Tag: Wisconsin basketball

Three UW-Green Bay players Badger fans need to know

Wisconsin hosts UW-Green Bay at the Kohl Center Thursday. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.

Wisconsin (3-1) will look to follow up its impressive victory over Marquette last weekend with another strong showing against UW-Green Bay (1-2) at the Kohl Center on Thursday evening.

The Phoenix’s only victory so far this season wasn’t exactly impressive, as it came against a Division III opponent in UW-Stout.  However, head coach Linc Darner’s squad gave a New Mexico team that is expected to contend in the Mountain West a solid fight in what was ultimately a losing effort the last time out.

The Badgers easily dispatched of Green Bay when these two programs last met in 2017, but the Phoenix have been a tough out for Wisconsin in the past and could prove difficult to put away again this season with a deep and experienced team that could compete for a Horizon League title this year.

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

1. JayQuan McCloud – Guard

2019 stats: 13.7 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 spg, 54.5 2P%, 18.2 3P%

Green Bay’s leading returning scorer from a year ago, McCloud has met expectations and stepped up as Darner’s top weapon this season.

The former Second Team All-American at the junior college level made an instant impact in his first season with the Phoenix in 2018-19, trailing only Sandy Cohen in scoring and hitting double figures in 25 of 36 games. McCloud has parlayed that success into a strong start this year, leading the team in both scoring and assists.

The 6-2 senior is a multi-dimensional scorer who can get to the rim and knock down shots from beyond the arc. McCloud’s three-point shooting has been cold through Green Bay’s first three games, but that figures to come around sooner rather than later given that he’s at 37.2 percent for his career and shot 39.3 percent last season.

2. Kameron Hankerson – Guard

2019 stats: 11.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, 1.7 rpg, 37.9 2P%, 40.0 3P%

Dec 16, 2018; East Lansing, MI, USA; Green Bay Phoenix guard Kameron Hankerson (21) brings the ball up court during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Hankerson was a preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection prior to last season after averaging 10.7 points as a sophomore, but his production ultimately regressed a bit throughout his junior season.

Fortunately for the Phoenix, he has experienced a revival so far this year. The 6-5 senior is third on the team with a career-high 11.3 points per game and ranks second in assists. Hankerson also brings some nice size and length to Darner’s backcourt and will likely be tasked with locking up Kobe King.

3. PJ Pipes – Guard

2019 stats: 13.3 ppg, 2.0 apg, 3.7 rpg, 2.3 spg, 70.0 2P%, 50.0 3P%

Pipes is the third member of Green Bay’s trio of studs in the backcourt. The 6-2 guard is a standout on both ends of the court, leading the Phoenix in steals and ranking second and third in scoring and assists, respectively.

Similarly to McCloud, Pipes is a versatile scorer that can both get to the basket and drill long-range shots. He’s lights-out from the free-throw line (82.8 percent for his career) and is off to a hot start from three-point land this season (8-16).

Wisconsin knocked out Marquette in 100 seconds

Recalling the specific sequence in which the Wisconsin Badgers pulled away from the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Technically, a college basketball game encompasses 40 minutes of scoreboard clock time. Converted into seconds, a college basketball game lasts 2,400 seconds of scoreboard time. On Sunday in Madison, the Wisconsin Badgers needed only 100 of those 2,400 seconds to deck the Marquette Golden Eagles and secure a coveted victory in this in-state rivalry.

Wisconsin played well throughout this game, but if a particular sliver of Sunday’s showdown stood out, it was the pocket of one minute and 40 seconds — 100 seconds — which followed the under-eight-minute TV timeout in the second half. With 7:52 left, Wisconsin led 58-51, possessing a small working margin but nothing which could be considered comfortable — not with Marquette’s Markus Howard being capable of a massive scoring binge at any moment. Wisconsin had a lot of work to do to send Marquette to the canvas. It seemed as though the game was going to go down to the final few minutes.

That changed in the next 100 seconds. Brad Davison hit a 3-pointer. Nate Reuvers came up with a steal. D’Mitrik Trice hit a three. The defense forced a turnover by Marquette’s Theo John. Brevin Pritzl hit a three off an unselfish assist pass from Kobe King. With 6:12 left, Wisconsin led 67-51, and that was that. No late drama. No last-minute intrigue. Wisconsin scored a knockout before the final media timeout of the afternoon.

