Tag: Wisconsin basketball

Wisconsin basketball’s unsung hero continues to impress

Wisconsin basketball’s unsung hero continues to impress

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball program is off to a historic start to the 2024-25 season. Without Kamari McGee, that might not be possible.

The senior guard continues to prove his worth for Greg Gard’s program. In the Badgers’ 81-75 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday, McGee scored 10 points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists in 28 minutes off the bench.

Eight of those 10 tallies arrived at crucial points in the second half. The Racine, Wisconsin native hit a layup to knot things at 38 early in the second half, then nailed a three-pointer to push Wisconsin ahead 65-62 with under seven minutes to play.

In fact, the Badgers never relinquished their lead after McGee’s first look from outside. His second, arguably the dagger of the contest, came with the Badgers leading by just one point with 2:54 remaining. The senior netted the look right in front of his bench to essentially seal the win.

On the season, McGee is averaging 7.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in over 23 minutes per game off the bench. His leadership, coupled with a clutch shot-making ability, make him one of the more integral pieces to one of college basketball’s hottest teams to start the 2024-25 season.

Wisconsin rises in latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Wisconsin rises in latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll

After rattling off seven straight wins to start to 2024-25 season, Wisconsin rose to No. 17 on the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

UW’s signature win over Arizona on Nov. 15 prompted coaches to elevate the Badgers to the No. 25 spot on last week’s hierarchy. After three more wins against UT Rio Grande Valley, UCF and Pittsburgh, respectively, Wisconsin is now being considered one of the better teams in the nation.

Wisconsin’s upward trajectory is apparent. The Badgers failed to garner any consideration in the first in-season update after landing in the ‘receiving votes’ section in the preseason edition of the poll. Greg Gard’s team is now No. 17 in the latest update, plus No. 15 in the AP Poll, and drawing national headlines courtesy of superstar wing John Tonje.

Kansas remains the No. 1 team in the coaches poll after a strong opening week. The Jayhawks are followed by No. 2 UConn, No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 Gonzaga and No. 5 Iowa State. A total of three Big Ten squads cracked Nov. 25’s installation of the top-25 list.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 5-0 767 (25)
2 UConn 4-0 717 (2)
3 Auburn 4-0 707 (3)
4 Gonzaga 5-0 689 (1)
5 Iowa State 3-0 602
6 Tennessee 6-0 587
7 Houston 3-1 559
8 Kentucky 5-0 539
9 Alabama 4-1 527
10 Duke 4-1 502
11 Marquette 6-0 499
12 Purdue 5-1 429
13 North Carolina 3-1 424
14 Cincinnati 5-0 330
15 Indiana 4-0 262
16 Florida 6-0 260
17 Wisconsin 7-0 252
18 Baylor 4-2 244
19 Creighton 4-1 167
20 Texas A&M 4-1 146
21 Arkansas 4-1 128
22 Xavier 5-0 85
23 Arizona 2-2 76
24 Ole Miss 5-0 73
25 Pittsburgh 6-1 66

Schools Dropped Out

No. 20 Illinois; No. 20 St. John’s; No. 24 Texas Tech;

Others Receiving Votes

BYU 60; Texas 43; Mississippi State 43; Illinois 42; St. John’s 40; Texas Tech 39; Ohio State 38; Saint Mary’s 33; Drake 23; Memphis 21; Nebraska 20; Oregon 8; Rutgers 7; Dayton 5; Michigan State 4; UCLA 3; Georgia 3; Nevada 2; Utah State 1; Penn State 1; Maryland 1; LSU 1;

Wisconsin is back on the court on Nov. 30 against Chicago State. The team will then gear up for its first Big Ten game of the 2024-25 season against Michigan on Dec. 3 at the Kohl Center.

Analyzing Wisconsin wing John Tonje’s historic start to 2024-25 season

Analyzing Wisconsin wing John Tonje’s historic start to 2024-25 season

Wisconsin Badgers basketball wing John Tonje is off to a remarkable start to the 2024-25 season.

Through seven games, the former Missouri Tiger and Colorado State Ram is averaging 23 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31 minutes per game for UW. He is also shooting 54.3% from the field, 40.6% from three-point range and 95.2% from the charity stripe.

