Wisconsin entered the season with high expectations and a top-20 KenPom ranking, usually the latter having a positive effect on the former.
Those expectations have been halted for at least the moment. The Badgers are 1-2 after tough losses to No. 9 Tennessee at home and Providence on the road. Not easy games by any means, but also not a good showing in either by a familiar Wisconsin team.
The Badgers were all the way up to No. 17 in KenPom after an opening 105-76 win over Arkansas State.
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Now that losses have piled up, and the team’s offense looks a lot more suspect than it did a week ago, the team is down to No. 34 in the rating system. It gives the Badgers the No. 35 offense and No. 38 defense in the nation, with a tough schedule upcoming.
This is not the start Greg Gard or Badger fans wanted. The team needs to reverse its current course fast before the Big Ten gauntlet arrives.