The beauty of these 100 seconds lay in the fact that every play involved a different Wisconsin player: Davison. Then Reuvers. Then Trice. Then Pritzl and King. While Howard tried to play Hero-Ball at times, and shot 6 for 21 in the process, Wisconsin kept spreading the wealth and sharing responsibilities at both ends of the floor. It was beautiful. It was necessary, with Micah Potter out. It was the best of Wisconsin basketball, the heart of this program’s identity in the 21st century, dating back to Dick Bennett’s Final Four trip in the year 2000.

The number 100 is a nice, round number. That round number in the realm of roundball referred to the amount of seconds Wisconsin needed to turn a typically tough and tense tussle against a rival into a runaway. The Badgers hope to replicate that 100-second sequence many times over this season. If they do, look out, Big Ten. You never know where or when these Badgers will strike. Everyone got involved in the best 100 seconds of a satisfying Sunday for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin needed balance and delivered it against Marquette

Reaction to the Wisconsin Badgers’ balanced scoring in their victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Wisconsin Badgers, the Marquette Golden Eagles probably thought they had the best player on the floor: Markus Howard. That was not a wildly irresponsible thought to have. Howard is a luminously skilled player and a legitimate star player in the larger world of college basketball.

Marquette was counting on Howard to be the best player on the floor in this game. The Golden Eagles and Steve Wojciechowski needed Howard to rise above everyone else in the Kohl Center and bring this game home. Howard was the “Wojo Mojo” Marquette hoped for.

Instead, Brevin Pritzl stole the show. Coming off the bench, Pritzl stuffed the stat sheet not only with 15 points, but with efficient shooting (4 of 6 from the field, 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, 4 of 4 at the foul line) and 13 rebounds, six on the offensive backboard. It is true that Howard was not the best player on the floor; Pritzl was. Yet, suggesting that a player-versus-player comparison — or a “best on the floor” designation — made the difference in Sunday’s game is a detour from the most important truth: This contest wasn’t centrally won by Pritzl, though he surely gave Wisconsin a difference-making effort; the Badgers’ biggest weapon against the Golden Eagles was their balance.

This is how it always needed to be for Greg Gard. Without Micah Potter, Wisconsin needed all hands on deck. It needed a stifling halfcourt defense to hold Howard to 6-of-21 shooting from the field. It needed all five starters to hit a 3-point shot. It needed all five starters to grab at least one rebound. It needed four of five starters to hand out at least one assist. It needed six different Badgers to score in double figures.

If Gard had a template for this game, he could not have hoped for a better outcome. This is exactly what 2019-2020 Wisconsin basketball has to be, certainly as long as Potter is unfairly prevented from playing. Sure, Wisconsin hoops took the next step when it cultivated takeover players such as Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Having elite crunch-time scorers will take a program to the next level. That said, Wisconsin faced a critical early-season test and not only passed it with flying colors; the Badgers aced this test exactly the way they needed to.

The act of winning was huge under any circumstance and regardless of details; the way in which Wisconsin won is just as important as the win itself, if not more so. Supreme balance — with high-quality performances from six different players plus capable defense from other members of the rotation — defined this victory over Marquette. It will need to continue to define the basketball Badgers as long as Micah Potter can’t take the court.

Notes: Wisconsin Beats Instate Rival Marquette at Home 77-61

Game notes from Wisconsin’s victory over instate rival Marquette.

MADISON, Wis.– News and notes from UW Athletics after Wisconsin’s 77-61 victory over instate rival Marquette on Sunday.

