Wisconsin Basketball 2022-23

[yourout]

5 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Gard's got work to do this offseason. Only the NIT, but stretches like tonight were par for the course this season, and are absolutely inexcusable for this program. 

Need to find a way to flip 1/3 of the roster.

 

[LouisEly]

North Texas has one of the best defenses in the nation for a reason.  C-USA is 16-1 in the post-season. 

Actually, literally the best in the nation - #1 in points against at 55.7/game.

[yourout]

20 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

North Texas has one of the best defenses in the nation for a reason.  C-USA is 16-1 in the post-season. 

Actually, literally the best in the nation - #1 in points against at 55.7/game.

Not trying to take anything away from North Texas but that was just putrid basketball by the Badgers as much as anything.

 

[MrTPlush]

I don’t care if you are playing the greatest defense in the history of basketball. Having 54 points with 9 minutes to go and then losing 56-54 is really sad and pathetic. There is just really no reason to be doing that against anyone.

[Oxy]

If sports is really about the ecstasy of victory and the agony of defeat, UW basketball is the epitome of sports fandom.

I have stated that as long as UW is competetive in every game the play I'll be happy...as there is always hope they will win the upcoming game...

Generally though, if the former is true, it is NOT true that they could LOSE every game as well.  Not that this is that kind of game, but @Nebraska and vs OSU in the B1G tourney were those games.

 

I still think the statement is true though, even through a season like this.  On Wisconsin, on Coach Gard.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Switching defensive assignments on Hepburn in the 2nd half was far & away the key to the game. Klesmit wasn't scoring like he had been, and after a decent start Essegians' struggles continued. With the way the game went it was like cutting off the head & the body dying.

I thought the defensive #'s for N Texas were somewhat skewed due to their pace of play & schedule. Wrong. Very strong in the half court D and their pace of play allows for that to take hold. In the final seconds, that pocket pass big-to-big often winds up in a dunk. The defender reads it & gets a hand on it. Insane stuff.

I thought Fraschilla was hilarious in saying Gard shouldn't have called the late TO. In hindsight, sure. But the whole thing was in scramble mode, you don't have time to look around first & see if there's an open shooter on the wing. And what they subsequently drew up got the ball in a great spot, the defense just reacted perfectly.

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 hours ago, yourout said:

Not trying to take anything away from North Texas but that was just putrid basketball by the Badgers as much as anything.

 

As good as the N Texas defense was--and it was very good--there were certainly some makeable shots in the 2nd half that didn't go down. Story of the season.

[brooks_quichenick]

The timeout by Gard when we had a 5 on 4 advantage and ~6 seconds left was inexcusable, imo.

What a putrid, embarrassing 2nd half. The fact that this team didn't show a lick of progress the entire season is enough of a reason to can GG. I've been a Gard defender, but if Chris McIntosh wants to work his magic here again I am completely, 100% on board now.

[Brewcrew82]

8 minutes ago, brooks_quichenick said:

The timeout by Gard when we had a 5 on 4 advantage and ~6 seconds left was inexcusable, imo.

What a putrid, embarrassing 2nd half. The fact that this team didn't show a lick of progress the entire season is enough of a reason to can GG. I've been a Gard defender, but if Chris McIntosh wants to work his magic here again I am completely, 100% on board now.

I don’t think McIntosh is going to be making any decision based off the outcome of an NIT game. And before the second half of last night’s game, the team had actually shown some positive growth over the past few games. I think the second half just served to reinforce the overarching issue of this season, which is starters getting tired due to lack of meaningful depth and consequently pressing on offense. That’s an issue that needs to get resolved in the transfer portal. But Gard just won a BIG championship last year, and this season was always supposed to be a rebuilding type year once Davis left for the NBA. There’s some pieces to work with here (Top 25 returning team per T Rank), and Gard has earned the chance to see it through. Fall short of expectations and miss the tournament again? Then it’s probably time to pull the trigger. 

[yourout]

Not sure if it's true but I saw a post stating the 13 point second half was the low scoring half in D1 basketball this season.

[brooks_quichenick]

1 hour ago, Brewcrew82 said:

I don’t think McIntosh is going to be making any decision based off the outcome of an NIT game. And before the second half of last night’s game, the team had actually shown some positive growth over the past few games.

I didn't say that McIntosh would be making decisions based on the outcome of one NIT game. "The fact that this team didn't show a lick of progress the entire season is enough of a reason to can GG." <- this was my reasoning. In fact, not only did they not show progress, I'd say that they regressed over the course of the season.

But if you want did want to claim that there was actually some positive growth this season after a couple of NIT games, then I think in that case it would be fair to base a decision on the outcome of a single, dreadful NIT game. 9+ minute scoring drought, 13 point 2nd Half, no adjustments, just a complete embarrassment but one that we've gotten incredibly used to this season.

[AKCheesehead]

I'm glad I missed it yesterday (working) as that 2nd half had to be pretty hard to watch.  I was looking forward to Thursday grilling some Usinger's, watching the Badgers in the NIT and then streaming the Brewers off MLB.tv, and an NIT championship would have been a pretty cool way for this team to finish the season.  Oh well. Brats and baseball it is.

