Wisconsin Basketball Thread 2018 - 19

[homer]

That was a really entertaining game until the refs showed up with about 5 minutes to play. Got ugly from there. UW certainly had their chances even in OT. When you're best FT shooter goes 0 - 3 including one in the bonus in a tight game you are in trouble.

[pacopete4]

I love Happ but will not miss his free throws.

[CheezWizHed]

I love Happ but will not miss his free throws.

 

That would be great! But I fear this is a failure of grammar rather than Happ actually refusing to miss...

[stoutdude04]

Ugly game. Wow.

[Samurai Bucky]

I had to stop watching at halftime. Did they finally start driving to the basket instead of doing a "four our -- one in" offense with people jacking up threes?

[young guns]

They did. Fought back to get it to 6, then a gopher hit back to back 3s to put it to 12, fought back to get it to 2 late, but in the final minute or so went full keystones cops to dash any hope. Plus a bajillion missed free throws. Hack a happ in full force worked.

[stoutdude04]

Missed their last 6 free throws(at least 6), and had 2 turnovers down 2 and then down 4 with the ball.

[CheezWizHed]

Wisconsin is up by 10 points at half, but Happ is struggling making bunnies (5-15).

 

Update: Happ ended up around 40% on the night. Nate Reuvers had a nice night with 5 blocks.

[rickh150]

Happ traveled taking the ball out of bounds ( not called or discussed) at the end of regulation vs Purdue. Purdue still got the win, but it was an obvious violation that would have been the lead story if Wisconsin lost in regulation.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Too many turnovers and bad possessions late. Didn't score the last couple minutes of OT.

[bani1717]

Happ traveled taking the ball out of bounds ( not called or discussed) at the end of regulation vs Purdue. Purdue still got the win, but it was an obvious violation that would have been the lead story if Wisconsin lost in regulation.

 

There is no such thing as traveling when inbounding the ball. The rule states that on a spot throw in you still have a three foot area in which to move parallel to the sideline. Normal rules about traveling, pivot foots, etc don't apply, it's just a three foot window you're free to move in.

 

If a player violates the three foot area, sometimes a ref will blow it dead and signal a travel because there is no official signal for moving more than three feet on a throw in, so traveling is about the closest thing you can signal. But it's not actually a travel.

[stoutdude04]

I thought this team was going to be solid. I'm rethinking that.

[young guns]

How is this offense so bad? It's like we have this phenomenal post player in happ and then 4 guys who feel it's their job to get happ the ball and then watch. I realize, besides happ, the 2 upper classes are pretty bad, but it's still incredibly frustrating. Looks like we are gonna waste our great start to the season.

[burnzy24]

Gards seat is going to get very warm if the don't make the tournament again this year.

[MrTPlush]

There is no trustworthy #2 option at all. Hard to have any offense in that situation. I looked like they might have it at the start of the season, but that has quickly dwindled.

[young guns]

Wow, incredible effort to actually take the lead. Shame we couldn't finish the deal. Maybe maryland just relaxed too much or maybe this team just needs to play relaxed. But once they start playing with some confidence thats when they roll i think.

 

11 3s in the half vs 0 helps too.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Yeah, the offense is putrid right now. There was just no confidence at all for long stretches tonight.

 

I think this team makes the tournament, but a 5-6 looms like the absolute ceiling. 7-10 seems most likely, maybe worse. They still have three good wins (OK on neutral, @Iowa, NC State) and one okay one (@Xavier).

 

If they can beat Michigan, I think they get 4 in a row. This next stretch will say a lot.

[CheezWizHed]

I was wondering if this is Gard's swan song too. The team looks very undisciplined -- a key attribute of a Bo coached team. Gard just doesn't seem to be getting the most out of his players either.

 

Frankly, I've never been a huge Happ fan. He is smooth and passes well, but the post offense is pretty dated. And that hack-a-happ is just too easy to succeed. He also hasn't really improved (much) in his college career. He is about the same player he was 2 years ago.

[superfly]

I was wondering if this is Gard's swan song too. The team looks very undisciplined -- a key attribute of a Bo coached team. Gard just doesn't seem to be getting the most out of his players either.

 

Frankly, I've never been a huge Happ fan. He is smooth and passes well, but the post offense is pretty dated. And that hack-a-happ is just too easy to succeed. He also hasn't really improved (much) in his college career. He is about the same player he was 2 years ago.

 

I'm fairly certain Happ peaked as a player a couple years back...only way hed be any better than he is (a good player who is inexcusable from the line) is if you stuck the SR him with Koenig, Kaminsky etc.

[rickh150]

Happ traveled taking the ball out of bounds ( not called or discussed) at the end of regulation vs Purdue. Purdue still got the win, but it was an obvious violation that would have been the lead story if Wisconsin lost in regulation.

 

There is no such thing as traveling when inbounding the ball. The rule states that on a spot throw in you still have a three foot area in which to move parallel to the sideline. Normal rules about traveling, pivot foots, etc don't apply, it's just a three foot window you're free to move in.

 

If a player violates the three foot area, sometimes a ref will blow it dead and signal a travel because there is no official signal for moving more than three feet on a throw in, so traveling is about the closest thing you can signal. But it's not actually a travel.