As of Nov. 25, Tonje’s scoring average is the ninth-best in the nation. Only Green Bay’s Anthony Roy (28.0 PPG), UC Davis’ Ty Johnson (26.8 PPG), Villanova’s Eric Dixon (26.7 PPG), Colombia’s Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa (24.0 PPG), Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli (23.8 PPG), Temple’s Jamal Mashburn Jr. (23.3 PPG), Jacksonville State’s Jaron Pierre Jr. (23.3 PPG) and FDU’s Terrence Brown (23.1 PPG) boast higher individual points-per-game rates.

If Tonje’s season points average were to stick, it would be the second-best in Badgers history behind Clarence Sherrod, a guard who played with UW from 1968-71. Tonje’s free throw percentage is also currently the best in program history by over 0.3 percentage points.

The conversation surrounding Tonje’s acquisition revolved around his ability to replicate what A.J. Storr did in his lone season in Madison. As it stands today, Tonje looks like a much better player.

The North Omaha, Nebraska native emerged in national conversations after scoring a career-high 41 points in Wisconsin’s season-defining win against Arizona on Nov. 15. He then dropped 33 points in the Badgers’ 81-75 win over Pittsburgh at the Greenbrier Tip-Off on Nov. 24.

Tonje is unquestionably Wisconsin’s most valuable player to date. He has been as aggressive as any player in college basketball this season. And, when the game is on the line, fans can rest assured that Tonje will cash in on any free throw opportunities.

At this current pace, Tonje could be in consideration for the Wooden Award at the end of the season.

The 7-0 Badgers are back in action on Nov. 30 against Chicago State at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin basketball scales latest AP Poll after Greenbrier Tip-Off triumph

Wisconsin basketball scales latest AP Poll after Greenbrier Tip-Off triumph

Wisconsin basketball landed at No. 15 in the latest AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday.

After being ranked No. 19 in the poll’s Week 3 installation, Wisconsin earned 666 points in this week’s update to leapfrog Cincinnati and Arizona to claim the No., 15 spot in the hierarchy.

Just two Big Ten teams, Indiana (No. 14) and Purdue (No. 13), rank higher than Wisconsin on this week’s list.

For context, UW received 370 points in Week 3 after securing a signature win over Arizona, which held the No. 9 position at the time of the victory. Wisconsin’s wins over UT Rio Grande Valley, UCF and Pittsburgh have reassured voters of the team’s status as one of college basketball’s best teams thus far.

Wisconsin’s win over Pittsburgh put an exclamation on that impressive start. Backed by 33 points from star wing John Tonje, UW rallied back from a 14-point deficit to vanquish Pittsburgh on Nov. 24 to secure the program’s third November non-conference tournament title since 2021.

As they did in Week 3, Wisconsin also rocketed up the latest KenPom ranking and ESPN’s latest BPI. After being ranked No. 40 in the KenPom list before the Greenbrier Tip-Off, the Badgers are up 14 spots in KenPom to No. 26 overall, with the No. 12-rated offense and No. 72 defense.

ESPN’s latest BPI update has the Badgers at No. 27 overall with a projected final record of 21.8-9.2.

Tonje, who is playing like one of the best talents in all of college basketball, is averaging a stellar 23.0 points per game of 54.3% from the floor, over 40% from deep and over 95% fro the line.

As a team, UW is averaging nearly 87 points per game off 47.9% from the field, 36.3% from beyond the arc and a blistering 86.5% from the free throw line.

Wisconsin’s next game is at home against Chicago State on Nov. 30.

Wisconsin surges in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Pittsburgh, Greenbrier Tip-Off title

Wisconsin surges in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Pittsburgh, Greenbrier Tip-Off title

Wisconsin basketball continued its early season emergence over the weekend, defeating UCF, 86-70, and Pittsburgh, 81-75, to capture the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off title.

The wins came in an entirely different fashion. Wisconsin dominated UCF from the opening tip and was never tested in the second half. The Pittsburgh game was a significant test. The Badgers trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, then needed a 54-point second frame and sheer dominance from wing John Tonje to exit with the victory.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Pittsburgh

That resilience against a good Pittsburgh team is another notch in the belt for Greg Gard’s group. It continues to emerge as a surprise contender in both the Big Ten and nationally. The team is off to a 7-0 start for the third time in program history (2014-15 and 1973-74).