TEAM NOTES

  • Wisconsin moved to 3-1 on the season, recording its 12th consecutive non-conference home win.
  • Head coach Greg Gard improved his overall record to 83-48 (.634), including a mark of 49-14 (.778) at the Kohl Center.
  • Wisconsin registered its 300th win in Kohl Center history. Since the building opened on Jan. 17, 1998, the Badgers are 300-51 (.855) all-time at the Kohl Center, the 9th-highest win percentage among NCAA Division I venues.
  • Wisconsin improved to 68-58 all-time against Marquette, including a mark of 39-18 in Madison. The Badgers are 2-2 vs. the Golden Eagles under head coach Greg Gard.
  • The Badgers’ 16-point margin of victory marked their largest win over Marquette since a 65-41 triumph on Dec. 23, 1998.
  • Wisconsin’s 77 points were their most scored against Marquette at the Kohl Center since a 77-63 victory on Dec. 10, 2005.
  • A total of 6 Badgers scored in double figures, marking the first game for Wisconsin with 6 double-digit scorers since a 93-84 win over Marquette on Dec. 10, 2016.
  • Wisconsin went 18-for-20 (.900) at the free throw line. That marked the first time the Badgers shot at least 90.0% from the charity stripe on 20 or more attempts since going 28-for-31 (.903) vs. Indiana on Feb. 3, 2015.
  • The Badgers shot 57.1% (8-for-14) from 3-point range in the second half en route to shooting a season-high 47.8% for the game.
  • Wisconsin outscored Marquette in the paint 24-10. On the season, the Badgers are outscoring opponents by an average of 9.0 points per game in the paint (28.0-19.0).
  • The Badgers held Marquette’s Markus Howard to 2 points on 0-for-9 shooting in the 2nd half. Howard, who finished with 18 points, had averaged 24.0 points in his previous 3 games vs. the Badgers.
  • Wisconsin surrendered only 5 offensive rebounds and 3 second-chance points to Marquette. The Badgers scored 14 secondchance points on their 9 offensive boards.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • Senior G Brevin Pritzl posted the first doubledouble of his career with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, including 6 offensive boards.
  • Pritzl went 3-for-4 from 3-point range and 4-for-4 at the free throw line.
  • Junior G Brad Davison scored 15 points and pulled down 3 rebounds.
  • Junior F Aleem Ford scored 12 points and matched his career highs with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.
  • Junior F Nate Reuvers scored in double figures for the 4th consecutive game, tallying 10 points.
  • Junior G D’Mitrik Trice scored 10 points and matched his career high with 3 steals.
  • Sophomore G Kobe King scored in double figures for the 2nd-consecutive game and the 7th time in his career.

Game Day Grades – Wisconsin vs. Marquette

What grades did Wisconsin receive following their game against instate rival Marquette?

Offense: A

One thing that had been missing from Wisconsin’s offense through the first three games was an offensive balance. The Badgers offensive production was generated through the post as it was needed, considering the struggles from 3-point range for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin was able to get on track from three in the second half against McNeese State when they shot 7-for-15 over the final 20 minutes. The Badgers were able to carry that performance over against Marquette as Wisconsin finished the game 11-for-24 (47.8 percent) from three.

Wisconsin had six different players knock down a three, as Brevin Pritzl led the way making three of his four attempts as his 15 points tied for the team lead in scoring with Brad Davison. D’Mitrik Trice and Nate Reuvers were the only other two players to make at least two of their 3-point tries as they shot a combined 4-for-9. Aleem Ford went 1-for-4, Davison went 1-for-3, and Kobe King went 1-for-2 from three.

The success Wisconsin had from 3-point range helped open up the paint for Wisconsin as the Badgers finished the game with 24 points down low as 18 of those points came in the first half.

Wisconsin was aggressive early and found ways to attack Marquette’s defense as the Badgers scored nine points off of fastbreak opportunities. Due to the aggressive play by Wisconsin’s offense, it also allowed for Wisconsin to get to the free throw line. For the third time over Wisconsin’s first four games, the Badgers got to the free throw line at least 20 times. Wisconsin was able to convert on their opportunities by going 18-for-20.

Overall, Wisconsin had six different players score in double figures. Outside of Pritzl and Davison each scoring 15 points, Ford finished the game with 12 points, while Trice, King, and Reuvers all finished with 10 points.

Wisconsin finished the game shooting 24-for-56 (42.9 percent) from the field.

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3-Point Shot Wisconsin vs. Marquette

Here are the three keys to a Wisconsin victory over in-state rival Marquette on Sunday.

Marquette has beaten Wisconsin over the last two meetings and three of the last four games. The Badgers certainly will have a challenge on Sunday against Marquette as the Golden Eagles are coming off of a 10-point victory against Purdue to improve their record to 2-0.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play in-state rival, Marquette.

LAYUP: WISCONSIN’S SUCCESS IN THE PAINT

Marquette through two games is allowing their opponents to average 28 points around the rim compared to Wisconsin averaging 29.3 points in the paint.

Nate Reuvers will play an important role in making sure that Wisconsin is able to generate high percentage shots around the rim against a Marquette team that’s averaging eight blocks a game.

In particular, Reuvers will have a challenge against Theo John as he leads the team with nine blocks as eight of them came in Marquette’s season opening win over Loyola Maryland.

If Wisconsin is going to challenge John and generate points in the paint Reuvers can’t get into foul trouble like he did against McNeese State. If he does it will take one of Wisconsin’s more consistent scorers off the floor as he’s averaging 15.3 points. Reuvers ability to have success around the rim and ability to stretch the floor could lead to balanced scoring against Marquette.

