With the beginning of school basketball season in early November, we’ll study the convention as an entire and Indiana’s roster over the approaching weeks.
At the moment, our workforce previews proceed with Wisconsin.
Beforehand: Penn State, Washington, Minnesota, USC, Northwestern, Nebraska, Iowa, Oregon, Maryland
Wisconsin gained 22 video games and earned a No. 5 seed within the 2024 NCAA match. Nevertheless, after an upset loss to James Madison in March Insanity, the Badgers needed to retool their roster this offseason.
Greg Gard had deliberate to return 4 starters as he deliberate for his tenth season in Madison however it didn’t work out that approach.
The workforce’s main scorer, AJ Storr, left for Kansas. Its level guard, Chucky Hepburn, is now at Louisville. Quite than simply needing to interchange one starter in Tyler Wahl, the Badgers have been tasked with changing three.
The 2 starters who’re again – Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit – don’t have any scarcity of expertise. Each gamers are getting into their fifth seasons.
Crowl, a 7-foot, 245-pound middle, averaged 11.2 factors, 7.3 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists final season in 29 minutes per recreation. He additionally shot near 45 % on 3s and 74.2 % from the free-throw line. With the entire roster turnover, Crowl ought to see his utilization develop in his ultimate season.
Klesmit, a 6-foot-4 guard, shot 39.8 % on 3s and averaged 9.9 factors, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28.6 minutes per recreation. The Neenah, Wisconsin native will likely be one of many league’s prime perimeter shooters.
Whereas the lack of Storr leaves a major void, Wisconsin is hopeful sophomore John Blackwell can take a serious leap ahead after a stellar freshman season. Blackwell earned All-Freshman workforce honors within the Large Ten whereas averaging eight factors and three.2 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per recreation off the bench. He shot 45.5 % on 3s and 82.1 % from the free-throw line. The 6-foot-4 guard will likely be a focus of the Badger offense and also can develop into a disruptive defender.
The Badgers additionally dipped into the portal and landed Missouri switch John Tonje, who performed simply 78 complete minutes final season as a consequence of a foot harm. The 6-foot-5 wing was a significant component again within the 2022-23 season at Colorado State. Tonje averaged 14.6 factors and 4.7 rebounds at Colorado State and shot 38.9 % on 3s. Wisconsin is hopeful his harm is behind him and he can return to that kind.
Hepburn’s departure means Wisconsin could have a contest for place to begin guard minutes between Central Arkansas switch Camren Hunter and freshman Daniel Freitag.
The 6-foot-3 Hunter sat out all of final season as a consequence of a foot harm however was an All-ASUN choice within the 2022-23 season. The lefty guard averaged 16.9 factors, 5 rebounds and three.9 assists in 34 minutes in that season and Wisconsin is hopeful his recreation will switch to the Large Ten.
Freitag was a four-star prospect within the ultimate 247Composite rankings for the 2024 class from Minneapolis. Identified for his velocity and athleticism, Freitag might push Hunter for level guard minutes. Wisconsin additionally returns 6-foot senior Kamari McGee, who averaged 2.1 factors in 8.2 minutes final season. He’ll present extra level guard depth.
The commencement of Wahl opens minutes on the 4 and the Badgers recruited Xavier Amos from Northern Illinois, who will compete with a number of returnees for taking part in time.
The 6-foot-8 Amos additionally handled accidents throughout his two seasons at Northern Illinois. He appeared in a complete of simply 32 video games over two seasons however was extremely productive when he was on the ground final season. In 25 video games for the Huskies, Amos averaged 13.8 factors, 5.8 rebounds and shot 38.5 % in 30.9 minutes per recreation.
Frontcourt depth shouldn’t be a problem as Wisconsin additionally returns 6-foot-11 sophomore Nolan Winter, 6-foot-7 senior Carter Gilmore, 6-foot-9 senior Markus Ilver and 6-foot-9 redshirt junior Chris Hodges.
Winter is the probably successor to Crowl and was a prime 100 recruit within the 2023 class out of Minnesota. If he can proceed gaining weight and power, he must be the subsequent productive Wisconsin large man.
Gilmore, Ilver and Hodges are unlikely to play main minutes except Amos has an harm setback.
The Badgers additionally welcome two different freshmen in 6-foot-6 wing Jack Robison and 6-foot-10 large man Riccardo Greppi, an Italy native. Robison was a three-star prospect within the ultimate 247Composite rankings and performed at Lakeville North, which additionally produced Wahl and Winter. Greppi was a late summer time addition and provides the Badgers one other large physique for post-depth.
Bart Torvik’s 2024-25 season projections have Wisconsin at No. 41 nationally. The Blue Ribbon faculty basketball yearbook picked the Badgers to complete eleventh within the Large Ten and twelfth within the league by Lindy’s Sports activities faculty basketball preview journal.
Backside line: Gard is unlikely to take this system to the heights it achieved below Bo Ryan, however Wisconsin has a comparatively excessive ground below his management. The Badgers have gained 20 video games in seven of his 9 seasons on the helm and are sometimes within the combine for an NCAA match bid. This group seems like a fringe match workforce on paper and can depend on a number of switch portal additions coming off accidents to succeed.
Quotable: “Now we have an excellent group again. We’re not getting talked about rather a lot, which is ok. I like what I see right here. And we’ve bought a gaggle that’s ego-less and dedicated to successful. That’s actually, on the finish of the day, what issues. We don’t grasp any banners in July, you realize? So I don’t care about who wins the switch portal nationwide championship. It’s about getting the fitting folks with the fitting mindset who wish to be right here and who wish to chase championships. After which we work to place the whole lot collectively.” – Gard to the Blue Ribbon faculty basketball yearbook.
Filed to: 2024-25 Large Ten preview, Wisconsin Badgers
