After a brutal showing Tuesday against Providence, Wisconsin basketball returns home tomorrow for a non-conference game against Robert Morris, The Colonials are 1-2 on the season and hail from the Horizon League.
Can the Badgers get back to what they have done best? Can they they also begin the clean up process on the defensive end of the court? We will see. Tip time is 6 PM on BTN Plus. Here is a preview of tomorrow’s game.
Will the Wisconsin Basketball Veterans Respond?
Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard was not happy in his post game presser Tuesday night. He mentioned his team was not ready to play and called out players like Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl for not finishing at the rim.
I am in Gard’s corner on this. A team with that much experience should not be struggling this bad on defense and finishing at the rim. I understand bad shooting nights happen. Wisconsin had a bad shooting night so I give them a pass on that.
This is a team full of veterans. How will they respond? Will they accept the challenge from their coach and begin cleaning up the basics? Or will they continue to struggle? In the past, a group like this has responded. I think this team gets back to the basics tomorrow.
Can Wisconsin Basketball Clean Up the Defense Before Florida?
There is still a lot to like about the Wisconsin basketball offense. There are players and shooters all over the place, something they did not have last season. The defense is definitely a concern right now.
It has to go back to the basics for Wisconsin. They have to not allow dribble drive penetration to the rim and they have to communicate with each other. It sounds easy, but it’s something that has to be cleaned up.
The schedule does not get any easier. After tomorrow’s game, Wisconsin basketball will participate in the Fort Meyers Tip-Off beginning Monday. They will face Tony Bennett and the Virginia Cavaliers. If Wisconsin plays defense the way they have the first three games, they will get their lunch handed to them by a national championship head coach and one of the best programs in the country.
Prediction
ESPN give the Badgers a 95% chance to win this game. This feels like a game Wisconsin can get back on the right track. Robert Morris has one win and it’s against an NAIA team in Point Park.
Offensively, the Colonials have four players that average at least 11 points a game. They are led by Justice Williams, who averages 18.5 points. These four players account for 58 of the teams 63 points a game.
Robert Morris is small as well. The Badgers will see no one taller than 6’7 with the exception of 6’9 215 pound freshman Alvaro Folgueiras. This has to be a game Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl bounce back and they have a great opportunity to do so.
The Colonials did only lose to Xavier by 14, but there isn’t a lot that sticks out to me that could gave the Badgers fits. They do average 43 rebounds a game compared to UW’s 32, but based on the schedule they have played, it’s hard to see that carrying over.
I don’t see much of an issue for UW tomorrow. However, they have to get some positive vibes going and feel good about themselves before heading to Fort Meyers this weekend. Give me the Badgers in a easy bounce back win.
Wisconsin 84 Robert Morris 64
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