Jim French Stepstool

IMO the late-season stuff needs to be tempered.....to a point. Yes, there have been disappointments. What I see tourney-wise: 19-20) Arguably his best team of the last half decade is playing their best ball at the end of the season & gets the post season cancelled on them. 20-21) They blow out UNC, then lose to the eventual nat'l champ by 13. 21-22) A very subpar two games in Milwaukee. But they find a way to avoid the upset in round one, then lose Hepburn for over half the ISU game. 22-23) An NIT team that probably was at the level they deserved, after losing Davis prematurely. 23-24) I'm as aware as anyone about the shortcomings they had offensively w/Tyler Wahl on the floor. But he wasn't close to 100% for a # of games, and that didn't help. JMU was a 12 seed that is giving a lot of people fits if they play well, and they did. The End. Maybe it's just me, but what overshadows all of this is how they so drastically changed the pace/philosophy of the offense without really missing a beat AFA wins & losses My biggest concern right now is Klesmit & Winter.

To me there was a lot of similarity between the final 5-6 minutes of regulation vs Oregon, and the final 5 minutes of the 1st half Saturday. And yes, I think the effort/intensity level changing had a LOT to do with it. It's one of those things that's dangerous because it can happen very subtly, and if your opponent doesn't buy into the idea that it's time to coast then you wasted a lot of effort building the advantage. 'Killer instinct' is one of those cliches the media throws out there, but it's really just maintaining the effort/smarts that put you in the drivers' seat to begin with. In two recent instances now, IMO we went into "Up by 20 w/two minutes left" mode. Now that it's repeated itself, the coaches need to be on top of it. But it's on the players, really. I would doubt the game prep changes on Sr Days compared to other games. Like I said, to me it was eerily similar to late in regulation vs Oregon. Foot off the gas......mentally as much as anything else......has to be addressed.

Since the aforementioned foul Blackwell committed, I think they were outscored something like 59-35 over the last 25 minutes or so. It didn't cost them the game all by itself, but it epitomized the mindset they fell into after (apparently) thinking that after building a lead this was simply a Senior Day celebration. To Penn State, it was a damn basketball game. You can be coached by Dick Bennett, Tarkanian or any pace of play in-between. It doesn't matter; if you lose your intensity & your desire to make the right decisions & let yourself get lazy it can be real hard to get it back. They turned UW into a team that needed to hit threes & even when they drop, that's not us. It didn't help that Konan-Niederhauser was pretty much relegated to waiting at the rim for whatever drives were attempted. IMO the chances of them making a tournament run are the same as they've always been. Get healthy. And the probing, the ball-man movement, the 'smarts' can't ever go away. A fast pace can grab you a big lead. If you aren't smart, it'll give it right back. Learn from it.

Halftime note to John Blackwell; Yes, you were fouled by a defender on your way to the cup & it wasn't called. That DOES NOT give you a free pass to shove a guy out of the way in front of the officials a minute later. His 2nd foul, which resulted in PSU attacking on the other end causing Janicki to commit HIS 2nd foul. It fueled the whole sequence that got PSU within 5 at the half, really. At this time of the season, you just can't afford to be that dumb.

Funny game. PU was taking control late, which wasn't surprising. Then Jakucionis made a huge three, and PU did exactly what they needed to do. Keep it in Smiths' hands. He just missed shots; and one time got it in Kaufmann-Renns' hands in a great spot & Riley made maybe the play of the game to strip him. The Fighting Underwoods just owned the last three minutes & I didn't see it coming.

Obviously a game they should win today, on paper. But the memory of the egg they laid on SR Day vs Nebraska a couple years back is fresh enough in my memory. UW has had just enough trouble with TOs vs perimeter pressure that a PSU team that isn't bad at it will probably give that a try. They have enough length & athleticism to cause problems for stretches. Klesmit still out. That's too damn bad. Sr Day was made for a kid like him. Konan-Niederhauser is a non-physical big that has very impressive length, athletic ability and a decent amount of skill. In this era of committing to a program w/o actually committing, I can't help but wonder if during his previous season at Northern Illinois maybe he developed enough of a friendship with Xavier Amos that he'd consider another move. With a little more muscle he could be a real defensive game-changer.

