes’ section of the poll.

Auburn remains atop the latest coaches poll top 25 after improving to 18-1. The Tigers are followed by Duke (17-2), Iowa State (17-2), Alabama (17-3) and Houston (16-3). St. John’s (17-3) made the greatest jump up to No. 14, while Ole Miss and Michigan both dropped six spots following down weeks.

Here is the full coaches poll top 25:

Rank School Record Points
1 Auburn 18-1 775 (31)
2 Duke 17-2 741
3 Iowa State 17-2 689
4 Alabama 17-3 676
5 Houston 16-3 635
6 Florida 18-2 634
7 Michigan State 17-2 583
8 Tennessee 17-3 564
9 Marquette 17-3 536
10 Purdue 16-5 476
11 Kansas 14-5 429
12 Kentucky 14-5 399
13 Mississippi State 16-4 324
14 St. John’s 17-3 318
15 Texas A&M 15-5 310
16 Memphis 16-4 242
17 Wisconsin 16-4 214
18 Oregon 16-4 201
19 Texas Tech 15-4 169
20 Illinois 14-6 166
21 Missouri 14-6 163
22 Louisville 15-5 162
23 Ole Miss 15-5 104
24 UConn 14-6 100
25 Clemson 17-4 96

Wisconsin’s complementary basketball has urged voters to alter their positioning in national rankings. The Badgers now sit at No. 14 in KenPom and No. 22 in ESPN BPI with a tough test road against Maryland coming up on Wednesday.

Wisconsin basketball surges in KenPom, ESPN’s BPI after win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball surges in KenPom, ESPN BPI after win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball notched an important win on Sunday. After the team’s seven-game winning streak was recently snapped on the road at UCLA, it bounced back with a dominant 83-55 win over Nebraska.

The Badgers improved to 16-4 (6-3 Big Ten) with the triumph. The result importantly held the team’s spot at No. 4 in the Big Ten standings, still 2 1/2 games behind first-place Michigan State.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Nebraska

The 28-point triumph also adds to Wisconsin’s growing list of dominant conference victories. That resume now includes wins of 31 points (Iowa), 12 (Rutgers), 21 (Minnesota), 12 (USC) and 28 (Nebraska).

Wisconsin’s win-loss record will matter far more for March Madness seeding than how those games are specifically decided. But the team finding dominant wins over inferior competition, plus only losing narrowly to top teams, continues to raise what was already a sky-high ceiling.

Importantly, results like Sunday’s win continue to raise the team’s ranking in predictive metrics, including KenPom and the ESPN BPI. Here is where the Badgers now rank, both nationally and in the 18-team Big Ten:

  • KenPom: No. 14 overall (up from No. 21) and No. 3 in the Big Ten, with the No. 7 offense and No. 50 defense in the country.
  • ESPN BPI: No. 22 overall (up three spots) and No. 5 in the Big Ten, with a projected record of 22.6 – 8.4 and a 10.5% chance to win the Big Ten.

The Badgers’ most notable jump is on the defensive side of the court. Top-end offensive efficiency has defined the team’s season to date. A return to the program’s classic defensive dominance is what was needed for the team to reach contention. Its standing in KenPom reflects that improvement, as Wisconsin is up more than 30 spots in defensive efficiency compared to where it stood earlier in the season. That boosted the team’s overall ranking up to No. 14, just six spots behind Purdue (No. 8 overall, No. 1 Big Ten).

Wisconsin is back on the court on Wednesday on the road at Maryland (KenPom No. 21). Another signature victory could send the Badgers closer to KenPom’s top 10 and, more importantly, closer to the top of the Big Ten standings.

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Recapping former Wisconsin guard Connor Essegian’s return to Madison

WATCH: Former Badger guard Connor Essegian reunites with Wisconsin teammates

On Sunday afternoon, former Wisconsin transfer guard Connor Essegian was received with open arms in his return to the Kohl Center.

In his first game in Madison since he transferred to the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ program this spring, Essegian dropped eight points and two rebounds in 23 minutes of action for Fred Hoiberg’s squad. In the effort, he shot 3-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-7 from beyond the arc.

His point total was Nebraska’s second-most on the afternoon — a strong description of how Wisconsin’s 83-55 victory played out. Only one Cornhusker reached double-figures, with the starting lineup combining for just 34 points.

After the contest, Essegian greeted several of his former Badger teammates in the postgame handshake line.

First, the Fort Wayne, Indiana native shared a few words and embraced his former head coach Greg Gard. He then greeted each of UW’s assistant coaches before approaching the roster of active Badgers.

Essegian appeared especially enthusiastic when greeting veteran guards Kamari McGee and Max Klesmit before embracing sophomore star John Blackwell towards the end of the handshake line. Essegian did not depart the program with any ill-will, and his interactions with his former teammates and mentors reaffirmed that sentiment.

Through 20 games with the Cornhuskers this season, Essegian is accountable for 11.3 points per game off 42.4% from the field and 40.8% from outside. He’s carved out a role as one of the Big Ten’s premier bench assets this season and has scored 20 or more points in three games this season.