Wisconsin Basketball Thread 2017-18

[LouisEly]

On a different note, last night's game was my first time watching on espn3, as bandwidth issues prohibit it where I live. The timing and randomness of ads during the broadcast was pretty bizarre. I couldn't figure out whether that is a product of the webpage, or if they actually just insert commercials in the broadcast while play is still going on the court.

Watch on Firefox browser with uBlock extension. I recall only seeing the broadcast commercial breaks; definitely none during the game.

[AKCheesehead]

Thank you, I will try that out. I've been using Ghostery for a few years but evidently it wasn't cutting the mustard.

[Baldkin]

Minnesota almost loses to a team forced to play 3 players for over 10 minutes:

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/11/26/three_man_alabama_pulls_off_the_greatest_loss_in_ncaa_basketball_history.html

[Baldkin]

4 straight losses to top 25 teams. 3 of them were winnable in the last 2 minutes. This might be the year they miss the tournament.

 

Why?

Well, the Junior class of 2015, the year Bo Ryan said, "I might retire" is simply terrible.

[pacopete4]

4 straight losses to top 25 teams. 3 of them were winnable in the last 2 minutes. This might be the year they miss the tournament.

 

Why?

Well, the Junior class of 2015, the year Bo Ryan said, "I might retire" is simply terrible.

 

Have to agree. The junior class is just flat out terrible. Bo took a year off from acquiring talent and it is going to really hurt them this season.

[stoutdude04]

Minnesota almost loses to a team forced to play 3 players for over 10 minutes:

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/11/26/three_man_alabama_pulls_off_the_greatest_loss_in_ncaa_basketball_history.html

 

Apparently they were taking it easy on Alabama. They weren't pressuring the ball or driving often. That's what I was told from a friend who watched the game(not a Minnesota fan). True or not, I have no idea.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I've been as optimistic about this team as anyone, but yeah, I'm starting to severely lower expectations. I really thought Trice was a better player than he's shown lately, and the contributions from anyone not named Happ (or Davison, last night excepted) have been near-null. It wasn't just the offensive performance last night (though it was horrible, lots of teams get stymied by the Virginia D), it was a lack of defensive rebounding and an inability to run effective sets in the halfcourt. Way too many TOs, lots unforced, in the second half. Pretty ugly all-around showing.

 

I think folks are right about the Junior class. Khalil showed flashes in March last year, but he looks real limited right now. Thomas doesn't seem to have any offensive skills. AI is a no show, as is AVV. Pritzl is a horrible defender. Plus, no one can make shots.

 

Of course, there aren't any profile-killing losses out there (I'd argue NW's drubbing vs. TT is way worse than any of our dings), and there are still chances to get non-con and conference wins (plus our noncon SOS is going to be real high). Downside is the Big Ten looks really mediocre this year (though maybe that gives the Badgers a chance to pile up top 100 wins rather than top 50 losses). Getting those wins is going to take a lot more cohesion, however. It looks like Gard is really trying to see who rolls well together out there and is coming up snake eyes. The staff will earn their money this year if things improve.

[PeaveyFury]

My goodness. I thought the early toughness in the schedule would help this young team learn, but my gosh, they need to actually start winning some games. Or at least look COMPETENT on even one side of the court. This performance vs. OSU is simply horrendous.

 

I guess if Wisconsin is going to lose to OSU today, I'd rather it be this one than tonight.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

This is one of the worst UW performances I've seen in the last ten years. I remember getting blown out by Maryland in the second round of the NCAAs in 2002, I think, but that team went on to win the NC. There was the loss to SW Mo. St. and blowing a lead against Georgia St. in the NCAAs too, but nothing where the team just failed to even look competitive. I guess I could be missing some crappy regular season game because these are by nature forgettable, but yeah. Ugly.

 

It's probably best to try and consider this a development year at this point. The really disappointing thing right now, especially the last two games is stretches where there is so little effort, especially defensively. I trust Gard enough to make sure this team doesn't end up at Rutgers level of B1G embarrassment, but you have to wonder where the points are going to come from.