I don't follow the womens' program closely, but it seems to me that there is some similarity to the Minnesota mens' program-----enough talent produced by the state, but it's taken for granted that the top crust of that talent has no chance of staying home. When Arike Ogunbowale was at Milwaukee DSHA we saw her often as I coached in the Greater Metro Conference at the time. The narrative was that there was no real chance for UW, and she had a brother on the FB team at the time. I suppose, if there's an assistant coach at a high-powered program somewhere & he/she has state ties, I'd go in that direction. I have no idea if anyone fits that profile.

Obviously they don't win this game w/o Blackwell. But I'm reminded of when UW had the FB players that sat out due to the Shoebox situation, and Barry Alvarez used the term 'program win' when they struggled but had people step up in a couple early wins. Tonite you had Klesmit out, Tonje with fouls, McGee just not as effective in a starters' role, and you had big plays made late on both ends---on the road--- by a couple of kids that were originally walkons. This was a program win. A Greg Gard win. A win for every assistant coach that helped to mold Carter Gilmore & Jack Janicki. 18 Assists on 24 buckets. And given the misses at the rim could've been an even higher ratio. Tonje just needs to be smarter. A ? call or two on early fouls, but his 4th foul, with a lot of time left, was incredibly obvious & very dumb. And he was extremely fortunate he didn't get whistled for his fifth w/the play in the lane. My foot through the screen moment was when they went up 11 in the second half. Minnesota cut it to five quickly on a pair of 3-pointers, both open looks w/feet set, and both shots put up by probably their two most likely guys to make them. We mostly did a nice job of allowing the better looks to guys that probably aren't going to beat you, but that was an ugly sequence. Funny thing, it was when Cam Hunter was in the game but I'm pretty sure the 1st one wasn't his fault & I know the second one wasn't. So looking forward to Klesmit getting back & folks going back to familiar/effective roles.

I guess it says something when you can give up as many possessions as UW did & still go into the break up six. I think we'll be OK if this is one of those games where we clean up the TOs after halftime, provided we also continue to put pressure on them with driving the ball & looking for Crowl inside. If we can do that & hang on to the damn thing, should continue to pile up some fouls. I don't know why but I have an irrational annoyance w/Rigsby. Don't let him get his feet set. Oh, and Parker Fox sounds like a character from an 80s sitcom.

Klesmit ruled out for tonite's game. Despite the uneven shooting from him this season, it's hurtful in the sense that it takes one of the better sixth men in the league out of his role & bumps everyone else up a notch. Fortunately Janicki has been really consistent in his floor game & showing the ability to score a little. Also, this should be a game where Amos matches up fairly well, unlike the last time out. Try, try, try to make Garcia shoot tough twos.

Add another 'Zeelander to the fold. Jackson Ball, a 6'4" point guard & U-17 teammate of Hayden Jones, announced he's coming to UW. 2026 recruit. He announced that he can't wait to put on the Wisconsin singlet. I guess that's better than saying leotard.

Crowl HAS had issues lately making the effective pass, which is disappointing because he did that really well earlier in the season. It's part of the reason I'd like to see if he could draw doubles in the mid-to-low post area. If he gets the decision-making mojo back he could carve people up from there, finding cutters or throwing it out for my favorite 3PT shot.....the one you step into. Was hoping Minnys' SR day was over the weekend but they're on the road so it's Wednesday. Should we be able to take care of business anyway? Yeah, but sometimes weird crap happens under those circumstances so it's always nice to avoid it.

Yeah, when I first learned that I assumed it was a statline screwup. And I watched the entire game. Added strength w/o affecting the shooting touch is the goal for him. As you said, everything else is pretty much there. Stronger hands in particular.

