Wisconsin Basketball 2025-26

[yourout]

1 minute ago, valpocrewsader said:

Wow, late start time on this one. I just tuned in to watch the comeback.

I wonder what a $5 bet would get you if they came back in one right now.

[RedStickBrew]

Never a doubt…

[yourout]

Heck of a comeback. Much better defense in the second half. 

And they started to hit some shots.

Janicki and Carrington were big in the second half along with Boyd and Blackwell

[Jim French Stepstool]

Just now, yourout said:

Heck of a comeback. Much better defense in the second half. 

And they started to hit some shots.

Janicki and Carrington were big in the second half along with Boyd and Blackwell

The thing is, early in the 2nd half their offense wasn't THAT effective, but the defense fueled it & allowed them to get it down to 10-12. At that point you knew there was a chance because Minny HAD to run out of gas at some point, right?

Looking at how often they went small, Winter really needed to be a warrior, and boy was he. And all the folks you mentioned were huge. Glad you included Janicki. If he ever gets to the point where he can give you 5PPG he goes from valuable to ultra-valuable.

One thing that bugged me was in the last few minutes we gave them much better looks from three than I liked.

It's much easier to say this when you win, but you gotta hand it to the opponent. Six guys covered all but 3 of their game-minutes; that's unheard of nowadays. Medved was a terrific hire.

[RedStickBrew]

10 minutes ago, yourout said:

Heck of a comeback. Much better defense in the second half. 

And they started to hit some shots.

Janicki and Carrington were big in the second half along with Boyd and Blackwell

You pretty much nailed it. The D was the key. Got Blackwell going too. 
It’s looking like Rapp is almost unplayable right now. His shot is off and he’s a liability on defense. They played Janicki and Carrington down the stretch and it seemed to shore up the defense. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, valpocrewsader said:

Wow, late start time on this one. I just tuned in to watch the comeback.

Mind giving me a Super Bowl final score?😁

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 minutes ago, RedStickBrew said:

You pretty much nailed it. The D was the key. Got Blackwell going too. 
It’s looking like Rapp is almost unplayable right now. His shot is off and he’s a liability on defense. They played Janicki and Carrington down the stretch and it seemed to shore up the defense. 

I was getting why Garlock wasn't used; this team isn't a good match for him. But I kinda wanted him out there to guard Grove, when Winter needed a blow & Bieliauskas was unavailable. Rapp can be an asset but yeah, the shot has to be falling for that to happen. And when you go with one big, he can't be it.

[RedStickBrew]

5 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I was getting why Garlock wasn't used; this team isn't a good match for him. But I kinda wanted him out there to guard Grove, when Winter needed a blow & Bieliauskas was unavailable. Rapp can be an asset but yeah, the shot has to be falling for that to happen. And when you go with one big, he can't be it.

Yeah I think the matchups were too difficult for him tonight. I would still like to see him get a couple minutes but I understood it tonight.

Janicki is one of the stronger post defenders we have. I have been impressed with his play on the defensive end. Now if he could just figure out his shot. 

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

A weird thirty minutes of hoops, considering the last 10 of the USC game and the first 20 of this one. Glad they managed to pull it out. The win @Michigan is still carrying this profile, but they'll have 7 Q1 opportunities in their last ten, and the home game against OSU is borderline. Could rise to that level if the Buckeyes string some wins together.

Difficult as it is for some (I've come around on Gopher hoops post-Pitno--even the Ben Johnson teams played hard and together in the face of a lot of adversity), we should be big Minnesota fans the rest of the way. Be helpful if they could finish the year top 75 in NET (83 now). Where the Badgers sit, every Q1 win matters. Going to be hard to keep them out if they even get to 3 or 4 of them.

The only serious CAN'T LOSE game from here on is the home date with Maryland. Other losses will simply be missed opportunities. Still, it's a weird situation. The Badgers could close 4-6, feel like they're not playing great, and drastically improve their tournament standing. The back half of this schedule is loaded, which is why the disastrous 4th quarter against USC still stings. 

 

[Playing Catch]

I've been on the Boyd-Blackwell-Janicki-Carrington-Winter lineup for a few weeks now, and we saw Gard using it during crunch time last night. Granted, Bieliauskas' ankle may have influenced that, but really, it's because Janicki is more dependable than Rohde, and Carrington is playing so well. Their two-way physical abilities make them so versatile. They can do every single basketball skill reasonably well, and with the quickness that comes with basketball instinct. It's not just that they seem to be more successful with that group. THAT group is really, really fun to watch. THAT, is Bo Ryan's starting 5. With that said, I would imagine due to the lineup's lack of size at the 4, they may leave shooters more space due to needing to be sure of rebounding positions after a shot. (This is only my impressions, by the way, I could be way off about all of this. I'm not breaking down film or anything).