 

I think it's called a throw-in violation. You are right about the three foot window. That's a good rule to know. Yet, Happ went outside of that window. Three feet is a small window.

[rickh150]

Trice needs to put a good one on the floor, more than even Happ.

[LouisEly]

Frankly, I've never been a huge Happ fan. He is smooth and passes well, but the post offense is pretty dated. And that hack-a-happ is just too easy to succeed. He also hasn't really improved (much) in his college career. He is about the same player he was 2 years ago.

And he was a pretty darned good player 2 years ago.

 

Since 2009-2010 when Player Efficiency Rating started to be kept, he's 30th among all players as an average over his career, just behind C.J. McCollum. He's on pace to finish his career with over 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals. I don't know how to look it up, but I'd be willing to bet the list of players who have hit those levels over their career is a very, very short list.

 

For reference:

Frank Kaminsky (1458 points, 666 rebounds, 188 assists, 77 steals)

Doug McDermott (3150 points, 1088 rebounds, 194 assists, 34 steals)

Tim Duncan (2117 points, 1570 rebounds, 288 assists, 69 steals)

Derrick Coleman (2143 points, 1537 rebounds, 322 assists, 187 steals)

Tyler Hansbrough (2872 points, 1219 rebounds, 154 assists, 180 steals)

Christian Laettner (2460 points, 1149 rebounds, 273 assists, 243 steals)

Nick Collison (2097 points, 1143 rebounds, 257 assists, 155 steals).

 

Right now Happ is at 1871 points, 1051 rebounds, 349 assists, 192 steals, and UW has 14 regular season games left. If he keeps his averages/game through the end of the season, he finishes with 2143 points, 1197 rebounds, 413 assists, and 203 steals, plus whatever post-season games they play (1 NCAA tournament or 2-3 NIT).

 

Ethan Happ is one of the greatest college basketball players of the last 30 years. Yes, he's a terrible free throw shooter, but the only player listed above who has either more career assists or steals than Happ is Laettner (243 steals) and Happ may finish with more career points than Tim Duncan or Derrick Coleman. Think about that.

[CheezWizHed]

Honestly, that is really hard to believe when you watch him (not doubting you, its just hard to believe). He is a good player. And I'm sure he makes the total stats via being healthy and starting 4 years and being very consistent. And I've not watched a LOT of his games, but everytime I do watch he never looks like he dominates anything. The offense around him just never seems to gel well either. After Frank and Sam left a couple years ago, Happ led a very bland post-up offense where you just foul him late in the game when its close. And a couple years later, it looks exactly the same with the same problems.

 

I want to like the guy, but he just looks out of place in today's game. He should've played for Dick Bennett.

 

Do you think he will be drafted?

[Samurai Bucky]

Frankly, I've never been a huge Happ fan. He is smooth and passes well, but the post offense is pretty dated. And that hack-a-happ is just too easy to succeed. He also hasn't really improved (much) in his college career. He is about the same player he was 2 years ago.

And he was a pretty darned good player 2 years ago.

 

Since 2009-2010 when Player Efficiency Rating started to be kept, he's 30th among all players as an average over his career, just behind C.J. McCollum. He's on pace to finish his career with over 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals. I don't know how to look it up, but I'd be willing to bet the list of players who have hit those levels over their career is a very, very short list.

 

For reference:

Frank Kaminsky (1458 points, 666 rebounds, 188 assists, 77 steals)

Doug McDermott (3150 points, 1088 rebounds, 194 assists, 34 steals)

Tim Duncan (2117 points, 1570 rebounds, 288 assists, 69 steals)

Derrick Coleman (2143 points, 1537 rebounds, 322 assists, 187 steals)

Tyler Hansbrough (2872 points, 1219 rebounds, 154 assists, 180 steals)

Christian Laettner (2460 points, 1149 rebounds, 273 assists, 243 steals)

Nick Collison (2097 points, 1143 rebounds, 257 assists, 155 steals).

 

Right now Happ is at 1871 points, 1051 rebounds, 349 assists, 192 steals, and UW has 14 regular season games left. If he keeps his averages/game through the end of the season, he finishes with 2143 points, 1197 rebounds, 413 assists, and 203 steals, plus whatever post-season games they play (1 NCAA tournament or 2-3 NIT).

 

Ethan Happ is one of the greatest college basketball players of the last 30 years. Yes, he's a terrible free throw shooter, but the only player listed above who has either more career assists or steals than Happ is Laettner (243 steals) and Happ may finish with more career points than Tim Duncan or Derrick Coleman. Think about that.

 

I frequently ask myself why the Badgers don't drive to the hoop more often (sans Happ). It is because Happ is not a threat outside of 5 feet. This leaves an extra defender in the lane to defend drives. Kaminsky was a much better all around player because his defender had to come out and respect his outside jumper.

 

Happ can finish around the hoop very well, but his lack of an outside game negatively affects the team. My prediction -- he plays overseas.

[young guns]

I like him as a player, but I thunk he was born too late for his game. I don't think his game will play very well in the NBA to get drafted. Though I heard in one of the last 2 broadcasts that he shoots 80% from the line in practice, so it seems like it's all mental. If a team thinks they can fix that and have it translate to an outside game, maybe in the second round. Maybe.