2023-24 Wisconsin Basketball season thread

[yourout]

They basically removed the illegal screen from the rule book this year yet they call Crowl on that where he was set.

[yourout]

Man the officiating in this league sucks.

[RedStickBrew]

This is the point in the game where the leaders need to step up… Klesmit, Chucky etc and right the ship

[RedStickBrew]

Gilmore is making a difference out there now

[RedStickBrew]

Getting to be like a broken record but 7 first half turnovers again for UW

[RedStickBrew]

I’m liking the look of this smaller lineup right now. It’s been pretty effective 

[yourout]

You get things tied up then you get tagged with two phantom foul calls.

[yourout]

And they reward the Shannon suicide drive with a foul call.

Total crap.

[RedStickBrew]

1 minute ago, yourout said:

And they reward the Shannon suicide drive with a foul call.

Total crap.

It was ridiculous. He was out of control 

[RedStickBrew]

This team just doesn’t seem to have the mettle to finish. They get things tied or close and can’t maintain it

[yourout]

Nobody gets less home cooking from the zebras than Wisconsin.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

So, not to ignite the Kohl Center debates all over again, but it really does seem like the place just isn't that intimidating to high-level opponents. Last few years especially, I've seen so many top-15 teams get beat on the road. Doesn't happen as often at the Kohl.

When the Badgers lose, it's always a combo of FTs, 3s, and lack of urgency. I think they have to be among the worst teams in the country at being able to vary tempo when things get down to the last five minutes. They think they're in it down 5 or 7 with 3 minutes to go, and that's good in the sense that they don't rattle. But they're slow to start pressure,

They were never going to win giving up 80+.

[yourout]

Illinois has two players better than anybody on our roster.

[RedStickBrew]

7 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

So, not to ignite the Kohl Center debates all over again, but it really does seem like the place just isn't that intimidating to high-level opponents. Last few years especially, I've seen so many top-15 teams get beat on the road. Doesn't happen as often at the Kohl.

When the Badgers lose, it's always a combo of FTs, 3s, and lack of urgency. I think they have to be among the worst teams in the country at being able to vary tempo when things get down to the last five minutes. They think they're in it down 5 or 7 with 3 minutes to go, and that's good in the sense that they don't rattle. But they're slow to start pressure,

They were never going to win giving up 80+.

You make all good points. Looks like another mediocre Big Ten season for the Badgers. 

[yourout]

If they don't beat Rutgers it could get very interesting and whether they get left out of the dance.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Just returned from the game.

If you're going to struggle to get stops in crucial situations vs Michigan, Penn State, and Indiana, I guess it's certainly going to happen vs Illinois. Domask was close to unbelievable. When he wasn't guarded well, he scored. When Wahl had him bodied up pretty well, he scored. He did a lot of the stuff Happ used to do in the post, except he's 6-5 or whatever. and of course they shoot over 50% from three. On the season, 35%. Many of the looks were way too open though.

Frustrating game. On about three occasions, the script seemed to be get on a roll, put together some good possessions, get the crowd good & loud to where it feels like you're right on the doorstep of a big run..........then stick your head up your arse for 3 minutes with turnovers, poor recovery on defense, lack of boxout, dumb fouls, etc. Then climb back in the game, lather, rinse, repeat.

The small lineup was interesting insomuch as you seldom see it. I thought Crowl really dropped the ball today with the foul trouble. Maybe you want to go small anyway, but if he's able to actually stay on the floor & maybe get established in the post, now you might force Illinois to have to go big, and Hawkins isn't a banger &  Underwood really doesn't want to play Dainja 25 minutes. But Winter couldn't guard anyone today so you're left with Illinois dictating to us; we HAD to play the small lineup. As it were that Lineup didn't look bad offensively, It's just that Illinois is much more comfy with it than we are. Crowl never gave us a chance to be able to dictate to THEM.

Klesmit spent most of the game on Hawkins, who has 5-6 inches on him, and I thought he did pretty well. Just not enough guys who could cover up what's a terrific scoring team. A group like that really makes the deficiencies on defense stand out from guys like Winter, Essegian, Storr. Even Blackwell cracked a time or two, although I think he's holding up pretty well when you look at the big picture & all that's being asked of him.

I wish everyone could've seen the pregame stuff w/Howard Moore & some of his former teammates. I'm not one to be noticeably moved by stuff; I seldom if ever cry at funerals. I cried.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

2 hours ago, yourout said:

If they don't beat Rutgers it could get very interesting and whether they get left out of the dance.

I know it FEELS this way, but even 3 more losses will leave this team well in the field. Their resume is better than they are, but it's an objectively strong resume. If they fall below the 9 line, I will be a little surprised.

Still, it's been disappointing lately. Usually, Wisconsin is so solid, they'll avoid streaks like this. Just can't seem to close games.