 

I was wrong about this group, the guards in particular. Hope they advance, but it's clear from the early portion of the schedule that they're not ready yet.

[MadThinker88]

My goodness. I thought the early toughness in the schedule would help this young team learn, but my gosh, they need to actually start winning some games. Or at least look COMPETENT on even one side of the court. This performance vs. OSU is simply horrendous.

 

I guess if Wisconsin is going to lose to OSU today, I'd rather it be this one than tonight.

 

I can understand your reasoning but as a Buckeye fan I thought the tougher 'win' would at Kohl, especially watching the poor 2nd half the other night at home vs Clemson..

 

I see someone earlier in this thread was thinking the Badgers could still make Sweet 16 this year. That is looking doubtful..

[superfly]

My goodness. I thought the early toughness in the schedule would help this young team learn, but my gosh, they need to actually start winning some games. Or at least look COMPETENT on even one side of the court. This performance vs. OSU is simply horrendous.

 

I guess if Wisconsin is going to lose to OSU today, I'd rather it be this one than tonight.

 

I can understand your reasoning but as a Buckeye fan I thought the tougher 'win' would at Kohl, especially watching the poor 2nd half the other night at home vs Clemson..

 

I see someone earlier in this thread was thinking the Badgers could still make Sweet 16 this year. That is looking doubtful..

 

It's only Dec 3, but the NCAAs in general look pretty doubtful at this point. Considering the streak and expectations we have, is it harsh to call this an unacceptable season if it ends the way its trending?

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Good to get a road win in league last night. We'll see if Bucky can keep it up in Philly tomorrow.

 

I'm not a huge believer in the "learning how to win" cliche, but it did seem to apply to the Badgers last night. They had a big lead, couldn't put PSU away, and then really had to luck into a win down the stretch (though they did show some defensive effort and come through with some hustle plays). Iverson had a great first half but disappeared a bit in half #2. Some big shots from King down the stretch were nice to see. Kobe in particular needs to get a bit more confident and assertive, I think. He looks a bit afraid to make a mistake sometimes, and maybe that's on the coaching staff, which tends to have a very short leash with freshman.

 

FWIW, KenPom has UW with the 12th highest SOS so far this year (24th NC). He's also got the Badgers as one of the "unluckiest" teams so far with a 323 "luck" rating (yeah, I don't know if I buy this metric, either). 45 overall, which is higher than I would have thought. We'll see if they can rattle off a few to restore some faith. I was wrong about this team's skill level coming into the year. Now I'm trying to figure out if they're as bad as the OSU game or how much of this is the result of youth, a tough sched., lack of cohesion, etc.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Missing Trice and King today, maybe for a long time. Marquette shooting it really well and looking much athletic and skilled than the Badgers. Good for them. Hope they can stay competitive in the BEAST, always the most fun basketball conference for me.

 

As for Wisconsin, looks like it's going to be a development year. It's funny how basketball works. Team played really well against Xavier, I though, and came awfully close to wins against good Baylor and UCLA teams. But you lose those and then struggle to refocus and suddenly you look real bad. Bottom third of the B1G bad. Still a long season, but it's hard to see how this turns into anything but a so-and-so took positive steps kind of season.

[pacopete4]

The beginning to this season really has me wondering about the future of Badgers basketball. Already lost out on a game changer in Herro and there really doesn't look like there is much talent with this team. I feel bad for Happ. He will most likely end his career trying to score at will just to keep this team in games. Maybe Gard wasn't the guy for the job.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I agree in the sense the this team looks way less athletic and capable of scoring than the teams they've played so far. It's tough for any of them to get their own shots.

 

Folks mentioned the Junior class earlier, and that seems to be the trouble from my angle too. How much of that can be pinned on Gard? Who knows? Technically, that was Bo's last group, though GG was obviously part of the staff then and thus part of the process.

 

Still, King, Davison, and Reuvers were all 4-star recruits. That was a highly rated class the Badgers got, and I think it's worth being patient. If the rest of this year fails to bring improvement and the team's in a similar spot next January, then I'll start to worry long-term.

