Tag: Wisconsin basketball

Where Wisconsin basketball ranks in latest AP Poll after blowout win vs. Detroit Mercy

Where Wisconsin basketball ranks in latest AP Poll after blowout win vs. Detroit Mercy

Wisconsin basketball remains unranked in the latest AP Poll.

After earning 18 votes in the poll’s Week 7 installation, Wisconsin remained outside of the top 25 in this week’s update. The Badgers played just one game during the Dec. 16-23 stretch — a 76-53 blowout win over the Detroit Mercy Titans at the Kohl Center.

While the win was a strong finish to the 2024 calendar year, it didn’t convince voters to alter Wisconsin’s position. In fact, Wisconsin received 9 fewer votes in the Dec. 23 version of the hierarchy.

The Badgers’ recent three-game skid, which included a home defeat against Michigan and a pair of road losses to No. 24 Illinois and No. 8 Marquette, still appears to have some pull in the minds of voters. While unranked, Michigan did receive 50 votes in the most recent poll.

Tennessee remains in the poll’s No. 1 slot after collecting its eleventh straight win, the latest a blowout over West Carolina. The Volunteers are followed by Auburn, Iowa State, Duke and Alabama. No. 10 Kentucky, which lost by 20 against Ohio State, fell six spots in this week’s installation.

Other Big Ten teams in the top 25 include No. 9 Oregon, No. 18 Michigan State, No. 21 Purdue, No. 22 UCLA and No. 24 Illinois.

Alongside Wisconsin and Michigan, Penn State, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana, were also ‘receiving votes.’

Here’s a look at the full updated AP Poll top 25:

Wisconsin will receive ample opportunities to elevate in this hierarchy going forward. With 18 straight Big Ten games on the calendar to close the season, Greg Gard’s group is in for arguably its toughest stretch of basketball all season.

That Big Ten gauntlet begins with Iowa on Jan. 3 at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin remains unranked in USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Wisconsin remains unranked in USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Wisconsin basketball remained unranked in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll after winning its sole game of the week — a 76-53 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sunday.

After being ranked as high as No. 11 in the poll, Wisconsin falls into the ‘receiving votes’ section for the second straight week. Greg Gard’s squad received just seven votes on Monday, one week removed from pocketing 22 votes in the Dec. 16 edition.

Five Big Ten teams remain ranked in the coaches’ latest top 25. Purdue (No. 25), Illinois (No. 22), UCLA (No. 21), Michigan State (No. 18) and Oregon (No. 9) all sit above UW in the official hierarchy. Michigan, which was positioned at No. 21 a week ago, fell out of the list following a loss to Oklahoma on Dec. 18.

Tennessee remains atop the latest poll after an impressive 11-0 start. The full top 10 is as follows: Tennessee, Auburn, Iowa State, Duke, Florida, Alabama, Kansas, Marquette, Oregon and Kentucky.

Here is the full top 25:

Rank Team Record Points
1 Tennessee 11-0 764 (20)
2 Auburn 11-1 746 (11)
3 Iowa State 10-1 706
4 Duke 10-2 659
5 Florida 12-0 649
6 Alabama 10-2 620
7 Kansas 9-2 531
8 Marquette 11-2 529
9 Oregon 11-1 484
10 Kentucky 10-2 476
11 Oklahoma 12-0 412
12 Houston 8-3 406
13 Texas A&M 10-2 405
14 UConn 10-3 395
15 Gonzaga 9-3 327
16 Ole Miss 11-1 261
17 Cincinnati 10-1 252
18 Michigan State 10-2 233
19 Mississippi State 11-1 196
20 San Diego State 8-2 148
21 UCLA 10-2 128
22 Illinois 8-3 86
23 Baylor 7-3 83
24 St. John’s 10-2 82
25 Purdue 8-4 73

Schools Dropped Out

No. 21 Michigan; No. 22 Memphis; No. 24 Dayton;

Others Receiving Votes

Maryland 65; Michigan 52; Drake 51; Arkansas 51; Georgia 42; Clemson 40; Dayton 28; Memphis 25; Pittsburgh 22; Utah State 14; Texas Tech 9; Wisconsin 7; North Carolina 6; Missouri 6; West Virginia 5; Penn State 1;

Wisconsin’s next game is slated for Jan. 3 against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center. That game is the first of 18 straight Big Ten contests for Wisconsin — a stretch that will prove critical if UW wishes to scale any type of national poll for the rest of the season.

Wisconsin steady in both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Detroit Mercy

Wisconsin remains steady in both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Detroit Mercy

Wisconsin basketball concluded its 2024-25 non-conference slate with a 76-53 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sunday at the Kohl Center.

The victory improved the Badgers to 10-3 on the season. Most significantly, it provides the team with a boost in morale entering a lengthy break. The Badgers are now off for 11 days, returning to the court on Jan. 3 to continue their Big Ten schedule.

Following a three-game skid against Michigan, Marquette and Illinois, UW dropped significantly in both KenPom and ESPN BPI. The much-needed Dec. 14 win over Butler stabilized Wisconsin in the mid-30s — a place it remains after vanquishing Detroit Mercy in the final home game before the holidays.