[Brewcrew82]

39 minutes ago, brooks_quichenick said:

I didn't say that McIntosh would be making decisions based on the outcome of one NIT game. "The fact that this team didn't show a lick of progress the entire season is enough of a reason to can GG." <- this was my reasoning. In fact, not only did they not show progress, I'd say that they regressed over the course of the season.

But if you want did want to claim that there was actually some positive growth this season after a couple of NIT games, then I think in that case it would be fair to base a decision on the outcome of a single, dreadful NIT game. 9+ minute scoring drought, 13 point 2nd Half, no adjustments, just a complete embarrassment but one that we've gotten incredibly used to this season.

Okay, but shouldn’t he then also base his decision on the fact that Gard’s won the BIG 2 of the last 3 seasons previous to this one?

[LouisEly]

Just a reminder, Chryst was fired much more for his off-the-field performance than his on-the-field performance.  He had many clauses in his contract and other parts of his job that he either half-assed or just flat refused to do.  A down season is tolerated when everything else is in place; it's a straw that breaks the camel's back when everything else is not in place.

[Samurai Bucky]

On 3/29/2023 at 12:13 PM, yourout said:

Not sure if it's true but I saw a post stating the 13 point second half was the low scoring half in D1 basketball this season.

Was Gard dressed up in his Dick Bennett suit?

[Samurai Bucky]

Gard is not going anywhere.  However, I don't know if he gets a free pass.  It is obvious that depth is an issue on this team.  I would also argue talent is an issue.  I heard they are in contact with a 6'11" kid that may transfer from Virginia with more meat than Crowl.

If they choke next year with the great recruiting class coming in, then the seat will be much much hotter.

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:55 AM, brooks_quichenick said:

 if Chris McIntosh wants to work his magic here again I am completely, 100% on board now.

I'm happy with Fickells' hiring but let's tap the brakes a little on McIntosh "working magic". Different sport, vastly different roster size, plus they haven't seen the field yet.

Gard had plenty of time to assess the last 6 seconds & see that there was an open shooter on the wing.......if this was a video game. In real life, there are plenty of coaches that would've used a TO there. Probably most.

[LouisEly]

Gard mentioned that they were looking at players in the portal, so he had to know that some guys were leaving.

Jordan Davis is the first.

I find it funny that some are clamoring for Andrew Rohde and wanted Davis gone.  Rohde shot 32% from 3 in the Summit League.  Jordan Davis shot 31% from 3 in the Big Ten.

 

[Brewcrew82]

5 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Gard mentioned that they were looking at players in the portal, so he had to know that some guys were leaving.

Jordan Davis is the first.

I find it funny that some are clamoring for Andrew Rohde and wanted Davis gone.  Rohde shot 32% from 3 in the Summit League.  Jordan Davis shot 31% from 3 in the Big Ten.

 

Rohde also had a 22 PER as a Freshman and shot better from three as the season went on, including .40% from 3 in February/March. Jordan Davis is a Junior who had a 11.6 PER...There's a reason why a lot of big name schools are after Rohde...

[Oxy]

The Athletic had Rohde, Rienk Mast from Bradley and Marcus Domask from So ILL in their top 30 guys in the transfer portal (like what, 1500 players?), ahead of Skyy Clark and Jayden Epps and Jamison Battle.  UW is rumored to have 2 silent commits and have been linked to these three.  Mast + either of the other one would be great gets.

[Brewcrew82]

50 minutes ago, Oxy said:

The Athletic had Rohde, Rienk Mast from Bradley and Marcus Domask from So ILL in their top 30 guys in the transfer portal (like what, 1500 players?), ahead of Skyy Clark and Jayden Epps and Jamison Battle.  UW is rumored to have 2 silent commits and have been linked to these three.  Mast + either of the other one would be great gets.

I think Reynolds from Wyoming one of them, which would be a decent add if he took over Kamari as the back-up ball handler. He's more athletic than our other players and can get to the rim. I just don't think he's cut out for a featured role, though, as his efficiency numbers weren't the greatest at a mid-major. 

Not sure about the other one, though....I'd be very happy with Mast. 

[stoutdude04]

Wahl returning for a 5th year.

[RedStickBrew]

 

[Oxy]

I hope Reynolds is closer to a Max Klesmit than an Isaac Lindsey. We need a stretch 4 more than another G, unless he really is a significant upgrade over Lindsey and McGee.

Jordan Davis contributed more than those guys too and I'll be happy if Reynolds can out-perform JD2.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Reynolds is versatile, both in the ways that he can score the ball & the roles he can fill (he'll have a good chance to provide depth at both guard spots). He turns the ball over more than you'd like. But the program & staff he chose to latch on to should help with the decision-making that could lead to fewer TOs.

If everyone returns this gives you nice depth in the backcourt as I wouldn't be surprised if Blackwell gives them some minutes next season due to his ability to guard.