I would prefer that Carrington and Garlock get most of Rapp's minutes at this point. BUT! I liked that cut later in the game, where he scored in the post. If he was more reliable with his cutting/receiving, he could provide them with an offensive wrinkle to the offense in that regard. But right now, he's simply getting outplayed at both ends by his opposite. I suspect his injury and his slow shooting start have sapped him of his verve, and who knows, maybe he's just had a hard time adjusting to everything and needs more time.

[homer]

26 minutes ago, Playing Catch said:

I've been on the Boyd-Blackwell-Janicki-Carrington-Winter lineup for a few weeks now, and we saw Gard using it during crunch time last night.

this is just an FYI

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Playing Catch said:

I've been on the Boyd-Blackwell-Janicki-Carrington-Winter lineup for a few weeks now, and we saw Gard using it during crunch time last night............ THAT group is really, really fun to watch. THAT, is Bo Ryan's starting 5. 

Interesting thought. If Bo were calling the shots, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the way he rolled.

As for Rapp.........I'm not usually a rewatch the whole game, study every possession kinda fan but I rewatched some of the 2nd half of last nights' game. After a terrible 1st half Rapp actually competed pretty well in the post, even defensively. Not to the point where that's ever going to be a strength of his, and maybe he just had more of a sense of purpose since he knew Bieliauskas was done for the day & afa giving Winter a break, he was IT. I dunno, perhaps it's just taking time to sink in that this isn't the WCC, you can't just roll out there and take threes, and in the meantime you'll defend the post & grab some boards simply because you're 6'10". But he was brought here to help stretch the defense. Hopefully he re-finds the touch.

[Jim French Stepstool]

On paper, UW vs OSU looks like the Battle of the Backcourts. We all know about Boyd & Blackwell. John Mobley & Bruce Thornton are the top two scorers for Ohio State. Mobley is a challenge in his own right, but Thornton doesn't receive nearly the attention he should due to OSU not being among the leagues' top teams. He's built like a tank & can beat you in a variety of ways. Taison Chatman has played well off the bench. Good backcourt.

Their bigs aren't big threats from beyond the arc but have size & girth. With Bieliauskas (I assume) sitting out this isn't a bad personnel matchup for Garlock. He'll be needed.

Puff Johnson has recently returned. At 6'8" another one of those matchup problems. He hasn't hit his stride yet & hopefully won't today.

Let's hope the start time for the game has been underlined. 1PM; not 1:20, not after halftime, not once we fall behind by twelve.

EDIT: Just learned Bieliauskas is NOT listed as out or even questionable. However Andrew Rohde is questionable & not going through warmups. Might mean Janicki or Carrington starts. Also might mean a little run for Jones or Kinziger (although Kinzinger seems limited to PG duties when he plays).

[yourout]

The first half has been quite the Raap-ening.

[yourout]

High level basketball by both squads. 

Almost like a tournament game.

[yourout]

Nice win...

[Jim French Stepstool]

After the opening minutes there might've been some "here we go again" thoughts. But I thought the focus & energy were OK early & it was more a case of Ohio State coming out focused on D & it taking UW a while to settle in--and the good shots we DID get weren't going in. Then Blackwell made some plays---and Austin Rapp being Larry Bird for ten minutes didn't hurt, either.

I liked most of what I saw, other than giving up a few too many OREBS. But we did our share of keeping possessions alive too, which helps to cancel that out. Mostly made Mobley & Thornton work hard for their points, too. Carrington doesn't light it up (2-7) but defends like a veteran & commits zero TOs w/4 assists in 29 minutes. Damn, has he become valuable.

When you think about growth & consistency, one of the brighter lights today IMO was Bieliauskas & Rapp combining for 29 points & doing a lot of other things you hope to see from 6'10" guys. Let's see if that can be built upon.

That's a pretty talented team to be towards the middle of a conference (now 6-5). Says a lot about the level of play in the top 4-5 leagues in CBB.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

5 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

After the opening minutes there might've been some "here we go again" thoughts. But I thought the focus & energy were OK early & it was more a case of Ohio State coming out focused on D & it taking UW a while to settle in--and the good shots we DID get weren't going in. Then Blackwell made some plays---and Austin Rapp being Larry Bird for ten minutes didn't hurt, either.