As of Dec. 23, here’s where the Badgers stand in both metrics:

  • KenPom: No. 33 (same position after win over Butler on Dec. 14), with the No. 15 offense and No. 79 defense in the country.
  • BPI: No. 36 (down from No. 34), with a projected record of 20.0 – 11.0 and a 4.6% chance to win the Big Ten.

The Badgers are the No. 9-ranked team in the Big Ten in both metrics. Maryland, ranked No. 11 in KenPom and No. 14 in ESPN BPI, possesses the most impressive conference resume at the stage of the season.

Wisconsin begins its Big Ten gauntlet at home against Iowa on Jan. 3. After that, the team travels to Rutgers for a Jan. 6 clash before welcoming rival Minnesota to the Kohl Center on Jan. 10.

Wisconsin basketball leads the nation in an important offensive statistic

Wisconsin basketball leads the nation in an important statistic

Wisconsin basketball improved to 10-3 on the 2024-25 season with a 76-53 win over Detroit Mercy on Sunday.

The Badgers are now off through the remainder of 2024. They return to the court on Jan. 3, 2025, for a home matchup against Iowa. When that date comes, one key statistic should continue to define the team’s success.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball entering 2025 Big Ten schedule

That statistic: free-throw shooting.

The Badgers’ high rate and efficiency from the free throw line partially led to their 10-3 start, a start that is highlighted by big wins over Arizona and Pittsburgh.

Wisconsin currently averages 22.7 free throw attempts and 19.3 makes per game. That is good for a percentage of 85.1% — the best rate in the country.

The Badgers are closely followed by UC Irvine (83.2%), UTSA (82.4%) and UW-Green Bay (81.9%).

That efficiency has driven the Badgers’ best performances. They made 41 of 47 free throws (87.2%) in a 103-88 win over then-No. 9 Arizona, then 25 of 27 (92.6%) in a 83-74 win over Butler. They are a full 4.5 percentage points clear of the second-best free-throw-shooting team in the Big Ten (Michigan State, 80.5%) and a full 8.8 points ahead of the third-best (USC, 76.3%).

Wisconsin’s leaders at the line are wing John Tonje (94-of-100, 94%), guard John Blackwell (41-of-51, 80%), guard Max Klesmit (39-of-45, 86.7%) and forward Nolan Winter (24-of-29, 82.8%). As seen, Tonje’s rate and unmatched conversion is the biggest driving force behind the area being a significant strength.

The Badgers have gaps to fill once Big Ten play heats up, highlighted by rebounding and interior production. Out-shooting an opponent from the free throw line can mitigate any disadvantages. In Wisconsin’s case, it’s a big reason the team already has 10 wins to start the season.

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Wisconsin Badgers legend dominates for Toronto Raptors G League affiliate

Wisconsin Badgers legend dominates for Toronto Raptors G League affiliate

Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky dominated in his second appearance with the Toronto Raptors NBA G League affiliate on Saturday.

Representing Raptors 905, Kaminsky logged 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 112-11 overtime win over the San Diego Clippers. He shot 12-of-19 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep in the one-point victory.

Kaminsky made his Raptors 905 debut on Dec. 19 in a 17-point loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In that game, he tallied six points and five rebounds.

Prior to his current stint with Raptors 905, Kaminsky represented USA Basketball at the two-game 2024 AmeriCup Qualifying circuit in Washington, D.C. In his second game representing the red, white and blue, the UW legend scored 14 points, grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds, dished a team-best four assists and tallied a game-high two blocks.

That time with the national team appears to have reignited Kaminsky’s fire to compete at the NBA level. He most recently laced up for the Phoenix Suns training camp roster in late September ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.

In eight NBA seasons, Kaminsky averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 43% shooting and 35% from 3. He most recently appeared in 26 games for the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets in 2022-23.

With the Badgers, the talented 7-footer earned National College Player of the Year nods and was a consensus first-team All-American in 2015. He led Wisconsin to back-to-back Final Four appearances in the best stretch in program history.

At this stage, it appears as if he will look to continue his basketball journey in the G League.

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 closes nonconference schedule with blowout win over Detroit Mercy

RECAP: Wisconsin closes 2024 with blowout win over Detroit Mercy

Wisconsin basketball cruised to its tenth win of the 2024-25 season with a 76-53 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sunday.

For the second consecutive contest, Wisconsin sophomore big man Nolan Winter captained UW’s offensive attack with 18 points off 6-of-9 from the field, 2-of-5 from deep and 4-of-4 mark from the free throw line. The Minnesota native also snagged a game-best 11 rebounds, five of which were offensive.

Wisconsin center Steven Crowl also dominated against the Titans — 15 points, four rebounds and one block in 21 minutes. Sophomore guard John Blackwell added 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two swipes in 26 minutes as well.

