Tag: Wisconsin basketball

Former Wisconsin transfer helps No. 1 Kansas notch a top-10 win

How AJ Storr performed against North Carolina

Former Wisconsin Badgers transfer A.J. Storr was at the center of No. 1 Kansas’ 92-89 win over No. 9 North Carolina on Friday night.

The former Badger scored 13 points in 27 minutes off the bench, also adding three assists, two rebounds and a steal.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Montana State

He is now up to 18 total points, four rebounds, five assists and one steal on 44% shooting and 40% from three-point range thus far through two games. His role and shot volume increased significantly from Kansas’ first to second game of the season — 15 minutes to 27 and five field-goal attempts to 13.

Storr transferred to the Jayhawks this offseason after one year with the Badgers. He averaged 28.8 minutes, 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals through that campaign, operating as the team’s primary offensive engine from the start of the season to its conclusion.

His above-the-rim highlight plays have translated to his new program, seen clearly in the first half of Friday’s game:

Aside from Storr, Kansas was led by a player Wisconsin fans are likely familiar with: former Michigan center Hunter Dickinson. The longtime Wisconsin rival finished the last-minute victory with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists — that tally including the game’s final three points after the score was tied 89-89 with less than 1:30 remaining.

Kansas Jayhawks guard AJ Storr (2) passes to Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) in the first half of the game against North Carolina Tar Heels inside Allen Fieldhouse Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Storr, Dickinson and the Jayhawks will remain No. 1 in the AP Poll moving forward. Their next contest is Nov. 12 against a strong Michigan State team.

Wisconsin fans should get used to Storr playing a key role on one of the best teams in college basketball in 2024-25.

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WATCH: Full highlights from Wisconsin basketball’s 79-67 win over Montana State

Highlights from Wisconsin basketball’s 79-67 win over Montana State

Wisconsin basketball added a tally to the win column on Thursday night with a 79-67 triumph over Montana State.

The Badgers’ performance was far more complete than the one from their opening victory over Holy Cross. The team shot well from every level, highlighted by a 50% (11-of-22) mark from three-point range and 95% (20-of-21) from the free-throw line. Unlike in the opener, the Badgers mostly controlled the game throughout.

Related: What Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard and players said after win over Montana State

Senior guard Max Klesmit led the effort with a career-high 26 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 6-of-11 from three. Starting guards John Blackwell and John Tonje each added 13 points of their own, while sixth-man Kamari McGee had another big performance with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 27 minutes off the bench.

The Badgers improve to 2-0 with the victory over the Bobcats. The performance and result are important as the team gels, and as Greg Gard works to find an effective rotation with the program’s cast of new faces.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Sunday, Nov. 10 against Appalachian State. Before moving forward to that matchup, here are the full highlights from the Badgers latest win:

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Greg Gard praises Wisconsin guard after big performance vs. Montana State

Greg Gard praises Wisconsin guard after big performance vs. Montana State

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard highlighted the development and performance of senior guard Kamari McGee when meeting with the media after the Badgers’ 79-67 win over Montana State.

McGee played 27 minutes off the bench in the winning effort, totaling 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Yet again, he served as a crucial spark plug for the Badgers. His status as the team’s sixth man does not preclude his minutes from being highly productive.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Montana State

The former UW-Green Bay transfer has developed significantly since transferring to Wisconsin ahead of the 2022-23 season. Gard highlighted that improvement:

“Just his poise and maturity,” Gard began. “I think he’s operating at a very functional speed right now. Two years ago, I think he tried to play everything at a thousand miles an hour. Now, he understands the importance of pace and patience. When to pick your spots, when to step on the gas, when not to. So I think you’re seeing the evolution and the maturity of a player that’s done a really good job for us.”

McGee’s elevated role speaks to that development. Through two games this season he’s averaging 27.5 minutes, 9.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game, all while shooting 54% from the floor and 40% from three-point range.

Here’s more from Gard on what McGee means to the team:

“He’s been a steadying influence. He changes the game with his defense, he changes the game with the pace he comes up with the ball. But I just think the decisions, and the conscious effort to read and feel of the game, when you can go fast and when you can’t. He didn’t understand that two years ago, and it’s taken time for him to learn that and get a good feel. He’s obviously figured out a lot of good things.”