I liked most of what I saw, other than giving up a few too many OREBS. But we did our share of keeping possessions alive too, which helps to cancel that out. Mostly made Mobley & Thornton work hard for their points, too. Carrington doesn't light it up (2-7) but defends like a veteran & commits zero TOs w/4 assists in 29 minutes. Damn, has he become valuable.

When you think about growth & consistency, one of the brighter lights today IMO was Bieliauskas & Rapp combining for 29 points & doing a lot of other things you hope to see from 6'10" guys. Let's see if that can be built upon.

That's a pretty talented team to be towards the middle of a conference (now 6-5). Says a lot about the level of play in the top 4-5 leagues in CBB.

Good analysis, as usual.

Lots of teams have really been trying to go zone against us, and, honestly, we haven't looked great against it. But when you've got a tertiary scorer like Rapp stepping up and having a big half, it really, really helps.

Carrington absolutely belongs as an athlete, and he's a big part of this team's backcourt advantage. There aren't many teams that can throw three guys as good as him, Boyd, and Blackwell. 

The blueprint for beating the Badgers just has to be shutting down the driving lanes, slowing the pace, probably throwing in a few different looks defensively, and hoping you don't have Winter, Rapp, or JB get hot from deep. 

Impressed with what Janicki's brought in a Showalter (Showalter+, probably) kind of role. That was nice today when Rohde couldn't go. 

Now's when we find out what this team is made of. Mid-week bye before trips to Bloomington and Champaign. Get a split there, and you're feeling good. Gotta figure 3-2 in the next five puts them in darn good shape for a bid. Any better and you're getting closer to avoiding the 8-9 line. 

 

[ErnieRilesBrianGiles]

I know they've had they're ups and downs, but I think I like this Badgers team just as much as last years.

[yourout]

59 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Good analysis, as usual.

Lots of teams have really been trying to go zone against us, and, honestly, we haven't looked great against it. But when you've got a tertiary scorer like Rapp stepping up and having a big half, it really, really helps.

Carrington absolutely belongs as an athlete, and he's a big part of this team's backcourt advantage. There aren't many teams that can throw three guys as good as him, Boyd, and Blackwell. 

The blueprint for beating the Badgers just has to be shutting down the driving lanes, slowing the pace, probably throwing in a few different looks defensively, and hoping you don't have Winter, Rapp, or JB get hot from deep. 

Impressed with what Janicki's brought in a Showalter (Showalter+, probably) kind of role. That was nice today when Rohde couldn't go. 

Now's when we find out what this team is made of. Mid-week bye before trips to Bloomington and Champaign. Get a split there, and you're feeling good. Gotta figure 3-2 in the next five puts them in darn good shape for a bid. Any better and you're getting closer to avoiding the 8-9 line. 

 

The thing that makes Carrington uniek is his rebounding. That allows him to play bigger than his size. 

I don't know his exact size but for us he play a bit of 4 on our small lineup.

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Good analysis, as usual.

Lots of teams have really been trying to go zone against us, and, honestly, we haven't looked great against it. But when you've got a tertiary scorer like Rapp stepping up and having a big half, it really, really helps.

Carrington absolutely belongs as an athlete, and he's a big part of this team's backcourt advantage. There aren't many teams that can throw three guys as good as him, Boyd, and Blackwell. 

The blueprint for beating the Badgers just has to be shutting down the driving lanes, slowing the pace, probably throwing in a few different looks defensively, and hoping you don't have Winter, Rapp, or JB get hot from deep. 

Impressed with what Janicki's brought in a Showalter (Showalter+, probably) kind of role. That was nice today when Rohde couldn't go. 

Now's when we find out what this team is made of. Mid-week bye before trips to Bloomington and Champaign. Get a split there, and you're feeling good. Gotta figure 3-2 in the next five puts them in darn good shape for a bid. Any better and you're getting closer to avoiding the 8-9 line. 

 

Thank you.

It would certainly be presumptuous to look at Bieliauskas & Rapp today & assume they've turned a corner & they're on their way. But it's hard not to dream. Even w/o him making a 3pt shot today, Winter puts up yet another double-double. Giving 4s & 5s on the opposition yet another person to have to contend with would be terrific.

