Wisconsin Basketball 2025-26

[yourout]

25 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Game slowed down a bunch in the second half, which is how UCLA wants to play. Badgers just built too big a lead for it to matter.

That's a nice win. Probably the best of the year to date. I don't think they can beat Michigan, but I'd like to see them keep it competitive. Wolverines have been untouchable at home, though they really had to hang on in State College tonight.

Agreed...that probably is their best win of the season.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Still wondering how consistent this team can be, and what the ceiling is if the good can outweigh the bad a little more often. When the bad stuff happens it seems to come in bunches. Like tonite. After a so-so start to the 2nd half, they built a 17-point lead. Then the UCLA kid puts up a three from the deep right corner--they hadn't hit one all night up to that point. He misses, but Carrington fouls him. Three FTs. Shortly afterwards Garlock bellys up on his man, who has the ball a good 15 ft from the hoop. I don't know if he'll ever have the ability to guard out on the floor like that when he's a vet, much less now. Easy blow-by for a layup. Seconds later Garlock commits an offensive foul on an illegal screen. So the lead is quickly down to something like 10. Those three things don't happen, I wouldn't be surprised if we cruise to the end & win by 18-22 pts. It didn't cost you the game, but it's stuff like that that's put them in holes vs some of the better teams they've played. 

So you continue to build, and get ready for the game vs the Media Darlings this weekend.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

8 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Still wondering how consistent this team can be, and what the ceiling is if the good can outweigh the bad a little more often. When the bad stuff happens it seems to come in bunches. Like tonite. After a so-so start to the 2nd half, they built a 17-point lead. Then the UCLA kid puts up a three from the deep right corner--they hadn't hit one all night up to that point. He misses, but Carrington fouls him. Three FTs. Shortly afterwards Garlock bellys up on his man, who has the ball a good 15 ft from the hoop. I don't know if he'll ever have the ability to guard out on the floor like that when he's a vet, much less now. Easy blow-by for a layup. Seconds later Garlock commits an offensive foul on an illegal screen. So the lead is quickly down to something like 10. Those three things don't happen, I wouldn't be surprised if we cruise to the end & win by 18-22 pts. It didn't cost you the game, but it's stuff like that that's put them in holes vs some of the better teams they've played. 

So you continue to build, and get ready for the game vs the Media Darlings this weekend.

Good thoughts. Noted that sequence too. Wasn't going to matter for the result, but hopefully more teaching material.

About halfway through the year, and it's weird to not have more of a sense of what this team can be. The good news is, more than any other sport, you just have to be playing your best in the last two weeks to make a lot of noise. That's still my hope for this crew. Get one big win that kind of pulls it all together, and there are advantages to that coming mid-January as opposed to mid-November.

[Samurai Bucky]

10 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Still wondering how consistent this team can be, and what the ceiling is if the good can outweigh the bad a little more often. When the bad stuff happens it seems to come in bunches. Like tonite. After a so-so start to the 2nd half, they built a 17-point lead. Then the UCLA kid puts up a three from the deep right corner--they hadn't hit one all night up to that point. He misses, but Carrington fouls him. Three FTs. Shortly afterwards Garlock bellys up on his man, who has the ball a good 15 ft from the hoop. I don't know if he'll ever have the ability to guard out on the floor like that when he's a vet, much less now. Easy blow-by for a layup. Seconds later Garlock commits an offensive foul on an illegal screen. So the lead is quickly down to something like 10. Those three things don't happen, I wouldn't be surprised if we cruise to the end & win by 18-22 pts. It didn't cost you the game, but it's stuff like that that's put them in holes vs some of the better teams they've played. 

So you continue to build, and get ready for the game vs the Media Darlings this weekend.

If the Badgers hit their 3's, they can stay on the floor and, maybe, beat anybody.  The problem is they cannot hit their 3's consistently.  What I saw may times last night was a 5-out, then have somebody go and touch the block while everybody else is standing around.  Then Nick Boyd gets anxious and starts dribbling around.  I'm sure I'm completely missing it, but the inside game is non-existent.  It is also to the point where if somebody drives, there is no plan.  The only creativity is to dribble to the elbow or maybe the block, kick it out and toss up a three.  Wash, rinse, repeat.

Perhaps it can be said better like this -- go through the set once (swing, hit the post, etc.).  If that doesn't work (maybe 18 seconds left on the shot clock), forget the set and start jacking up threes.  Again... great when it works, but terrible when the 3's aren't falling.  Also, I know I am being a bit hyperbolic... 😉

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 hours ago, Samurai Bucky said:

If the Badgers hit their 3's, they can stay on the floor and, maybe, beat anybody.  The problem is they cannot hit their 3's consistently.  What I saw may times last night was a 5-out, then have somebody go and touch the block while everybody else is standing around.  Then Nick Boyd gets anxious and starts dribbling around.  I'm sure I'm completely missing it, but the inside game is non-existent.  It is also to the point where if somebody drives, there is no plan.  The only creativity is to dribble to the elbow or maybe the block, kick it out and toss up a three.  Wash, rinse, repeat.

