2024 - 25 Wisconsin Basketball Thread

[Playing Catch]

There's not much one can say after scoring 94 in Mackey Arena. A great win. Badgers backcourt just abused Purdue's the whole game. Without a giant in the middle of the paint, Purdue is susceptible to the dribble-drive.

I've missed a lot of Purdue games this season. When I saw them in November, it was hard for me to see much more than a good team; a 4 or 5-seed type of team. But I figured that I must be missing something when I see them at the top of the B1G, and top-10 in T-Rank. But I think the Badgers exposed a lot of their weaknesses. Namely, a lack of size and a lack of depth.

It's natural to think teams that beat your team are good, so I just figured Illinois and Michigan were the top two teams in a deep B1G. I thought the Badgers were in that 3rd tier with about 5 or 6 other teams. But now I think it is Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State all on the same tier (4-seed type of team), with Maryland and UCLA right behind them.

Just like it's wise to move on quickly after a quirky loss, the Badgers need to refocus after that win. Fortunately, Illinois at home probably isn't a trap game.

[Samurai Bucky]

at :37 in this video, Raf asks, "This style of play is right up your alley.  Is that the case?"

Tonje:  "Oh yeah!  I love Wisconsin Basketball, baby!"

I wonder if the recruiting classes will get better, or perhaps the transfer rank (not that that means anything, necessarily).

According to 247sports.com:

2024:  Composite 63 / Transfer 55

2023:  34 / 95

2022:  108 / 112

2025:  51 / N/A

 

[LouisEly]

1 hour ago, Samurai Bucky said:

I wonder if the recruiting classes will get better, or perhaps the transfer rank

Between Tonje this year and Storr last year, you have to think that any good transfer is going to give UW a long, hard look.

[Jim French Stepstool]

4 hours ago, Playing Catch said:

Just like it's wise to move on quickly after a quirky loss, the Badgers need to refocus after that win. Fortunately, Illinois at home probably isn't a trap game.

No, it certainly isn't. That's a team that's capable of playing at a really high level & I assume UW comes out focused. The 'bad-start-itis' they seemed to have for a stretch of games looks like a thing of the past. Even after winning at WL, evening the score with Illinois would be a nice accomplishment.

I think at Minnesota could fit the 'trap game' narrative. They're playing much better, which I didn't see coming.

[Underachiever]

I would have thought back to back final fours with the most efficient offense in the history of tracking that would have helped recruiting but it didn’t. Zrno committing to lame-duck Woodson was a head scratcher. 
 

but, what a game! Double-digit win at Mackey? Amazing

[Jim French Stepstool]

22 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Fifty-eight points in a half for an opponent in Mackey Arena. The answer is 'probably' since the building's been around since the 60s, but I have to wonder if that's ever happened.

 

Pardon me for quoting myself, but after conferring with the investigative firm of Me, Myself, and I it was determined that on February 28, 1970 Iowa scored 59 points in one half at Purdue.

So, one point short.

[RedStickBrew]

13 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

I would have thought back to back final fours with the most efficient offense in the history of tracking that would have helped recruiting but it didn’t. Zrno committing to lame-duck Woodson was a head scratcher. 

Zrnos commitment was $ related. It’s unclear if UW even offered him.

I read somewhere that Gard is really concerned about team chemistry and paying someone like Zrno more than current roster players might cause some problems on that front 

[LouisEly]

50 minutes ago, RedStickBrew said:

Zrnos commitment was $ related. It’s unclear if UW even offered him.

UW offered on 1/13/25.

In today's age of college athletics, nothing is set in stone until the first day of classes.  And even then, I'm not sure it is.

[Underachiever]

Regardless, I think we will continue to be happier with the results of games than we will be with the decisions of recruits.

on another note, I was under the impression that foreign players could not receive NIL in their student visas. They say Edey, as a Canadian, could get money from Canadian companies, but not US. My extensive four minutes of internet research hasn’t answered the question.