Ratings metrics have been somewhat hesitant to crown Gard’s team as a true contender, however. Wisconsin entered the Greenbrier Tip-Off ranked No. 40 KenPom and No. 30 in ESPN BPI.

Those marks both rose significantly after the pair of wins.

The Badgers are up 14 spots in KenPom to No. 26 overall, with the No. 12-rated offense and No. 72 defense. That mark is good for fourth-best in the Big Ten behind only Purdue (No. 15), Ohio State (No. 18) and UCLA (No. 22).

The team also rose to No. 27 in BPI. The metric has its projected final record at 21.8-9.2 and gives it an 14.2% chance to win the Big Ten.

Wisconsin faced an uphill battle in those metrics to begin the season. Each likely put significant weight into the departures of Tyler Wahl, A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn.

The on-court product has eliminated that narrative. Tonje looks to be an upgrade over Storr in the early going, averaging 23 points and 5.4 rebounds through the first seven games. The team as a whole looks to be improved over the 2023-24 group. Part of that can be attributed to the development of Nolan Winter, Kamari McGee, John Blackwell and others. It also should be credited to fantastic coaching from Gard and his staff. His new system is allowing the team to flourish, and it is playing its best basketball since the team made a run to the national title game in 2015.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Saturday against Chicago State. It begins Big Ten play with a home game against Michigan on Dec. 3.

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RECAP: John Tonje explodes for 25 second-half points as Badgers beat Pittsburgh to win Greenbrier Tip-Off

RECAP: John Tonje explodes for 25 second-half points as Badgers beat Pittsburgh to win Greenbrier Tip-Off

Wisconsin basketball squeezed past Pittsburgh 81-75 to pick up its seventh victory of the 2024-25 season on Sunday.

With the win, Wisconsin pocketed first-place at the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off. The tournament triumph is UW’s third non-conference November tournament title dating back to 2021 and it’s sixth since 2005.

For the second time this season, wing John Tonje spearheaded the Badgers’ offensive effort in historic fashion. The transfer wing scored 33 points off 11-of-19 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 clip from the free throw line. Most notably, 25 of his 33 points arrived in the second half.

By no surprise, Tonje’s output earned him 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off MVP nods.

Down by as many as 14 in the first half, the Badgers never wavered. UW opened the second half with an 11-2 scoring surge courtesy of five buckets from five different playmakers. Fueled by an unconscious Tonje, Wisconsin used that momentum to take a 51-50 lead at the 11:15-minute mark.

The score would seesaw until veteran guard Kamari McGee, who scored 10 points off the bench, canned a three-pointer to push Wisconsin ahead 65-62. Tonje would follow with a layup on the ensuing possession, and the Badgers did not relinquish their lead for the remainder of the game.

Pittsburgh did bring it to within one, 71-70, but the Badgers made timely shots when it mattered most. In the end, late-game shot-making and superstar contributions from one of college basketball’s most talented transfers proved the difference.

For the game, Wisconsin shot 48.3% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw line. In just the second half, UW scored 54 of its 81 points, shot 60% from the field, recorded 50% mark from the three-point line and registered a 92.9% clip from the free throw line.

John Blackwell added 14 points, three rebounds and two steals in the win, Nolan Winter scored 11, Kamari McGee accounted for 10 points off the bench and Steven Crowl snagged nine rebounds.

The Badgers’ start to the season is the program’s best since 2014-15, the year Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes led UW to the NCAA Tournament Title game. By the looks of it, this team could be special.

Wisconsin Badgers legend makes USA Basketball debut

Wisconsin basketball legend makes USA Basketball debut

Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky made his USA Basketball debut with the 2024 USA men’s AmeriCup qualifying team on Friday night.

As a member of the starting lineup alongside David Stockton, Robert Covington, Paul Watson and Javonte Smart, Kaminsky registered 10 points, three assists and two steals in just over 15 minutes in his first taste of FIBA action.

Last November, Kaminsky was named to the 2024 squad, which boasts a combination of NBA, NBA G League and international talent. Kaminsky’s crew is one of three teams representing USA Basketball from February 2024 to February 2025 with hopes of qualifying for the AmeriCup tournament in 2025.

After averaging 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds with Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade in the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, Kaminsky joined the Phoenix Suns training camp roster in late September. The Suns, however, waived Kaminsky on Oct. 12 ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.