Perhaps it can be said better like this -- go through the set once (swing, hit the post, etc.).  If that doesn't work (maybe 18 seconds left on the shot clock), forget the set and start jacking up threes.  Again... great when it works, but terrible when the 3's aren't falling.  Also, I know I am being a bit hyperbolic... 😉

Yeah, the 5-out is something you see from most teams nowadays. In UWs' case it's compounded by Winter really being the only big that might concern an opponent when posting, and when he gets the ball down low it's usually not a post up so much as a result of good man-ball movement or a screen-and-roll. It works OK when the driving lanes are there as a result of the 5-out, or the propensity of the defense to clog the lane results in the threes. But as you alluded to, none of that works if they stand around---watching Tyler Wahl or Ethan Happ backing down might've been boring to some, but if they had an advantageous matchup it could end well, even if the other four guys are caught watching. Can't do that now & get away with it.

I actually saw Garlock make a nice post move & finish in their scrimmage, and he made a nice post move or two vs UWM. So it's in there. But in his case, yeah, it's gonna take a while.

As the clock runs down, I'd certainly like to see Boyd more aware of driving the ball, and I'd like to see Blackwell get back to that, too. Blackwell took over as the primary ball handler late in the game, and the two of them kinda alternating the role might go a long way toward stressing a defense a little more.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Badgers are 19.5 point underdogs in Ann Arbor tomorrow. That is...crazy, but you can't say Michigan hasn't earned it.

Obviously, not a game you expect to win, but looking at the schedule, there aren't too many marquee opportunities left for the Badgers. @Indiana? Iowa at home? For sure @ Purdue and Illinois and MSU at home. @Minnesota is a higher quality game than the computers think right now, I guess. I like this Gopher team. They look like they are rounding into form. We'll see if they can beat USC (late in OT as I post). 

Not getting Nebraska, Illinois, or Indiana at home hurts. Those would all be winnable Q1 opportunities. Point is, it's a quirky B1G schedule situation, so this team is going to have to either a) get on a real roll in all their non-marquee games or b) win some games as at least moderate underdogs.

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

14 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Badgers are 19.5 point underdogs in Ann Arbor tomorrow. That is...crazy, but you can't say Michigan hasn't earned it.

Obviously, not a game you expect to win, but looking at the schedule, there aren't too many marquee opportunities left for the Badgers. @Indiana? Iowa at home? For sure @ Purdue and Illinois and MSU at home. @Minnesota is a higher quality game than the computers think right now, I guess. I like this Gopher team. They look like they are rounding into form. We'll see if they can beat USC (late in OT as I post). 

Not getting Nebraska, Illinois, or Indiana at home hurts. Those would all be winnable Q1 opportunities. Point is, it's a quirky B1G schedule situation, so this team is going to have to either a) get on a real roll in all their non-marquee games or b) win some games as at least moderate underdogs.

 

For me it's all about the consistency, esp on the defensive side & staying away from the dumb decisions & turnovers. That stuff seems to come in bunches. The % of the time that they can avoid that ugliness determines whether they'll win enough to be on the right side of the ledger at the end.

Agree re Minnesota. Them, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan are so much better coached than we're used to seeing.

Rapp is officially ruled out for todays' game. Lendeborg is a ? Michigan.

[Jim French Stepstool]

To me it's important when playing a top team like this, especially on the road, you want to avoid being down by 7-10 early in the game & having to dig out of the hole. Four things I saw put them in the early hole: a long rebound not secured cost them three, another Michigan miss where Winter couldn't squeeze it cost them two, and a couple open looks from three that Bieliauskas missed.

But obviously some good stuff after that. Sagging into the lane & taking away the extra pass, fighting harder on the 50-50 stuff, and obviously a terrific half from Bkackwell. A couple bad decisions late in the half (Boyd) away from maybe leading at the half, although the kid is playing his heart out as usual.

I'm guessing Carrington practiced well the last few days. Some early (for him, anyway) minutes, and he looked mostly effective.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Can't fault the effort today. Shooting crazy hot from 3 obviously helps. Holding their own defensively, Michigan getting a good whistle.

Bring it home.

My biggest worry defensively is the inability to create turnovers. Guys shoot SO well these days. That big run they had in the first had a lot to do with grabbing a few steals. No TOs in the 2nd half for Michigan.

[yourout]

Massive front end misses.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I don't think they can overturn this call. If they do, it'll take a friendly Wolverine whistle and make it genuine home-cooking. 

Call stands. 

Interesting situation here. I would probably foul if I'm Michigan. Gotta make a front end.

[yourout]

3 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I don't think they can overturn this call. If they do, it'll take a friendly Wolverine whistle and make it genuine home-cooking. 

Call stands. 

Interesting situation here. I would probably foul if I'm Michigan. Gotta make a front end.