Much of Gard’s focus was on McGee’s contributions on offense. McGee’s comments postgame, meanwhile, centered around the defensive side of the court

“I know that defense is going to win us a lot of games,” the senior guard said. “I’ve always had the defensive mindset ever since I started playing basketball. That’s winning basketball, is getting defensive stop. We have enough scorers, we have enough guys doing great things at the other end. I make sure I try to lead by example and get my guys engaged as well. Because when it’s crunch time like that and it’s time to close a game out, you’re going to need stops more than scores.”

Gard, McGee and the Badgers are back on the court on Sunday, Nov. 10 at home against Appalachian State. It’s reasonable to predict another high-impact game from the senior guard in his established sixth-man role.

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Greg Gard defends Wisconsin senior forward after strong play vs. Montana State

Greg Gard defends Wisconsin senior forward after strong play vs. Montana State

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard came to the defense of Badgers senior forward Carter Gilmore after the team’s 79-67 win over Montana State on Thursday.

Gilmore, who played 19 minutes off the bench in the Badgers’ victory, again played a big role on both sides of the court. He finished with four points on 2-of-3 shooting, two assists, two rebounds and one highlight block.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Montana State

Gard highlighted his performance, especially on the defensive side, when speaking postgame.

“[Gilmore] just gives us such a steadying [presence],” Gard began. “And I know he’s taken a lot of s*** over his career here. And it’s, quite frankly, unwarranted. Because if you have you have any idea what you’re looking at, you can see that he really anchors us defensively, he covers up a lot of stuff, he’s really good in the ball screens…He’s just a ballplayer.”

The senior forward has nine total points on 4-of-5 shooting through two games, in addition to four rebounds, two assists and a block. Those totals are all on an early pace to surpass his 2022-23 totals when he averaged 18.8 minutes per game off the bench.

Gard highlighted Gilmore’s versatility in the lineup, pointing to more minutes and more opportunities down the road.

“We can play him at various positions, played him at the three a lot during the preseason,” Gard continued. “He’s covers up mistakes defensively of other guys, Tyler Wahl did that. They’re different. But he has such a good feel for the game and talks the game the right way. The things he’s talking about and asking about — he’s seeing it and talking like a coach…He’s been able to play within his strengths and not get outside of his strengths. He’s very valuable. He’s smart, he’s tough, he covers up mistakes, he knows what we’re doing. He really is a good leader…He’s an unsung important piece to this group.”

Gilmore currently slots into the lineup as a primary backup forward behind starters Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl. He should continue to be a key force off the bench as the team continues to grow throughout the season.

Gard, Gilmore and the Badgers are back on the court on Nov. 10 at home against Appalachian State.

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RECAP: Wisconsin surges past Montana State in second game of 2024-25 season

RECAP: Wisconsin surges past Montana State in second game of 2024-25 season

This story was updated to add new information.

The Wisconsin Badgers secured a 79-67 win in their second game of the 2024-25 season over Montana State at the Kohl Center on Nov. 7.

After scoring just seven points in the season opener, senior guard Max Klesmit tied his career-high with 26 points off six made three-point field goals. Transfer guard John Tonje continued his strong start to his Badger career with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists, and sophomore guard John Blackwell notched 13 points, six rebounds and two steals in the win.

As he did in UW’s season opener and preseason exhibition, head coach Greg Gard went with Blackwell, Klesmit, Tonje, sophomore center Nolan Winter and senior center Steven Crowl in the starting unit.

Similar to what the Badgers did against Holy Cross, UW went back-and-forth for nearly the entire first half against the Bobcats. The two teams combined for six ties and 10 lead changes during the opening frame before Wisconsin went into intermission with a 39-33 edge.

At the half, Tonje netted eight free throws for 11 points, and Klesmit nailed three 3FG for 11 points himself.

Montana State opened the second half with a quick 3FG, but Wisconsin responded with a 10-2 run courtesy of a pair of Klesmit three-pointers and a Nolan Winter dunk to establish an 11-point lead with 17:03 to spare on the game clock.

Following an extended scoring drought, Klesmit and Blackwell continued to apply offensive pressure to push the Badgers ahead by 17 with just under 10 minutes to play. Montana State would eventually cut it to 10, but UW’s lead proved too vast to overcome.

As a team, Wisconsin shot over 45% from the field, 50% from outside and a perfect 20-21 from the charity stripe. On the season, UW is 36-37 from the charity stripe.