The former UW star appeared in 26 games for the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets in 2022-23, logged three seasons with the Suns from 2019-22 and played four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets from 2015-19. In eight NBA seasons, Kaminsky has averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 43% shooting and 35% from 3.

The 7-footer was arguably college basketball’s most dominant player during his stint at UW. As a senior, he pocketed the 2015 National College Player of the Year award and was a consensus first-team All-American with the Badgers.

In the postseason, he was the go-to option on consecutive trips to the Final Four in 2014 and 2015.

Kaminsky’s next game for the red, white and blue is slated for Nov. 25 against the Bahamas in Washington, D.C.

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward crosses 1,000-point threshold in win

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward crosses 1,000-point threshold in win

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward Serah Williams tallied her 1,000th career point in the Badgers’ win over UIC on Thursday.

The moment arrived with roughly three minutes remaining in the first quarter of the 61-57 victory. Williams fielded a pass from guard Tess Myers, dribbled inside, then spun to her left before banking in a layup.

With the bucket, Williams became the 29th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark. In 66 career games, she also became the third-quickest UW player to do so, per Wisconsin’s program.

The Brooklyn, New York native scored a game-best 20 points off 8-of-14 from the field. She also corralled 14 rebounds, secured three steals and recorded two blocks in the effort.

On the season, Williams is averaging 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. It’s safe to say she’s emerged as one of the sport’s most dynamic two-way players this season.

Williams previously earned 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and 2024 Big Ten First Team nods as a junior.

After years of mediocrity, Wisconsin’s women’s basketball program appears to be undergoing a revival. The Badgers have improved their record in every season under fourth-year head coach Marisa Moseley, including a WNIT bid in 2023-24.

UW is 4-1 to begin the season and will play its next game against Omaha on Nov. 23.

Wisconsin basketball’s win over UCF matches best start since … 2014-15

Wisconsin basketball’s win over UCF matches best start since … 2014-15

Wisconsin’s basketball program made history in its 86-70 win over UCF on Friday.

For the first time since 2014-15, the Badgers have started the season with a 6-0 record. That legendary team amassed a 36-4 overall record and reached the 2015 NCAA Tournament title game.

Unlike the 2014-15 crew, the 2024-25 Badgers have scored 79 or more points in each of their first six games of the season — five games with 86 or more. That is a program-best mark.

While this version of UW does not roster Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker or Nigel Hayes, it does blend a unique combination of experience, size and athleticism.

Through six games, transfer wing John Tonje has been nothing short of a star for Greg Gard. The senior is averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in just under 30 minutes per appearance. He’s also shooting a blistering 53.2% from the floor, 44.4% from three-point range and 94.3% from the foul line.

Sophomore guard John Blackwell accounts for 16.3 points per contest, and senior Max Klesmit puts up over 13 points per game. The Badgers lead the nation in free throw percentage, outscore opponents by nearly 17 points and dish out just under 16 assists per game.

Wisconsin was ranked No. 19 in the latest AP Poll before a pair of victories. That ranking should rise if the team defeats Pittsburgh in the Greenbrier Tip-Off final. As they seem to do every year, the Badgers are overachieving based off their preseason expectations.

Wisconsin sophomore center logs first career double-double in win over UCF

Wisconsin sophomore center logs first career double-double in win over UCF

Wisconsin sophomore center Nolan Winter logged his first career double-double in the Badgers’ win over UCF on Friday.

After senior center Steven Crowl accumulated three fouls early in the first half, Winter stepped up in a big way. The second-year Badger logged 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 1-of-2 from the three-point line. The big man also corralled a game-best 10 rebounds in the 86-70 win.

Despite scoring 15 points in his first game of the 2024-25 slate, this was easily Winter’s best performance of the season thus far. He fit seamlessly into Greg Gard’s overall scheme and absolutely dominated in the interior.

In 29 minutes of action, Winter was also responsible for five offensive rebounds. Those boards created opportunities for more points in the painted area, a category in which Wisconsin outclassed UCF.

On the season, Winter is averaging 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in just under 20 minutes per game. His size as UW’s starting forward makes the Badgers’ front court all the more formidable to defend.

With wing John Tonje and guard John Blackwell responsible for a bulk of Wisconsin’s offensive workload, Winter naturally receives less defensive attention in the half court.

The Badgers will be back on the floor for a matchup against Pittsburgh in their second game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off on Nov. 24.