 

[yourout]

5 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I know it FEELS this way, but even 3 more losses will leave this team well in the field. Their resume is better than they are, but it's an objectively strong resume. If they fall below the 9 line, I will be a little surprised.

Still, it's been disappointing lately. Usually, Wisconsin is so solid, they'll avoid streaks like this. Just can't seem to close games.

 

I agree they are likely in the field. But If they don't win another game and you get some conference tourney upsets that grab some spots it could get dicey.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Northwestern and Wisconsin are weird mirrors of each other. Cats have had an easier schedule and are a little worse defensively, but they play a bit more together and create way more easy shot with movement and screening action. They also have Buie, who is a constant scoring threat. Those two things make a lot of difference. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

12 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I'm getting a lot of mixed signals from this Badger team, both in terms of metrics and eye-test stuff. 

The good:

They have 12 Q1 and Q2 wins. That's like fourth in the country.

They've played a top-5 schedule, according to KenPom.

They're hard to play against and can beat you with a lot of different guys (though maybe not in a lot of different ways). 

When Klesmit or Storr are playing assertive, confident basketball (Klexmit from the perimeter, Storr getting to the rim), the offense is incredibly efficient. 

The bad:

A 3-8 road record is hurting them. They're usually able to pick off one or two more of those B1G games. Even 5-7, and you're feeling great about this resume (the silver lining is there aren't true road games in the NCAAT). 

Storr has struggled lately, since Purdue, I'd say. Without that athletic dynamism, the offense can get very stagnant and limited.

Only 54 in defensive efficiency at KenPom. Ouch. Some of that is that they've played some incredible offenses (schedule is 4th in offensive rating in the country), some is luck, some is just what Jim French has been plugged into for a while--they just don't seem quite as together in the defensive half court as past iterations. Chuckie's got great hands, but Crowl is a pretty limited defender, and teams are very, very good at putting Klesmit in pick-and-roll situations.

Essegian is the best pure shooter on the roster but has no role because he's limited defensively. I'd like to see him get more minutes, but I worry he's a transfer candidate.

Overall:

I think this is just what this team is. I think it's important they get on a bit of a roll heading into the tournament. Today's game is very important. Namely, they need a confident Klesmit and a confident Storr. Wahl, Chuckie, and Crowl are going to give you a lot of consistency. Those other two need to score. As others have said, it's a good team, but not a great team, with a very good resume. I think they've slightly overachieved relative to talent. But the B1G is a well-scouted league, and they've known how to expose the Badgers, especially in road games. The good news is: we're not going to see any B1G teams in the first weekend. That alone boosts my confidence in a Sweet 16 run.

 

Great post.

Tough spot for Essegian. When you count both ends of the floor Klesmit is clearly better. Same with Blackwell. That leaves Storr, and if you're going to go with a scorer that has trouble guarding & getting others involved, Storr is much more versatile afa finding different ways to put the ball in the basket. That leaves Essegian in a position where he enters the game, and if he doesn't knock one down in his first 1-2 attempts it's hard to justify keeping him out there. In that sense he's sort of like the Marcus Ilver of the guards.

Regarding not seeing B10 teams in the tourney, yeah, I've thought about that too. But you still have to guard w/o fouling. Runnin' out of time to get that right.

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 hours ago, Playing Catch said:

I'd take Crowl over Reuvers. Not even sour grapes.

Optimist- This team is good but unlucky... F4 is possible with parity in NCAA and a lucky draw.

Pessimist- I hate this team. They are hurting me so, so much.

I would say that final chapter (Crowl vs Reuvers) hasn't been written. Tough call for me & a pretty good debate.

Yeah, the matchups/draws in the NCAAs are everything. I think their shortcomings on defense are a bigger factor, but I'll admit they don't exactly have a horseshoe jammed up their ***, either.

[yourout]

5 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I would say that final chapter (Crowl vs Reuvers) hasn't been written. Tough call for me & a pretty good debate.

Yeah, the matchups/draws in the NCAAs are everything. I think their shortcomings on defense are a bigger factor, but I'll admit they don't exactly have a horseshoe jammed up their ***, either.

I would say crowl is probably a better rebounder and a bit better offensively but Nate was a far better defender.

They're probably pretty comparable overall

[Jim French Stepstool]

4 hours ago, RedStickBrew said:

It was ridiculous. He was out of control 

He was. But I had a good view of it, and neither Blackwell nor Hepburn did a very good job of stepping in & establishing position. You don't necessarily have to be stationary to get a charge call, but neither did much to sell it. And they had to call SOMETHING, so...........

[yourout]

If the Badgers don't win a game then they may get jumped yet by Iowa as well.

Both Minnesota and Iowa are playing pretty good basketball right now.

[yourout]

Wonder how the Badgers are going to fare on the all Big ten teams.

Maybe Chucky sneaks on to the third team along with AJ but beyond that maybe some honorable mentions.

 

Pretty much the whole second half of the season the Badgers not had the best player on the court.