Wisconsin Basketball Thread 2017-18

[superfly]

Nice take Davison. Completely unaware of the clock....first 10 seconds of basketball I've watched in two months and will be the last of these turds. Hope next year is better.

[JackNicholson1974]

What is the scholarship availability like for the next incoming class? Only Moesch graduates. Schlundt was given a scholarship this year, but is only a Jr. By my estimation that leaves just one scholarship available unless the one given to Schlundt as only for a year. Then there are two. I see Wisconsin has at least two guys coming in next year and they have offers out on one or two more. I dont know how it all works.

 

But that junior class is terrible. Illikainen, Thomas, Van Vliet offer next to nothing and Iverson hasnt put it all together and is super inconsistent.

 

I cant get over Van Vliet. Anyone have thoughts on him? Any hope for him or any of the rest of the class?

[pacopete4]

How often do they (can they) take away scholarships base on the player just flat out sucking? Because that alone would open up scholarships for next year.

[pacopete4]

Badgers lose on another 2018 commit. PG- Xavier Pinson will be heading to Missouri.

[Harry Doyles JD]

That implies that you don't believe in player development at all? They lose no significant contributors. They'll have a Naismeth/All-American candidate in Happ. Their recruiting class from 2017 had 3- four star recruits that have all shown significant promise as true freshmen. And their two starting guards have missed the last two months and almost all of conference play.

 

Plenty of reason to think they'll get significantly better. Teams DO have to re-load every so often. We've just been so spoiled here that we aren't used to it.

What player development has this current squad shown? None are any better than the year before. You're counting on something that happened in the past with a vastly superior/more experienced coaching staff. Gard can still coach, that hasn't changed, but I seriously question the rest of the staff's ability. Howard Moore is a joke of a coach, he's there to recruit, and can't really do that. Krabbenhoft is way too inexperienced to have a job at Wisconsin, he should be learning somewhere else and Dean Oliver is too new on the staff to understand how he's going to be, he's the only assistant I'm not convinced is in completely over their head.

[Harry Doyles JD]

What is the scholarship availability like for the next incoming class? Only Moesch graduates. Schlundt was given a scholarship this year, but is only a Jr. By my estimation that leaves just one scholarship available unless the one given to Schlundt as only for a year. Then there are two. I see Wisconsin has at least two guys coming in next year and they have offers out on one or two more. I dont know how it all works.

 

But that junior class is terrible. Illikainen, Thomas, Van Vliet offer next to nothing and Iverson hasnt put it all together and is super inconsistent.

 

I cant get over Van Vliet. Anyone have thoughts on him? Any hope for him or any of the rest of the class?

Currie is the only scholarship player for next year, Hedstrom is coming in next year without a ride and will receive one for the following four years. It's thought that at least one of AI, CT & AVV will transfer/leave, opening up another. Schlundt's is believed to be a one year scholarship only, so there are two definite schollies available for next season, maybe more depending on attrition....problem is, they are striking out on the guys they are going for now. They completely botched this class...Herro's timing was really unfortunate, but wasn't completely unexpected, he had almost decommited back in July.

[PeaveyFury]

What player development has this current squad shown? None are any better than the year before.

 

The problem with the JR's is the chicken vs. the egg. Are they untalented, or undeveloped?

 

As I've said all along, we'll know a lot more a year from now.

[JackNicholson1974]

Badgers lose on another 2018 commit. PG- Xavier Pinson will be heading to Missouri.

 

Pinson was never committed to Wisconsin. Wisconsin was on his final four schools list, but Missouri was always the favorite from what I have read.

[JackNicholson1974]

What is the scholarship availability like for the next incoming class? Only Moesch graduates. Schlundt was given a scholarship this year, but is only a Jr. By my estimation that leaves just one scholarship available unless the one given to Schlundt as only for a year. Then there are two. I see Wisconsin has at least two guys coming in next year and they have offers out on one or two more. I dont know how it all works.