Eight days removed from their much-needed nine-point win over Butler, Wisconsin set the tone early. After sparring with the Titans for the first 10 minutes of play, UW rattled off a 14-0 scoring spurt over the ensuing 4:30. From then on, Greg Gard’s crew didn’t look back.

Wisconsin built off its 13-point intermission lead to open the second half — Winter, Crowl and Blackwell combined to extend the advantage to 20.

With that type of edge, Gard emptied his bench for the remainder of the bout and allowed Markus Ilver, Jack Janicki, Kamari McGee and Xavier Amos to punctuate the impressive showing.

As a team, Wisconsin dominated inside. The Badgers snared 14 more rebounds and notched 22 more points in the painted area. 10 playmakers scratched the score sheet off 13 team assists.

With the win, Wisconsin moves to 10-3 on the season with the rest of its games scheduled against Big Ten squads. Wisconsin will look to add to its win total on Jan. 3 against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Madison.

Wisconsin women’s basketball program makes history in win over UAlbany

Wisconsin women’s basketball program makes history in win over UAlbany

Wisconsin’s women’s basketball program made history in its 69-59 victory over UAlbany on Friday.

For the first time since the 2006-07 season, which marks the last time UW reached the 20-win threshold in a single campaign, the Badgers have started the season with a 7-0 mark at home.

In the win, reigning Big Ten Player of the Week and superstar forward Serah Williams scored a game-high 28 points off 10-of-15 from the field. She also reeled in 12 boards, denied two shot attempts and shot 8-of-9 from the free throw line.

2023-24 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Carter McCray also finished with arguably her best performance of the season. The Western Kentucky transfer tallied 15 points and a game-leading 14 rebounds in the 10-point win.

Wisconsin’s most thrilling victories at the Kohl Center have arrived against Rutgers, Georgetown and Omaha this season. Following the triumph over Albany, Marisa Moseley’s program will embark on its Big Ten slate for the remainder of the season.

On the season, Wisconsin is 10-2 and is on a five-game win streak. Only Ohio State, Maryland, UCLA, Michigan State, Nebraska and USC boast better records than UW as of Dec. 20.

Wisconsin will return to the hardwood for a Dec. 28 clash against the Indiana Hoosiers on Dec. 28 in Bloomington.

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward named Big Ten Player of the Week after 36-point outburst

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward named Big Ten Player of the Week after 36-point outburst

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward Serah Williams earned Big Ten Player of the Week nods for the second time in her career on Monday.

The honor arrives five days after Williams notched a career-best performance in Wisconsin’s double-overtime victory over Butler in Indianapolis.

In that contest, the Brooklyn, New York native logged 36 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in 43 minutes of action. The star forward also shot 13-of-26 from the field and 10-of-12 from the foul line in the signature win.

Her 36 points were also the most in program history since the 2007-08 season, per UW Athletics.

Williams has been nothing short of dominant for the Badgers throughout the 2023-24 season. In 11 appearances, she is responsible for 19.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, three assists and 2.9 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game.

The junior forward also ranks No. 2 in the nation in rebounds per game behind LSU’s Aneesah Morrow, and No. 36 in points per game.

Marisa Moseley’s program now sits at 9-2 to start the season with a bevy of Big Ten games remaining on the schedule. UW returns to the court on Dec. 20 for a contest against UAlbany.

Where Wisconsin basketball ranks in latest AP Poll after loss to Illinois, win over Butler

Where Wisconsin basketball ranks in latest AP Poll after loss to Illinois, win over Butler

Wisconsin basketball fell out of the latest AP Poll on Monday.

After being ranked No. 20 in the poll’s Week 6 installation, Wisconsin earned just 19 points in this week’s update to fall from a top 25 ranking. The Badgers’ tough road loss to Illinois, which followed back-to-back losses to Michigan and Marquette, appears to have urged voters to drop the team from the list.

Marquette holds the No. 9 position in the latest poll, Michigan boasts the No. 24 spot and Illinois pocketed 70 votes, just outside of the top 25.

Tennessee remains in the No. 1 slot after a buzzer-beating win over the Fighting Illini improved it to 10-0 on the season. The Volunteers are followed by Auburn, Iowa State, Kentucky and Duke. No. 11 UConn, which collected a win over No. 13 Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden, made the largest jump in this week’s installation.

Big Ten teams in the top 25 include No. 10 Oregon, No. 16 Purdue, No. 18 UCLA, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 24 Michigan. Alongside Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Maryland and Indiana, were also ‘receiving votes.’

Here is a look at the full updated AP Poll top 25:

Wisconsin returns to the hardwood on Dec. 22 against Detroit Mercy for a chance to improve to 10-3 before the remaining Big Ten schedule.

UW’s convincing win over Butler on Dec. 14 provided fans with some clarity on how big men Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter look when at their best. The two combined for 38 points and 14 rebounds in the nine-point triumph to quell the Bulldogs’ front court attack.

Nonetheless, Greg Gard’s team faces a brutal second half schedule. Starting Jan. 3, the Badgers will tip off against 18 consecutive conference foes before the Big Ten Tournament.

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