What a three days it has been for Wisconsin basketball! The Badgers did what most, including me, thought was the unthinkable in defeating top seed Purdue 76-75 in overtime. A Max Klesmit floater with just under five seconds was the difference. Up next is the second seed Illinois Fighting Illini for the tournament championship. Illinois won the only meeting on March 2 in Madison 91-83. Tip time is 2 PM on CBS. Here is a preview of the Big Ten Tournament Championship.
What is Left in the Wisconsin Basketball Tank?
I am not sure how much is left in the tank for the Wisconsin basketball guards. In three days, they have faced Jahmir Young, Boo Buie, and Braden Smith. Tomorrow, they face Terrance Shannon Jr. These are the four best point guards in the Big Ten. For players like Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, John Blackwell, and Kamari McGee, they have been incredible and have done everything and them some. It’s also important to note McGee is coming off an injury and the other three are not 100%.
Tyler Wahl is also not 100% either and decided in the last minutes he would play this game. Illinois has not played back to back games and high leverage games at that. It is so hard to play four games in four days. With multiple players not fully healthy, it will be interesting to see what they give in the next 40 minutes.
A Battle of the Guards
You won’t find a better guard duo in the country than Terrance Shannon Jr and Marcus Domask. Domask torched Wisconsin basketball in the first meeting. The Waupun native went for 31 points and put the team on his back all game. The two also average 37 points a game. I think everyone else gets good looks because of the stress Shannon Jr and Domask put on defenses.
How much do they have left? While they have played one less game, Domask has sat only four minutes and Shannon Jr has sat only 10 minutes. I think Chucky Hepburn and Max Klesmit can make them work for shots and on defense. The battle between these two and Wisconsin’s four guards I believe will decide this game.
Prediction
Anything can happen in this game tomorrow. Regardless what happens, this is exactly what this Wisconsin basketball team needed to get back on track. I thought two wins would be a successful run, but a third win is incredible.
Maybe Wisconsin basketball is playing with some adrenaline, but the injuries do seem a little concerning. In particular, Tyler Wahl and John Blackwell do not look 100%. I would rather take the rest over the championship. It seems like it is up to the players and not Greg Gard if they are playing.
At the same time, the Badgers can win this game tomorrow. After you beat Purdue when the officiating was against you, to come back and win that game is one of the toughest wins in the country. It will be interesting to see what Greg Gard does tomorrow.
I think the injuries might be too much tomorrow. Illinois is not 100% either, but they don’t seem to be dealing with any injures. I think that could be a difference in the second half. I expect the Badgers to compete tomorrow, but I lean towards Illinois just for the health reason. Either way, this has been a fantastic run by this Wisconsin basketball team.
Illinois 75 Wisconsin 70
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