 

But that junior class is terrible. Illikainen, Thomas, Van Vliet offer next to nothing and Iverson hasnt put it all together and is super inconsistent.

 

I cant get over Van Vliet. Anyone have thoughts on him? Any hope for him or any of the rest of the class?

Currie is the only scholarship player for next year, Hedstrom is coming in next year without a ride and will receive one for the following four years. It's thought that at least one of AI, CT & AVV will transfer/leave, opening up another. Schlundt's is believed to be a one year scholarship only, so there are two definite schollies available for next season, maybe more depending on attrition....problem is, they are striking out on the guys they are going for now. They completely botched this class...Herro's timing was really unfortunate, but wasn't completely unexpected, he had almost decommited back in July.

 

We can only hope. The program needs to completely reboot. I think they have a really strong base with their Freshman and Sophmore classes. Pritzl needs to do something next year, he was supposed to be a "4 star" recruit, which are rare for WI, and he hasnt lived up to that hype, but there is still time for him to turn it around.

[JackNicholson1974]

What is the story with Dmitrick Trice? Will he miss the entire year? If he does, are King and Trice eligble for medical red shirts?

[Lahoud]

After Happ-big time drop in talent-especially in frontcourt-Reevers not bad but not even as good as a Freshman Jon Leurer

[pacopete4]

After Happ-big time drop in talent-especially in frontcourt-Reevers not bad but not even as good as a Freshman Jon Leurer

 

Reevers doesn't even fill out his jersey. He is actually a guy I am very interested in seeing develop. He has shown flashes of brilliance on the court but doesn't get much of an opportunity while we are forcing the ball inside to Happ only.

[pacopete4]

Badgers lose on another 2018 commit. PG- Xavier Pinson will be heading to Missouri.

 

Pinson was never committed to Wisconsin. Wisconsin was on his final four schools list, but Missouri was always the favorite from what I have read.

Yeah, you are correct. I saw it flash on Twitter. Should have checked it out better.

 

 

 

What is the story with Dmitrick Trice? Will he miss the entire year? If he does, are King and Trice eligble for medical red shirts?

I will go ahead and say yes, as long as they are both out for the rest of the season. The NCCA rule (unless it's changed) is that a player cannot play more than 30% of the team's games. Well, both Trice and King have played 10 games this season. The team will play 32 games (counting 1 guaranteed for B10 tourney) this season so that would make them okay at 10 games. (32 * .3 = 9.6, they round up so that would make 10 acceptable.)

[Harry Doyles JD]

What player development has this current squad shown? None are any better than the year before.

 

The problem with the JR's is the chicken vs. the egg. Are they untalented, or undeveloped?

 

As I've said all along, we'll know a lot more a year from now.

Talent level is meaningless in determining if a player is developing. Regardless the talent, those players have not improved at all.

[Harry Doyles JD]

 

We can only hope. The program needs to completely reboot. I think they have a really strong base with their Freshman and Sophmore classes. Pritzl needs to do something next year, he was supposed to be a "4 star" recruit, which are rare for WI, and he hasnt lived up to that hype, but there is still time for him to turn it around.

I disagree on the Sophomore class, I don't think Trice is anything more than a guy...Ford has some upside, I agree.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I thought Trice was a really important piece for the Badgers last year, and I was looking forward to watching him in a starring role. He is quick, can shoot, and is a much higher-quality option than Davison late in the shot clock. Right now, Happ is really the only option, and he's a bad guy to pass to with the clock under 10. He's a great post player, but it's at 8 seconds by the time he gets it, then he's got to go through the array of post moves and/or fight through a double team, etc. It's a turnover/blocked shot/desperate flip waiting to happen. The best case is a quick collapse and then an inside-out feed for an open three. But we know how that's worked with the guys on the floor.

 

Trice changes that a lot. Does he make the Badgers a B1G title contender? No way. But he's a quality BIG piece, and I think he would do two things: 1) Decrease turnovers (Badgers turn it over 12 times a game, but keep in mind they play only about 63.5 possessions per 40, which means they are among the ten slowest teams in all of hoops and are turning it over on almost 20 percent of their possessions--ick) AND 2) Improve possession quality (this seems even more important--a healthy Trice equals better shots).

