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Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Wisconsin Badgers
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Some returning pieces for the Badgers will try to put them back in the top half of the conference.
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Wisconsin Badgers
Head coach: Greg Gard, Ninth Season, 164-94 (93-61)
2022-23 record: 20-15 (9-11)
All-time record against Ohio State: 53-78
Returners: Chucky Hepburn, Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, Connor Essegian, Max Klesmit, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore, Isaac Lindsey, Markus Ilver, Chris Hodges
Departures: Jordan Davis
Newcomers: Gus Yalden, Nolan Winter, John Blackwell, AJ Storr
Wisconsin is coming off a tough season, but they are bringing back almost the entire roster, so they have some expectations this year. In addition, they have brought in highly ranked recruit Gus Yalden and St. Johns guard AJ Storr.
Hepburn, Crowl, Wahl, and Essegian all averaged double figures last season, and Mex Klesmit averaged 8.4 points per game as the fifth scorer on the team. Jordan Davis is the leading scorer who is not returning to Madison, as he is off to Illinois State. Davis was sixth on the team in scoring at 5.1 points per game. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds.
The Badger have their top five scorers and nine of their top 10 scorers returning, and Storr averaged 8.8 points per game in just over 20 minutes a game for St. John’s last season.
Connor Essegian is one of the most popular choices for a breakout candidate in the conference this season after a stellar freshman campaign. Max Klesmit will also look to take the next step in his development.
Even though they are experienced and bringing back all of their contributors, the main question for Wisconsin is who will step into the star role and help them reach the next level? The easy answer is Tyler Wahl, but do not overlook Essegian or Hepburn. Hepburn is entering his fourth season as the primary ball handler and will be able to use his experience to help move the offense forward. Plus, adding AJ Storr will help take some of the burden of Hepburn as the primary initiator of the offense.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25061205/usa_today_20309157.jpg "Syndication: Journal Sentinel")
Ben Lonergan / The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Wisconsin is squarely in the second tier of Big Ten teams. They likely won’t be able to compete for a conference championship, but they have the experience and depth to win a lot of games behind Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, Connor Essegian and Chucky Hepburn. Similar to Maryland and Ohio State, the Badgers are expected to jump into the top five of the conference.
In the age of the transfer portal, not many teams are fortunate enough to bring back their entire team, but the trio of Hepburn, Crowl, and Wahl have started over 220 games in their career, and Essegian and Klesmit now have some games under their belt as well. Crowl is someone to watch as the season goes on because he does not get talked about as much as Wahl, Hepburn, or Essegian, but he is just as important to the Badger's success.
Because of their experience, The Badger's floor is very high, but the ceiling could be higher than we think if any of their main five or six guys go from solid starter to star.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Some returning pieces for the Badgers will try to put them back in the top half of the conference.
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Wisconsin Badgers
Head coach: Greg Gard, Ninth Season, 164-94 (93-61)
2022-23 record: 20-15 (9-11)
All-time record against Ohio State: 53-78
Returners: Chucky Hepburn, Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, Connor Essegian, Max Klesmit, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore, Isaac Lindsey, Markus Ilver, Chris Hodges
Departures: Jordan Davis
Newcomers: Gus Yalden, Nolan Winter, John Blackwell, AJ Storr
Outlook
Wisconsin is coming off a tough season, but they are bringing back almost the entire roster, so they have some expectations this year. In addition, they have brought in highly ranked recruit Gus Yalden and St. Johns guard AJ Storr.
Hepburn, Crowl, Wahl, and Essegian all averaged double figures last season, and Mex Klesmit averaged 8.4 points per game as the fifth scorer on the team. Jordan Davis is the leading scorer who is not returning to Madison, as he is off to Illinois State. Davis was sixth on the team in scoring at 5.1 points per game. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds.
The Badger have their top five scorers and nine of their top 10 scorers returning, and Storr averaged 8.8 points per game in just over 20 minutes a game for St. John’s last season.
Connor Essegian is one of the most popular choices for a breakout candidate in the conference this season after a stellar freshman campaign. Max Klesmit will also look to take the next step in his development.
Even though they are experienced and bringing back all of their contributors, the main question for Wisconsin is who will step into the star role and help them reach the next level? The easy answer is Tyler Wahl, but do not overlook Essegian or Hepburn. Hepburn is entering his fourth season as the primary ball handler and will be able to use his experience to help move the offense forward. Plus, adding AJ Storr will help take some of the burden of Hepburn as the primary initiator of the offense.
Prediction
Wisconsin is squarely in the second tier of Big Ten teams. They likely won’t be able to compete for a conference championship, but they have the experience and depth to win a lot of games behind Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, Connor Essegian and Chucky Hepburn. Similar to Maryland and Ohio State, the Badgers are expected to jump into the top five of the conference.
In the age of the transfer portal, not many teams are fortunate enough to bring back their entire team, but the trio of Hepburn, Crowl, and Wahl have started over 220 games in their career, and Essegian and Klesmit now have some games under their belt as well. Crowl is someone to watch as the season goes on because he does not get talked about as much as Wahl, Hepburn, or Essegian, but he is just as important to the Badger's success.
Because of their experience, The Badger's floor is very high, but the ceiling could be higher than we think if any of their main five or six guys go from solid starter to star.
Continue reading...