There's been plenty of home cooking....that would have been the chocolate cake with ice cream

[yourout]

Now that's a signature win.

[brooks_quichenick]

That was awesome, really impressive effort. Carrington was a serious glue guy today. 

Time to go on a run!

[young guns]

14 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I don't think they can overturn this call. If they do, it'll take a friendly Wolverine whistle and make it genuine home-cooking. 

Call stands. 

Interesting situation here. I would probably foul if I'm Michigan. Gotta make a front end.

I was only able to partially pay attention, but was the issue his initial touch or that it looked like he double tapped the ball.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

WOW.

That is a fist-pump, emotional catharsis kind of win. EARNED EVERY BIT. And did a lot of good work with Boyd on the bench in foul trouble. Obviously, getting all those points from Bieliauskas was huge. Credit to Carrington for a great game, despite two big FT misses down the stretch. And Kinzinger put in some HUGE possessions and did good work on the defensive end.

That's the win that separates you from a very messy bubble. A true road win @ the consensus best team in the country (or at least the consensus co-best team) is going to vault your standing. 

These guys are going to have to back it up, but let's hope they found something today. It's the kind of performance you were just waiting for, knowing the talent and understanding that these pieces SHOULD fit together. A team win. One of the best ones this program has had in a long time.

Going to enjoy the heck out of it!

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Just now, young guns said:

I was only able to partially pay attention, but was the issue his initial touch or that it looked like he double tapped the ball.

I thought I saw the double-tap too, but I think that 's fine under the rules. Issue was ball was still on the rim. As the (excellent) crew mentioned on the broadcast, that's a clear basket under FIBA rules. Just not NCAA ones. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

I don't know if I've ever seen a team come out of a half as hot as UW was, and have it virtually matched by the opposition. If Michigan is only 'good' in that stretch rather than red hot we go up by about a dozen. It was Cadeau (sp?) in the lane & a few threes vs the Alexis Bieliauskas Coming Out Party.

Multiple heroes. Carrington for sure was one, and he deserves special mention because his minutes had been curbed & he had some bench people ahead of him.

I'm overwhelmed by this, really. Goes to show ya how much poise & toughness can carry you. The FT misses late were followed by some really good dig-down deep halfcourt D to keep the momentum from turning.

Would've been great if they could've cracked this code before the TCU & Villanova games.

[Jim French Stepstool]

24 minutes ago, yourout said:

There's been plenty of home cooking....that would have been the chocolate cake with ice cream

As the half wore on & we were right there with them, I felt it was going to be one of those deals where if it was close in the last 3-4 minutes every Michigan possession was going to be a bucket or we were going to be called for a foul. But no. The halfcourt D really showed up in the late minutes.

Just heard in the postgame----Michigan missed 8 of their final 9 shots😲.

[homer]

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

16 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I thought I saw the double-tap too, but I think that 's fine under the rules. Issue was ball was still on the rim. As the (excellent) crew mentioned on the broadcast, that's a clear basket under FIBA rules. Just not NCAA ones. 

I wasn't sure it was on the rim, but it certainly was inside the cylinder.

I loved the announcing crew too, which is a rare comment coming from me. Raftery brings up a lot of good stuff (like not taking full advantage of Winter inside on switches).

[Jim French Stepstool]

35 minutes ago, brooks_quichenick said:

 Carrington was a serious glue guy today. 

 

He had 9 rebounds, which led everyone on either side. Also 4 assists; the only player on either team with more was Boyd.

Twelve FT attempts. Twice as many as anyone else in the game. 

Toughness.

 

[RedStickBrew]

Great win today.  Going nuts from 3 was pretty obviously a big reason for W.  

I still don’t really have a good feel for this team and have been hesitant to jump to conclusions about how good they can be. But a couple things stood out for me today. One is that they are getting better defensively, especially on the interior, with the help side D, and cleaning up the defensive boards. Secondly, Carrington’s presence on both ends has been a boost to the team. Why has he not had more minutes?

Basically this team has won every game they should have this season and now have their first Q1 win for their tournament resume. 

[Samurai Bucky]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I wasn't sure it was on the rim, but it certainly was inside the cylinder.

I loved the announcing crew too, which is a rare comment coming from me. Raftery brings up a lot of good stuff (like not taking full advantage of Winter inside on switches).

Harlan is one of the best in the business and Raftery is a trill to hear behind the mic (at 82 years young!).

Hummel on the other hand... he just simply doesn't like Wisconsin.  You could hear it during the UCLA game, too.

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 minute ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Harlan is one of the best in the business and Raftery is a trill to hear behind the mic (at 82 years young!).

Hummel on the other hand... he just simply doesn't like Wisconsin.  You could hear it during the UCLA game, too.

My favorite Raf moment of all time was many years ago, he was doing a Maryland game & they had a player named Exree Hipp. He drove to the hoop on a really fancy move, and Raferty said "If I tried to do something like that, they'd have to X-Ray MY Hipp."