MID-RANGE: CAN WISCONSIN CONTINUE ITS MOMENTUM FROM 3?

Wisconsin certainly caught fire from three in the second half against McNeese State as they shot 7-for-15 (46.6 percent), which is the Badgers best shooting half from three.

The question is does the performance from three in the second half against the Cowboys continue against Marquette or will it revert back to what Wisconsin has shown this season?

Wisconsin is shooting a lowly 27.7 percent (18-for-65) from three and if Wisconsin’s offense is going to have success against Marquette they’ll need to turn in a better performance from the perimeter.

Problem is in two games Marquette has done well of contesting the 3-point shot as the Golden Eagles have held their opponents to shoot 25 percent or less from three on an average 21 3-point attempts a game.

If Wisconsin is going to continue where they left off from three against Marquette it will be up to Aleem Ford, D’Mitrik Trice, Brevin Pritzl, and Brad Davison. All four have attempted at least 10 three’s through three games.

Davison leads the team shooting 40 percent (4-for-10) from three as he went 3-for-4 from three against McNeese State. Making it important that when Wisconsin is able to create an open look from three the Badgers knock them down as there won’t be many opportunities where Wisconsin will get a good look from 3-point range.

3-POINTER: TRYING TO CONTAIN MARKUS HOWARD

Howard is one of the more natural scorers in college basketball as through two games he’s averaging 28 points per game while shooting 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from the field and 58.8 percent (10-for-17) from three.

Howard in three career games against the Badgers is averaging 24 points a contest and is shooting 37.2 percent (22-for-59) from the field. Howard is going to get his shots up against Wisconsin’s defense its a matter of making sure they aren’t opportunities where he can catch and shoot.

Although Howard scored 27 points against Wisconsin a season ago he did attempt 29 shots from the field. It will be a team effort to try and slow Howard down as the Badgers will need to effectively communicate to fight through screens to make sure Howard can’t exploit a mismatch against a Wisconsin defender.

If Wisconsin’s defense can make sure they don’t allow Howard to completely take over the game and frustrate him they’ll force somebody else to try and beat the Badgers.

That person could be Koby McEwen as he’s the only other player for Marquette to average double figures at 17 points a game.

In addition, Howard has been able to set his teammates up as his five assists are tied for the second best mark on the team but he also leads the team with six turnovers. Creating frustration for Howard will be difficult but if Wisconsin’s defense can knock him off his offensive game a little bit that could go a long way in how the game is decided.

Wisconsin-Marquette, in 2019, is extra personal for both sides

The meeting between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Marquette Golden Eagles is very personal, for two clear reasons.

Sunday’s game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Marquette Golden Eagles at the Kohl Center in Madison will be fierce and intense, just as every game is between Wisconsin and Marquette. The two schools always pour their emotions into this game. It always matters. It always stirs the soul.

This year, though, the battle between the Badgers and the Golden Eagles will be even more personal than it normally is. Really, you might be asking? What could be the reason to make a statement like that? The answer to the question is deceptively simple. There are two reasons why UW-Marquette packs more of a punch in 2019. Those reasons are named Joey Hauser and Sam Hauser.

Makes sense, right? Joey and Sam Hauser played for Marquette last season. Now they don’t. Joey transferred to Michigan State, Sam to Virginia. Those two schools are not Wisconsin. We are left with the simple reality that the Hauser brothers didn’t initially go to Wisconsin, and didn’t transfer there. They also, however, left Marquette and didn’t think it was worth it to stick with Steve Wojciechowski. Both schools have been stung by the rejection of the Hauser brothers.

To be clear, what young athletes choose to do with their careers is not a manifestation or reflection of morality or ethics. Playing at one school is not a more noble (or impoverished) decision than playing at another. A transfer is not an act of betrayal. None of this has anything to do with the character of a person, and should not be seen as a direct or implied criticism of the Hausers (or any other athletes who transfer). I am merely noting that in 2019, Marquette and Wisconsin are both taking the court without a Hauser brother in either program. The two brothers from Stevens Point, Wis., will not be found in Madison on Sunday.

You know Marquette wants to prove it can beat Wisconsin for a million different reasons, but winning without the Hausers is certainly one of the more prominent ones. You know Wisconsin wants to pounce on Marquette, early in the season, to make a statement about the balance of college basketball power in this state.

