The Wisconsin Badgers fell at the overtime buzzer to the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday in Iowa City.
The loss was the Badgers’ fifth in their last six tries and dropped the team to 17-9 on the season and 9-6 in Big Ten play. In 18 days, Wisconsin has dropped from the clear conference leader to tied with Michigan State for third, 3 1/2 games behind first-place Purdue.
The standings tell the story. The Badgers are in the midst of an incredible collapse.
ESPN BPI and KenPom’s ratings also tell the story effectively. Each has Wisconsin as the distant fourth-best team in the conference.
- KenPom: Purdue (No. 3 overall), Illinois (No. 8), Michigan State (No. 15), Wisconsin (No. 19)
- ESPN BPI: Purdue (No. 2 overall), Illinois (No. 10), Michigan State (No. 16), Wisconsin (No. 20)
Remember, Wisconsin was alone at No. 2 in the conference behind Purdue entering the month of February.
Not only have the Badgers dropped from a top seed in NCAA Tournament projections to clinging to a 4-seed, the team is falling further and further from the top of the Big Ten.
Wisconsin basketball social media angry after crushing overtime loss to Iowa https://t.co/UJRYBhe0HI pic.twitter.com/uMzyqQOEOc
— BadgersWire (@thebadgerswire) February 18, 2024
Time still allows for Wisconsin to turn it around and return to its early season form. Up next is a home game against Maryland (14-12) before a finishing at Indiana, home against Illinois, home against Rutgers and at Purdue.
The Badgers need to turn things around before it’s too late.
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