Wisconsin also out-rebounded Montana State 32-27 and scored 10 more points in the paint, but the story of the game revolved around the Badgers’ efficiency from the outside and ability to create from the foul line.

Tonje , who shot 8-8 at the foul line against Holy Cross, shot 8-9 from the charity stripe against the Bobcats. Tonje can score from all three levels on the hardwood and creates an instant matchup problem for any guard with his size and strength.

UW was also able to lean on its overall perimeter play as opposed to Winter and Crowl down low. Klesmit, Tonje and Blackwell combined for 52 of Wisconsin’s 79 points and canned 10 3FG as a trio.

UW will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 10, against Appalachian State at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin vs Montana State injury report: Latest updates, news for Thursday’s game

All the latest updates and news on Wisconsin’s injury report ahead the Montana State matchup

Wisconsin basketball (1-0) will play Montana State (0-0) at the Kohl Center in its second game of the 2024-25 non-conference state on Thursday night.

Greg Gard’s crew enters the contest after vanquishing Holy Cross 85-61 in its season opener on Nov. 4. In that game, transfer John Tonje impressed with 23 points and five rebounds in his Badger debut.

Montana State, meanwhile, opens its 2024-25 season against the Badgers. The Bobcats have won three consecutive Big Sky titles — securing three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. They will look to build off that momentum with a respectable output against one of college basketball’s most consistent programs.

Transfer guard Camren Hunter will make his Wisconsin debut Thursday after missing the season opener with an illness. Hunter averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 33.9 minutes per game in 2022-23 with Central Arkansas before missing the entire 2023-24 season due to injury. His minutes and role should be worth monitoring against Montana State.

Gard went with starters John Blackwell, John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter in the opener vs. Holy Cross, plus leaned on guard Kamari McGee as his top bench asset.

Both teams enter Thursday’s game at full strength. The two will tip off at 7:00 p.m. CT on BTN+.

Wisconsin injury report

No reported injuries

Montana State injury report

No reported injuries

Wisconsin basketball falls in ESPN BPI after opening win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin basketball falls in ESPN BPI after opening win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin basketball began its 2024-25 season with an 85-61 victory over Holy Cross on Monday.

Despite the final 24-point margin, the win was far from a wire-to-wire dominant showing. The Badgers trailed 13-3 in the first minutes, 23-7 halfway through the first half and 36-35 at halftime. The team eventually found its form, but could not coast to an easy victory against ESPN BPI’s No. 331 (of 364) team in the sport.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s opening win over Holy Cross

Those early-game struggles and lack of overall dominance saw the Badgers dip in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index despite the win. The team dropped from its preseason slot of No. 28 down to No. 39, also down to the No. 9-ranked team in the Big Ten.

ESPN BPI now projects the Badgers’ final record at 18.2 — 11.8 (10.4 — 9.6 in Big Ten play), and gives them a 5.5% chance to win the conference.

The good news: early-season rankings updates don’t define a team’s rest-of-season fate. The 2024-25 Badgers may face a predictable slow start with several new faces in the lineup. But the team projects to be one that improves as the season continues, especially as the transfer additions gel in the rotation and top youngsters including Daniel Freitag continue to develop.

Wisconsin’s second-half performance against Holy Cross showed the start of that development, as transfer wing John Tonje and sophomore forward Nolan Winter took over the matchup.

The Badgers are back on the Kohl Center court on Thursday against Montana State (No. 173 in BPI). They then continue with a home matchup with Appalachian State (No. 194) before a high-profile showdown with top-ranked Arizona (No. 5).

Badgers fans should watch for progress from the team through each of these matchups. Steady development from Greg Gard’s group will have it in strong position once Big Ten play heats up in January.

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Wisconsin forward flashes offensive potential in Badgers win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin forward flashes offensive potential in Badgers win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin sophomore forward Nolan Winter flashed his offensive brilliance in the Badgers’ 85-61 win over Holy Cross on Monday.

In just over 20 minutes, the second-year Badger registered a career-high 15 points and snared eight rebounds in the 24-point victory at the Kohl Center. Winter shot a perfect 6-6 from the field, including 2-2 from beyond the arc, and dished out a pair of assists as well.

All 15 of Winter’s points arrived in the second half of Monday’s season opener. After transfer John Tonje and sophomore John Blackwell revitalized Wisconsin’s offense to open the second half, Winter attacked for the final six minutes of the game.