[pacopete4]

 

Still, King, Davison, and Reuvers were all 4-star recruits. That was a highly rated class the Badgers got, and I think it's worth being patient. If the rest of this year fails to bring improvement and the team's in a similar spot next January, then I'll start to worry long-term.

 

I haven't seen much on this upcoming recruiting class but it would be great if they could stack up another couple four-stars to go along with those three because they are going to need them.

[CheezWizHed]

Unfortunately, its going to take a couple years to really evaluate Gard's recruitment abilities. The early "hints" that Bo was retiring hurt them for a couple years consecutively.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Yeah, we'll see what the next classes bring. With Trice out, this really is a freshman-dominant team, Happ excepted. Just haven't seen much from Iverson, Thomas, etc.

 

A couple of random things:

 

1) Gophers got beat by 20 at Arkansas yesterday. I think the B1G is bad. Like actually not very good. MSU and Purdue are legit, I think, and the Gophers do have a boatload of talent. But who else is really good in league? I think Iowa looks bad. Northwestern seems to have regressed somehow. Maryland, OSU, and Michigan have potential but are pretty mediocre overall. Then there's Bucky, Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, Illinois, and Rutgers. None of those teams are scaring anybody.

 

2) Jeff Levering been doing Play-by-Play for BTN. Nice to see him getting other work, though he's much better as a baseball guy IMO. Still, I've heard plenty worse.

[homer]

King is out for the year. I think he can apply for a medical red-shirt.

[pacopete4]

King and Trice. Wowzers. Going to be a long, long year.

[OnaBadger58]

King is out for the year. I think he can apply for a medical red-shirt.

He'll be right on the edge for the medical hardship, but I would imagine it will be granted to him. Tough loss in a seemingly already "lost" season.

[LouisEly]

Thomas (48), Illikainen (33), and Van Vliet (77, and back in the doghouse) with the fewest scholarship minutes of any players on the team. Not sure if he's hurt, but Illikainen hasn't played at all the last five games and Van Vliet only has played three minutes total the last five games. Willing to bet that at least two of them transfer at break; wouldn't be surprised if all three do. None of them have red-shirted, and I think they may be able to red-shirt transfer and still have 1.5 years of eligibility left but I could be wrong.

 

I think UW will have at least two scholarships open up a year early to allow them to bring in some better talent.

[PeaveyFury]

King is out for the year. I think he can apply for a medical red-shirt.

He'll be right on the edge for the medical hardship, but I would imagine it will be granted to him. Tough loss in a seemingly already "lost" season.

 

I would argue that for King (and possibly Trice) to be able to gain the year of eligibility back rather than losing it in a punt year anyway is probably better for the program overall. They're being asked to do a lot on a very young team, and a year of learning and observation without the pressure to play may help both of them, IMO.

 

Louis is right... that Jr. class is killing us with unproductive players. The young talent is good, it's just that they're being asked to do so much while being so young. I'd expect them to be much, much better next year.

[tmwiese55]

Problem is even with the transfer what kind of talent can they get this late in the class? They were already handcuffed by Herro/Hauser. I hope for some transfers but we know how rare that is, otherwise they'll be taking more projects. Still, better than wasting another year on them but it's not like they're going to get any kind of high level prospects. But hey if they end up two Trice and Ford level guys then it's not so bad

[danzig6767]

Thomas (48), Illikainen (33), and Van Vliet (77, and back in the doghouse) with the fewest scholarship minutes of any players on the team. Not sure if he's hurt, but Illikainen hasn't played at all the last five games and Van Vliet only has played three minutes total the last five games. Willing to bet that at least two of them transfer at break; wouldn't be surprised if all three do. None of them have red-shirted, and I think they may be able to red-shirt transfer and still have 1.5 years of eligibility left but I could be wrong.

 

I think UW will have at least two scholarships open up a year early to allow them to bring in some better talent.

 

Besides those three, Pritzl is nowhere near as good as the team hoped for and Iverson is a solid role player, but that's it.

 

Shooting is a big problem for the Badgers and they really needed Pritzl to be a Ben Brust type of player. Instead Pritzl is erratic as a shooter and to often seems afraid to shoot, even when wide open.