It is sometimes the case that the absence of a person — or two persons — from a building is noticed more than the presence of any other individuals. Wisconsin will feel the absence of Micah Potter from this game, but other than Potter, are two people going to be noticed more by their absence from Sunday’s contest than Sam and Joey Hauser? Those brothers, no longer playing college basketball in the state of Wisconsin, will definitely be noticed on Sunday. The next question: Which school will lament that absence more when Sunday’s game is over?

Marquette comeback against Purdue gets Wisconsin’s attention

Looking at the Marquette Golden Eagles’ win over the Purdue Boilermakers before Marquette faces the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday.

The shiny object found in the Marquette Golden Eagles’ 65-55 win over the Purdue Boilermakers on Wednesday night was the 40-point second half the Golden Eagles slapped on Matt Painter’s crew. If Marquette has established an identity in recent years, it is that it can explode on offense at any time. Markus Howard can break free. Seton Hall might have Myles Powell, but Howard makes sure that Marquette always has as much firepower as the opposition, if not more. A 40-point second half is on brand for MU and Steve Wojciechowski.

Yet, while looking at the shiny object — 40 points after halftime in a relatively low-scoring game — one shouldn’t ignore the more substantive aspect of a game in which Marquette came back from a 13-point halftime deficit (38-25). The Golden Eagles held Purdue to just 17 points after the intermission.

If Marquette — which got run off the floor by Ja Morant and Murray State in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament — is to improve as a program and become more of a national force in the Big East Conference, it will come at the defensive end of the floor. Being good enough and tough enough to hold Purdue to 17 points in a half sends a very positive message before Marquette faces the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday. Such a feat is… well… very Wisconsin-like.

As we size up the Golden Eagles before they visit the Kohl Center on Sunday afternoon, we are brought in touch with a fundamental question: As good as Marquette was in that second half, was the 40-17 drubbing the Golden Eagles handed to the Boilermakers a primary product of MU’s ability to adjust, or was it more a result of Purdue not finding an answer to the departure of Carsen Edwards?

From the Marquette side of the equation, the Golden Eagles have to feel confident they can defend at a high level. They can’t control Purdue’s limitations; they got punched in the mouth in the first half and could have wobbled. Instead, they roared back against a team which came within an eyelash of making the Final Four last spring. Marquette did what was within its power to do. To that extent, the Golden Eagles deserve ample credit.

It is the Purdue dimension of this question which is more encouraging to Wisconsin. Purdue, for those not getting up to speed on college basketball as football enters its crucial home stretch, lacked answers at crunch time versus Texas — in Mackey Arena — a few days earlier. If Purdue had solved Texas but then stumbled against Marquette, the Golden Eagles could be viewed in a more favorable light. Because Purdue couldn’t use home-court advantage well against a previous opponent, however, this loss to Marquette seems like a trend more than a plot twist or an aberration.

Wisconsin can therefore look at Purdue and arrive at the conclusion that Marquette pounced on an especially vulnerable opponent. Wisconsin can look at the statistics and see that Marquette shot just 7 of 25 from 3-point range and won by 10… because Purdue was just 6 of 24 from long distance and a shocking 9 of 21 from the free throw line. If Purdue can’t stand on its own this season without Carsen Edwards, Wisconsin — lacking Micah Potter for no legitimately good reason — can stand on the strength of its balance and its defense.

Wisconsin doesn’t just have a chance to beat Marquette this Sunday. The Badgers can send a message to Purdue and the rest of the Big Ten about their resourcefulness, their balance, and their quality. Just imagine what a win without Potter could do for a team which is still settling into this season. A win over Marquette would settle some scores and enable Wisconsin to feel a lot more settled and calm about its long-term prospects.

Three Marquette players who Badger fans need to know

Wisconsin hosts Marquette at the Kohl Center this weekend. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.

Wisconsin hosts Marquette at the Kohl Center on Sunday afternoon in this year’s chapter of one of the nation’s most heated rivalries.

The Badgers are 2-1 following their 83-63 victory over McNeese State at home on Wednesday night, while the Golden Eagles are 2-0 and coming off of an impressive 65-55 win over a solid Purdue team in Milwaukee that same evening. Marquette has maintained bragging rights over Wisconsin the last two seasons, taking care of business against Bucky at the Fiserv Forum in a 74-69 overtime thriller a year ago.

While the Golden Eagles lost two huge pieces of their program as a result of the Hauser brothers’ decisions to transfer, head coach Steve Wojciechowski will still have plenty of talent at his disposal this season, and this should be a Top 25-caliber group all year long.

Here are the three Golden Eagles who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout Saturday’s contest.