[RedStickBrew]

53 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Regardless, I think we will continue to be happier with the results of games than we will be with the decisions of recruits.

on another note, I was under the impression that foreign players could not receive NIL in their student visas. They say Edey, as a Canadian, could get money from Canadian companies, but not US. My extensive four minutes of internet research hasn’t answered the question.

My understanding is that recent court rulings have all but eroded any enforcement the NCAA has on player payment. International players are simply paid directly by boosters now instead of going through the NIL process like other players

[Jim French Stepstool]

50 minutes ago, RedStickBrew said:

My understanding is that recent court rulings have all but eroded any enforcement the NCAA has on player payment. International players are simply paid directly by boosters now instead of going through the NIL process like other players

NCAA--------No Control Anytime, Anywhere.

I think the situation regarding foreign player compensation is tied to green card application IIRC, but I'm too lazy to look it up. Long story short, I'm pretty confident Jakucionis & Ivisic aren't living in a dorm & subsisting on training table and ramen noodles in Champaign, Illinois.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

This era can't really last. Coaches hate it. The NCAA doesn't want it. The big-time programs can't enjoy having to re-recruit every year, often against schools who would never touch their status under other circumstances. Plus, you can kind of feel the media starting to turn. Used to be, "pay these guys!" was a click machine. Now, it's "this is out of control."

Maybe we get a true ONE-time transfer waiver. A cap of some sort. NIL as a multi-year contract. Who knows? But I doubt we're seeing this level of player freedom in 3 years.

The Badgers have followed a good blueprint, I think. Be active in the portal, but make sure to keep identifying players with a high probability of sticking around. Having Klesmit and McGee (not to mention Crowl and Gilmore and even Blackwell) really helps when you bring in Tonje. 

[yourout]

Illinois scored minus 2 points in the last 6 minutes against Michigan State. 

They had a goaltending call reversed. 

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02k4pWF7JwjGM7SogXfY5AVFnx2h8voWKBUzkLBQ42bVYN1QqaPCsDC4wvcoUCSBBzl&id=100064957231056&post_id=100064957231056_pfbid02k4pWF7JwjGM7SogXfY5AVFnx2h8voWKBUzkLBQ42bVYN1QqaPCsDC4wvcoUCSBBzl&mibextid=CDWPTG

[Jim French Stepstool]

6 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

This era can't really last. Coaches hate it. The NCAA doesn't want it. The big-time programs can't enjoy having to re-recruit every year, often against schools who would never touch their status under other circumstances. Plus, you can kind of feel the media starting to turn. Used to be, "pay these guys!" was a click machine. Now, it's "this is out of control."

Maybe we get a true ONE-time transfer waiver. A cap of some sort. NIL as a multi-year contract. Who knows? But I doubt we're seeing this level of player freedom in 3 years.

The Badgers have followed a good blueprint, I think. Be active in the portal, but make sure to keep identifying players with a high probability of sticking around. Having Klesmit and McGee (not to mention Crowl and Gilmore and even Blackwell) really helps when you bring in Tonje. 

I hope some sort of sanity-driven structure returns. I'd like it if a transfer is only allowed to play immediately if his previous coach retires, takes another job or gets canned. But I think the stuff you propose has a better chance of happening.

As much as high majors don't like this, I can't even imagine what it's like for a mid or low-major program.

"We're thrilled here at Southeastern New Mexico A&T that you're having such a terrific season for us. But could you back off on the productivity for a few games? Pitino just whipped out his checkbook & we can smell it from here."

[Playing Catch]

18 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I think at Minnesota could fit the 'trap game' narrative. They're playing much better, which I didn't see coming.

Well, let's face it. I will be nervous about every game from here on out. Badgers have a legit shot at the regular season title, and have a chance at a top-3 seed (the only seeds that matter to me, as you get to avoid having to face 1-seeds until deeper in the tournament). There really shouldn't be any trap games at this point in the season. I'm worried about Penn State senior day, though.

[Playing Catch]

22 hours ago, Samurai Bucky said:

I wonder if the recruiting classes will get better, or perhaps the transfer rank (not that that means anything, necessarily).

