The Wisconsin basketball has been without guard Max Klesmit recently, and his absence has been felt on offense for the Badgers.
Klesmit, a former transfer from Wofford, has been a solid shooting guard for Wisconsin since his arrival and also a mainstay in the starting lineup. The talented guard often comes under fire from fans due to his volume shooting play-style and some tough missed shots that he has accrued over time. However, Klesmit is actually a vital piece of the offense as both a spacer on the floor and also someone who can provide balance to the Wisconsin basketball lineup.
Wisconsin Basketball Offense in Need of Spacing, Depth Max Klesmit Provides
Thus far through the season, Klesmit leads the Wisconsin Badgers with 2.7 assists per game while providing excellent spacing with the added danger from outside provided.
Klesmit averages 9.7 points per game this season and has been an added bonus when moving the ball in an offense that does not have a true point guard calling the shots. Perhaps the biggest benefit of having Klesmit slotted into the starting lineup is the depth that he in turn adds to the bench with Kamari McGee providing both excellent shooting and high-motor play when the Badgers need a jolt.
McGee is one of the more crucial depth players that is on the Wisconsin basketball team and the role carved out on the bench for the guard has proven to be perfect. McGee deserves respect for stepping in for Klesmit the past two games and playing well, but the guard is not nearly as effective within the offense when serving a primary distributor of the ball instead of a spark-plug.
McGee also played over ten minutes more than he typically would off of the bench, which clearly reduced the ability to play high-energy basketball and fully unload the gas tank. While McGee has been a nice fill-in for the Wisconsin basketball team, the return of Klesmit is something that the team has been eagerly awaiting.
Will Max Klesmit Start For the Wisconsin Basketball Team Against Penn State?
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Currently, the status of Klesmit for the Penn State Nittany Lions clash to end the regular season is unknown as the guard remains day-to-day.
Coach Greg Gard has been evaluating the status of Klesmit daily and likely will not make a decision on whether or not the guard will play until game day.
As much as it would be a nice surprise for Klesmit to return against the Nittany Lions, it might be in the best interest of the team for the guard to remain out to end the regular season. The Nittany Lions are just 5-14 in the Big Ten Conference this season and currently are on a two game losing streak thanks to Indiana and Maryland.
Penn State displayed signs of a strong team at the start of the year with a big 81-70 win over Purdue, but have since failed to comeback to form and play as a cohesive unit. Continuing to play McGee in the starting lineup to finish the regular season would be a wise decision as Klesmit has been nursing the same injury for nearly two months now and requires some rest.
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