I like your point re the zones we've seen. If I'm playing against Boyd I'd certainly change looks on him, try to make him hesitant & think a little. Cuz once he gets comfortable..........I assume there will be a loss coming where people will be upset at him for going one-vs-the-world on some fast breaks & drives to the hoop. But it's what he DOES. as long as you can draw contact when not converting........ I guess it's one of those things you mostly relish & when it doesn't work you live with it.

I think this is a wonderful time for the midweek break. And I'd love a split in the next two roadies.

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, ErnieRilesBrianGiles said:

I know they've had they're ups and downs, but I think I like this Badgers team just as much as last years.

It can be fun to watch when you have people that are willing to play unselfishly, even if they're high-volume scorers. Even though they're much different players I think Tonje & Boyd fit that description. After the 1st half debacle vs Minnesota hopefully the downs are now few & far between.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Thank you.

It would certainly be presumptuous to look at Bieliauskas & Rapp today & assume they've turned a corner & they're on their way. But it's hard not to dream. Even w/o him making a 3pt shot today, Winter puts up yet another double-double. Giving 4s & 5s on the opposition yet another person to have to contend with would be terrific.

I like your point re the zones we've seen. If I'm playing against Boyd I'd certainly change looks on him, try to make him hesitant & think a little. Cuz once he gets comfortable..........I assume there will be a loss coming where people will be upset at him for going one-vs-the-world on some fast breaks & drives to the hoop. But it's what he DOES. as long as you can draw contact when not converting........ I guess it's one of those things you mostly relish & when it doesn't work you live with it.

I think this is a wonderful time for the midweek break. And I'd love a split in the next two roadies.

 

The thing I like so much about Boyd is that he really doesn't force as much as some guys his type. He's pretty efficient for a guy with the ball in his hands as much as he has it. Drawing fouls is a big part of that, but he's also good at finding the right pass from underneath the hoop when he gets stuck. You'd expect that from a Dusty May/Brian Dutcher guy. I can see why the staff saw something in him. 

I don't think Boyd is a Devin Harris level player, but that's the Badger PG he most reminds me of. They have the ball a lot. They distribute well. They get to the line. Doubt Boyd will have nearly as successful a pro career, but they strike me as similar college players.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Bombs away tomorrow in Bloomington. Indiana is a team that could very well hoist from behind the arc at a higher rate than UW does in this noon matchup. 52% of their shots are from 3PT range on the season, for a respectable 35%. Seventy percent 😲 of Tucker DeVries shots are from deep, making about a third, while their other big gun is Lamar Wilkerson who attempts 57% of his looks from behind the arc (39%). Wilkerson has 'tweener' type size & is maybe a little more athletic than DeVries; I expect a combo of Rohde/Janicki/Carrington to take turns on him (perhaps Blackwell if he can stay away from fouls). This also looks to me like a game where we can pretty easily go small if desired. I love the work Bieliauskas & Rapp turned in vs Ohio State but I don't know if the matchups are there vs this group.

IU seems to be a 'rebound by committee' sort of team & it usually works OK for them, but they don't appear to be a big OREB squad. The bigs don't force the issue--they shoot a solid % from mostly inside the arc. Their pace under Coach DeVries is slower & they take much better care of the ball than under Woodson. Tucker DeVries is a big part of what they do offensively; making him uncomfy would be extremely valuable but it'll be tough to do.

Nick Dorn mostly comes off the bench & is very productive (.415 from 3PT). FR forward Trent Sisley also comes off the pines. The UW staff recruited him pretty heavily. 

A winnable game but UW will have to play pretty damned well to pull it off.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Might be one where it's just whoever hits more threes wins. Modern basketball. I'm not at all impressed by DeVries defensively, so maybe the Badgers can get to the rim with some consistency and hang in even if they're not shooting lights out.

These teams feel similar to me not just in terms of their overall season momentum (played reasonably well early, hit a little skid, have picked up some big wins in recent weeks) or their general style (reliant on guards and threes), but in terms of their NCAAT standing. The Badgers probably have the better profile (2-8 in Q1 is not great for Indiana, though they are higher in the computers) by virtue of the win @Michigan. The Gophers sliding up to 72 in the NET helps a lot; hope they can stay there, even if it shows some of the fuzziness of the quadrant system (speaking of which, was happy to see Minnesota get a W; they were due a big one). All of that makes tomorrow's game a huge opportunity for both teams. Both are on the right side of the bubble, but not by a ton. Not at all surprised the Badgers are road dogs, but 4.5 feels a TOUCH high to me. 

Man, tomorrow is going to be like drinking from a fire hose. Olympics all day and a crapload of great hoops. Real excited for it!