According to 247sports.com:

2024:  Composite 63 / Transfer 55

2023:  34 / 95

2022:  108 / 112

2025:  51 / N/A

The Badgers have a pretty good run of success with scoring guards (Davis, Storr, Blackwell, Max, Tonje), three of which were transfers. They have a lot to sell to recruits.

If Gard goes on to win yet another title, and B1G Coach of the Year award. Will he still be on the hot seat? Or does he still not recruit well enough?

[homer]

Really could have used an OSU upset over Michigan on Sunday. Gonna be tough to catch them w 6 games to go after they beat us and have two fewer losses. I'm assuming head-to-head is the first tiebreaker. UM does have a tough schedule to finish out though (MSU twice) so there's a chance. 

[homer]

Where would this team be if Klesmit was hitting 38 - 40% (what he shot the last two seasons) from three? If he gets hot going into the tourney...

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

3 hours ago, Playing Catch said:

Well, let's face it. I will be nervous about every game from here on out. Badgers have a legit shot at the regular season title, and have a chance at a top-3 seed (the only seeds that matter to me, as you get to avoid having to face 1-seeds until deeper in the tournament). There really shouldn't be any trap games at this point in the season. I'm worried about Penn State senior day, though.

Yes, I think there's an extra reward to being a top-3 seed too, in that it looks to me like the bottom of the bracket is going to be bad, but the 11-13 lines might be loaded. Bubble looks stronger to me when a team like UCONN or Creighton might be in line for, like 10 seeds, and SEC schools like Vandy might end up on the 12 line.

My big-picture bracketing thought is that this year's field feels simultaneously wide-open and very chalky. Would I be surprised if a bunch of 10, 11, 12 seeds won in the first round? Not a bit. But I also think Auburn, Alabama, and Florida (plus maybe Houston just because of their toughness and Duke because of Flagg) are really, really going to be hard to beat.

[Samurai Bucky]

48 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

My big-picture bracketing thought is that this year's field feels simultaneously wide-open and very chalky. Would I be surprised if a bunch of 10, 11, 12 seeds won in the first round? Not a bit. But I also think Auburn, Alabama, and Florida (plus maybe Houston just because of their toughness and Duke because of Flagg) are really, really going to be hard to beat.

I still remember seeing Bruce Pearl at Flannery's having lunch with some random dude a few days before he left for UWM.  Maybe Auburn will play Illinois in the tourney?  😉

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Yes, I think there's an extra reward to being a top-3 seed too, in that it looks to me like the bottom of the bracket is going to be bad, but the 11-13 lines might be loaded. Bubble looks stronger to me when a team like UCONN or Creighton might be in line for, like 10 seeds, and SEC schools like Vandy might end up on the 12 line.

My big-picture bracketing thought is that this year's field feels simultaneously wide-open and very chalky. Would I be surprised if a bunch of 10, 11, 12 seeds won in the first round? Not a bit. But I also think Auburn, Alabama, and Florida (plus maybe Houston just because of their toughness and Duke because of Flagg) are really, really going to be hard to beat.

Yes. I'd put Tennessee in that last group too. Toughened by that SEC grind, & I feel they may have a bit more in them than they've shown.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Interesting stat of the day: Jack Janicki has played 254 minutes this season. That's the equivalent of six full 40-minute games, plus a little change. He's turned the ball over three times.

[LouisEly]

22 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I think the situation regarding foreign player compensation is tied to green card application IIRC,

Close - student visa.  If someone is here on a student visa, they cannot earn income (possible exception is if it is directly from the university for a university job, but it has to be directly from the university).

[Jim French Stepstool]

Morez Johnson, a freshman who has been a terror on the boards & defensively for Illinois this season, suffered a broken wrist in their last game. Out for Wisconsin tomorrow & I would guess the rest of the season.

[LouisEly]

On 2/16/2025 at 9:30 AM, LouisEly said:

Between Tonje this year and Storr last year, you have to think that any good transfer is going to give UW a long, hard look.

According to sources, Gard has already been getting calls from agents for kids who plan on entering the portal or who would enter the portal if UW was interested.