I wish Crowl/Winter could spend a little more time trying to get postups (Crowl anyway). It seems like Gard feels he needs bigs as a release valve vs pressure in the half court. Just about all teams use their bigs in that way, but maybe our reliance on that takes away from the offense. Sure, if you're Crowl & you get a good look or two from deep, let it fly until you've shown you just don't have the touch that day. But I'd like to see him get fed down low more often, at least to see if there's going to be a double-team. Nothing should be taken for granted vs Minnesota. Ben Johnson is a pretty good coach who the powers that be up there hoped would get more of the big-time talent from the TC to stay home.

Let's face it, once MSU settled in they guarded really well. UW needed to make the open looks they DID get, and that didn't happen. This was one of those games where you could've used a 'true' PG, invert the offense a little, and get Tonje/Blackwell the ball in a post up situation. But we don't really do that. I don't know how many 2nd-3rd chance points MSU had. But I DO know that this was the type of game where you might shoot like crap from three, so you'd better not give up extra looks. And Izzo found something w/his bigs rolling to the hoop for the lobs. Way too easy. Janicki & Gilmore were the most impressive guys on the floor for Wisconsin, just based on defense & toughness. It was that kind of game. And considering what he went up against, I thought Winter competed well.

There are a lot of contested ones. But some good looks too, that just won't go down. And we're looking to drive the ball, but that isn't quite as successful as we're used to. Like @youroutsaid, good defensive team.

I think MSUs' bigs are OK, in that they epitomize the cliche 'they stay within themselves'. And they hit the boards hard. I would agree we have more firepower with Crowl & Winter.

Obviously, 2 for 16 or whatever it is from three won't get it done. But despite that they go into the locker room with a lead, plus most of them were good looks & if they revise to the mean It could be an edge for UW in the 2nd half. I was actually more concerned about the 2nd & 3rd shots for MSU. Looks like MAYBE that got cleaned up late in the half. The zone is a two-edged sword. AFA the quality of shots allowed to MSU it worked OK. But the lack of boxout vs this team is a little scary.

"I'll remember that". I think Izzo eventually forgot.😎 Classic matchups between those two.

As am I. Over the last quarter-century, so many great games between the two programs. The toughness, the way they step up defensively & on the boards in big moments............I've been an Izzo fan for a long time. And it sounds like the relationship Gard has with Izzo, and the mutual respect, is totally genuine.

Watching MD-MSU as I type this. I'd hafta say they're the two best in the league right now. Adding quality play from Gillespie to their inside game makes MD really good.

Nice bounceback, and pretty much expected. I was a little surprised Sprinkle didn't stay with the 1-3-1 w/the traps,or go back to it later. We didn't look all that comfortable with it compared to their man to man & it seemed to dirty up the game a little, which they needed if they had any chance of making it a game. Would it have ultimately succeeded? Probably not. But if I'm an opposing coach I'm doing anything I can to make UW continuously adjust on the fly. Great bounceback for Blackwell, and nice to see the bench get productive minutes. Both Janicki & Amos had what I would call heat-check moments, took the shot, and knocked it down. Confidence builders. Look forward to added strength from Amos. Sounds like Klesmit has been dealing with the 'lower leg' thing for awhile. Nice to get him almost a full game off plus 4 days.

Considering where his career was when we picked him up & what we got out of him, they did really well with Manny Pina. As for Capra, I see Collins & Monasterio as the two he's most directly competing with, and he's a better defender than both. And we all know what sort of premium they put on that.

Yeah. They spent a LOT of time in the 2nd half up by anywhere from 10 to 15 pts, and it showed. During that "meat portion" of the half I thought there were many possessions of the type you might see if you're up 25 w/5 minutes to go. Lots of settling. Shooting 12 seconds into the shot clock is fine if it's a GREAT shot but they seemed to lose their will to probe for something better than a mediocre one. IMO that had a lot to do with Bittle committing zero fouls in the last 25 minutes after having three at halftime. Was never forced to sit w/his 4th (or fifth) and he killed us late. I mentioned that a few posts back. Still sticks in my craw,

With both Mitchell & Frelick able to play CF, so do I. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Margot hangs around until Perkins returns.