1. Markus Howard – Guard

2019 stats: 28.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 53.1% FG, 58.8% 3P, 92.3 % FT

You can’t break down Marquette’s roster by starting with any player other than Howard, the Golden Eagles’ all-time leading scorer who just went over 2,000 points for his career this week.

The 5-11 senior has become a household name as a result of the monster scoring numbers he has put up throughout his career. Last season was his best yet, as Howard was the Big East Player of the Year and earned consensus Second Team All-American honors after ranking fifth nationally in scoring at 25 points per game.

Howard is off to another scorching start this year for the Golden Eagles through two games, opening the season with a 38-point outburst against Loyola Maryland and following up that performance with 18 points in Marquette’s victory over Purdue.

He has averaged 24 points per game against Wisconsin throughout his career, including 27 in Marquette’s overtime win at Fiserv Forum last year. However, Howard was held largely in check by the Badgers in terms of his production from the field, shooting just 7-29 for the game.

2. Theo John – Forward

2019 stats: 6.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.5 bpg, 55.6% FG, 50.0% FT

Feb 12, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles forward Theo John (4) blocks a shot by DePaul Blue Demons forward Paul Reed (4) during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nuccio DiNuzzo-USA TODAY Sports

The Big East’s leader in blocks per game last season, the 6-9, 255-pound John is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. The junior forward isn’t exactly an impact player from a scoring standpoint, but he has utilized his massive frame to become one of the nation’s top post defenders and a monster on the boards to boot.

It’s safe to assume that John will likely be matched up with Nate Reuvers quite a bit on Sunday, which does not bode well for the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week’s production down low in this matchup. In fact, with him looming in the paint, the Badgers as a whole could have a rough go of it scoring near the basket.

What does this mean? For a team that has often been either extremely hot or cold from beyond the arc with little room in between so far this season, Wisconsin better hope the shots are falling from long range in this one.

3. Koby McEwen – Guard

2019 stats: 17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 50% FG, 60% 3P, 88.9% FT

With Sam and Joey Hauser out of the picture after packing their bags for Virginia and Michigan State, respectively, there were questions surrounding this Marquette team leading into the season regarding who on the roster would step up as a secondary scoring option to Howard.

After the Golden Eagles’ first two games, it appears as though McEwen may be the answer.

The redshirt junior sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules after coming over from Utah State, where he averaged 15.3 points per game in his two seasons there. McEwen was a Third Team All-Mountain West selection in 2017-18 after leading the Aggies in scoring and rebounding at 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

The 6-4 guard has clearly been Marquette’s second-best player so far, making an impact as a scorer, facilitator, rebounder, and defender. McEwen heads into Saturday’s matchup with Wisconsin on the heels of an impressive performance against Purdue in which he racked up 23 points, five rebounds, and 4 assists.

Steven Crowl Signs National Letter of Intent with Wisconsin Basketball

Steven Crowl signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday becoming the latest member of 2020 class for Greg Gard.

Steven Crowl

6’9″, 210, center, Eagan, Minn. (Eastview)

Crowl used a strong summer in front of the Wisconsin coaches to earn his offer from the Badgers this past July. After taking an official visit to Wisconsin in September he made his commitment to the Badgers in mid-September. Crowl officially became a Badger on Wednesday when he signed his letter of intent to play for Wisconsin.

Crowl and Ben Carlson will complement each other well when the duo are on the floor together. Similar to Carlson, Crowl is able to stretch the floor in addition he’s able to make an impact on the defensive side too. Crowl could use a redshirt year as it would be beneficial for him to continue to add strength in addition due to the depth Wisconsin has in the frontcourt.

Note: All quotes/stats provided by uwbadgers.com

Crowl chose Wisconsin over other offers from: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota

Crowl’s Accolades: Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … his junior season, led Eastview High School to the Minnesota Class 4A state tournament while averaging 19.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 39% 3FG from beyond the arc … scored 630 points as a junior and 470 points as a sophomore giving him 1,100 career points entering his senior season … first-team South Suburban All-Conference in 2019 and second-team in 2018 … plays travel basketball for D1 Minnesota, the same program as current Badgers Nate Reuvers and Tyler Wahl.

Gard on Crowl: “Steven has so many of the characteristics that we look for, both on and off the basketball court. He has excelled at a high level both on the court and in the classroom. From the first time we saw him, Steven has continued to grow and develop as a player. He has a great feel for the game and he will be able to utilize all those skills as he continues to develop. Steven has the ability to score both inside and out, which will add him to a long list of big men who have come through this program over the years. We are excited to add Steven to the Badger basketball family.”