 

King improves that equation too because he is a highly skilled, athletic offensive player.

 

Again, I'm not suggesting this team is great with those two guys. I was wrong about the talent level of a lot of these guys early this year. But I do think Trice, King, and two-armed Davison make this team a tourney contender at least. All of those guys can contribute, and right now there are no real contributions in sight. I thought the Maryland game showed some positive signs, but the offensive droughts and lack of athleticism are really a problem against quick guard like Cowan.

[pacopete4]

Trice and King going out kept this team out of the top 6 (at least) of a really bad Big Ten conference. The Badgers weren't a very good team with them but it just shows how truly awful the conference is this season. Trice and King also hurt because we are just so un-athletic this year and those two could have helped that.

[Harry Doyles JD]

Since when is Trice a good shooter? He's right-hand dominant (struggles to use/go left) and is too small. He's a liability defensively. He's a back-up PG on any other team in the B1G.

[pacopete4]

Since when is Trice a good shooter? He's right-hand dominant (struggles to use/go left) and is too small. He's a liability defensively. He's a back-up PG on any other team in the B1G.

Last season he led our team in 3-point shooting percentage.

[PeaveyFury]

Talent level is meaningless in determining if a player is developing. Regardless the talent, those players have not improved at all.

 

It isn't always meaningless. If a player comes in (or begins to get minutes) when they're already at or near the ceiling of their ability, there's not much development/improvement that can happen.

[Harry Doyles JD]

Since when is Trice a good shooter? He's right-hand dominant (struggles to use/go left) and is too small. He's a liability defensively. He's a back-up PG on any other team in the B1G.

Last season he led our team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Shot 32% in B1G play, he feasted on lower competition...was shooting 30% so far this season.

[JackNicholson1974]

I dont even know if the Badgers have a "shooter" on the team.

[MrTPlush]

What is the story with Dmitrick Trice? Will he miss the entire year? If he does, are King and Trice eligble for medical red shirts?

 

Have to attempt to get one after the season.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Since when is Trice a good shooter? He's right-hand dominant (struggles to use/go left) and is too small. He's a liability defensively. He's a back-up PG on any other team in the B1G.

Last season he led our team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Shot 32% in B1G play, he feasted on lower competition...was shooting 30% so far this season.

 

I think we'll just end up disagreeing here. I don't think Trice is a world-beater, and I don't think he alone makes them a good basketball team. But just watching the tough early season games against Xavier, Baylor, and UCLA showed me that he's a useful piece. I don't think the argument is that Trice is an all-BIG player. It's that his presence in the lineup makes this team immediately more competitive. Seems like your point is that he isn't good enough, which is fine, but I have to admit I don't get the main idea if the argument is that Trice doesn't improve this team. His ball handling alone gives the offense a boost (no longer does Happ have to run the point!). And I don't think he's a true 30% shooter. His career mark is around 40, so we can quibble about sample sizes and which data set to choose, but if we split the difference and say he's a 35.5% guy, that makes him the second best shooter on the team, behind Aleem Ford, who's attempted fewer.

[bjkrautk]

if we split the difference and say he's a 35.5% guy, that makes him the second best shooter on the team, behind Aleem Ford, who's attempted fewer.

 

That Trice would be the second-best shooter on the team at 35.5%...but still worse than the average 3-point % the team is allowing (35.6% as of today), kinda goes to the heart of the problem with the team as I see it.

 

This year's freshman class shows a lot of promise, so I'm not a big believer in the "Coach Gard can't recruit" argument. My concern is that, unlike what we're used to seeing with the program, there hasn't been much development out of Pritzl, Iverson, Illikainen, and Thomas: none of them can be counted on with any consistency. Maybe that class was just a collective dud...but teams built on coaching up their players can't afford to miss on a third of its roster.