The Wisconsin Badgers basketball team has started out well this season. Already, they have a couple of big wins under their belt. Most recently, a win over a ranked Maryland team showed the rest of the Big Ten that the Badgers are here to compete. Part of the good start has been the play of freshman Connor Essegian. Connor Essegian’s hot start has put him amongst elite company.
Connor Essegian is the fifth Wisconsin freshman in the last 20 years to average 10+ points per game through his first nine games
• 15.9 ppg – Alando Tucker
• 13.4 ppg – Devin Harris
• 10.8 ppg – Ethan Happ
• 10.2 ppg – Brad Davison
• 10.0 ppg – @CEssegian pic.twitter.com/ByZlNUpX3w— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) December 8, 2022
Connor Essegian Finds Himself In Elite Company
In the last 20 years, only four other Wisconsin freshmen have averaged 10+ points through their first nine games. Essegian becomes the fifth. He finds himself sitting at exactly 10 points per game through the Badgers’ first nine games of the season. This puts him in the company of Alando Tucker, Devin Harris, Ethan Happ, and Brad Davison. That is some pretty elite company to be joining.
Off The Bench
What is most impressive is that Essegian is doing this off the bench in limited minutes. He isn’t a starter that is playing most of the game. He comes in off the bench and immediately starts hitting big shots. His three-point shooting has been lights out this season and is a big reason why he is able to get so many points in such a little amount of time.
Essegian’s play has been a big part of the Badgers’ success. In many cases, the play dips and the hope is that the second unit can keep it together until the starters come back. Essegian allows the Badgers to take advantage of many second units and build leads. The Badgers are going to be players in the Big Ten this year.
Follow me on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here!