The Lakeville, Minnesota native’s improvement from a season ago is obvious. Without veteran forward Tyler Wahl in the mix or volume scorer A.J. Storr taking shots, Winter’s opportunities to create will only increase as the season progresses.

Yes, it was Holy Cross. But the breakout potential is there. On several occasions, Winter displayed his ability to operate in the low post and from outside. Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard now has the luxury of two seven-footers who aren’t scared to shoot from deep in the starting lineup.

In 2023-24, Winter registered 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in roughly nine minutes per game. Those totals are all set to skyrocket in 2024-25.

Holy Cross head coach praises Wisconsin wing John Tonje after big performance

Holy Cross head coach praises Wisconsin wing John Tonje after big performance

Holy Cross basketball head coach Dave Paulsen praised John Tonje’s 23-point night after Wisconsin’s 85-61 win over the Crusaders on Monday night.

Tonje’s 23 points were the most by a Badger in their debut since at least 2000, surpassing Josh Gasser’s 21-point debut in 2010. He also chipped in with five rebounds and shot a perfect 8-8 mark from the foul line.

Holy Cross’ staff certainly appeared to have scouted the first-year Wisconsin playmakers ahead of the season opener on Monday. Here’s what Paulsen had to say about Tonje’s impact on UW’s unit:

“I think he was super aggressive in their two preseason contests,” Paulsen said after the game. “It seems like he’s got a pretty unshakable level of confidence, which you need to have to be a really good player. Without knowing the ins and outs of their team, he gives them that dynamic scoring presence that I think they need.”

Tonje arrived in Madison following a redshirt season at Missouri in 2023-24. After commanding a bulk of Wisconsin’s workload in just under 27 minutes vs. the Crusaders, it’s safe to assume the North Omaha, Nebraska, native will morph into a staple for head coach Greg Gard for the remainder of this season.

UW’s next game is slated for Nov. 9 against Montana State.

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard’s son tallies first points as a Badger in win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard’s son tallies first points as a Badger in win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin basketball’s season-opening win over Holy Cross was not as decisive as the 85-61 final score indicates.

The Badgers trailed the Crusaders, ESPN BPI’s No. 331 (of 364) team in the sport, 13-3 in the opening minutes of the game, 23-7 midway through the first half and 36-35 at halftime. A second-half surge led by transfer wing John Tonje created enough separation for the final score to indicate wire-to-wire dominance despite the Badgers’ significant early deficit.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s opening win over Holy Cross

That separation, importantly, led to a great moment for Badgers head coach Greg Gard and his son, Isaac.

Isaac, a junior walk-on guard, got one minute of action in the game’s closing moments. He made that limited action count, drilling a three-pointer for the first points of his college career:

Isaac joined the team as a walk-on ahead of the 2022-23 season. He appeared in five games that season, then six games in 2023-24. He was just 0/2 from the field over those 11 appearances as a freshman and sophomore.

The reaction of Wisconsin’s bench says it all, highlighted by John Blackwell leaping in the air.

Greg Gard highlighted that reaction when speaking about the moment postgame:

“It’s a credit to [Isaac],” Gard said. “He’s put time into it. He’s made himself a better player. He’s gotten bigger and stronger, it’s amazing what a weight room four days a week will do for somebody…I’m standing there as I’m trying to get guys in the game, and I knew the shot clock was winding down a little bit. Just the reaction of his teammates. To them, yea, he’s coach’s son, but he’s one of the guys. And they know at home, he’s my son. But at practice, he’s one of the guys. It’s neat. It’s obviously cool for him.”

The Badgers’ head coach continued to reflect on the moment:

“I don’t think his mom was at the game tonight, so I’m sure she’ll be pissed at me for not being able to see it live,” Gard continued. “He puts in just as much work as everybody else. He’s in the weight room, he’s running the hill. It’s hard being a coach’s kid. I haven’t been able to be present all the time as he was growing up, and our other two kids as well. To have this time with him day after day, you’re not making up for time, but you’re not losing any more time. And he’s also proven that he can be a handful some days when he’s running off screens and banging threes. He gives John Tonje nightmares…Just the team around him, that’s the neat part to watch. They’re happy for him and I’m happy for him too. Time goes fast, so you have to enjoy it. You won’t be able to coach your son forever.”

Wisconsin is back on the Kohl Center court on Thursday against Montana State. The team will look to notch another blowout victory, one large enough for Gard to again empty the bench late in the second half.

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