Wisconsin basketball is back to begin the 2024-2025 season! The Badgers begin the regular season tonight against the Holy Cross Crusaders. They are coming off a 10-23 season in 2023. It’s a long season in college basketball and teams will certainly make changes during the non-conference portion of their schedule. What Wisconsin basketball does tomorrow likely will change in some way once conference play begins. Tip off is 7 PM tomorrow on Big Ten Network Plus. Here is a preview of tomorrow’s game.
Will Wisconsin Basketball Stick With the “Big Lineup”?
In the exhibition game Wednesday, Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard opted to play both Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl together. It’s not common to play two seven footers together as that creates less space on the offensive side of the court, but them along with John Blackwell, Max Klesmit, and John Tonje played really well together.
The other option would be to sit Winter and put in a true ball handler like Kamari McGee. The Crusaders will have a smaller lineup with only one player taller than 6’8 on the roster. It will be interesting to see how the Badgers start this game and if it stays that way all season.
Will the Badgers Work the Paint or Settle for Threes?
Gard made it clear Wednesday night this Wisconsin basketball team will be shooting a ton of threes this year. He mentioned it’s how the college basketball game is today. Unfortunately, the Badgers did not shoot the ball well from three Wednesday and it almost costed them an exhibition game. If they would have stuck to the ball in the paint, they would have scored at least 80 points. I don’t mind the move as it is an exhibition and you want to see if it works.
My fear is this: There isn’t a true shooter on this roster. UW had Connor Essegian the last two years, but he has since transferred to Nebraska. Max Klesmit and John Blackwell can both hold their own from three, but they are not true shooters. I think there is going to be games where the three ball is there and games where it’s not. We will see how they do this tonight
How Deep will the Rotation Be?
There was not a ton of answers regarding the rotation in the exhibition. Kamari McGee and Carter Gilmore played a ton of minutes which isn’t that surprising. What was surprising was players like Daniel Freitag, Cameron Hunter, and Xavier Amos hardly seeing the court.
I understand wanting to win the exhibition game, but it felt like Gard stuck with the same five that created separation and everyone else on the bench was lost. The rotation will certainly change, but I am not sure what that will look like at least in the first few games.
Prediction
I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but there are a lot of questions surrounding this Wisconsin basketball team. You have to replace, a four year starter, your best player form last year, and a three year staring point guard. These first few games will hopefully do that.
It’s hard to preview an opponent, but Holy Cross only averaged 66 points a game last year and didn’t shoot the ball very well. Senior Caleb Kenney is the leading returning scorer at 11.9 points a game last year. They have to replace two of their top three scorers.
I think there has to be a better balance of three point shooting and working the paint. Establishing the paint results in open looks from three. I think Wisconsin basketball needs to establish the paint early with their huge height advantage.
There is a lot of questions with this team right now. While I don’t see this being an upset, I think it could be choppy at times. I don’t see a Wisconsin basketball loss here to begin the year.
Wisconsin 73 Holy Cross 63
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