On Tuesday, Wisconsin basketball visited the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion amid a seven-game winning streak. Meanwhile, UCLA, one of the top teams in the Big Ten to begin the year, had lost five of their previous seven games. Unfortunately for the Wisconsin Badgers, a pair of late baskets were not enough in the highly contested tilt, with UCLA emerging victorious 85-83. Battling against a top offense in Wisconsin, UCLA scored their fifth-highest total on the season while shooting 50% from the field.
As for Wisconsin, they also played high-level basketball on the offensive end, going 25-of-49 from the field while making half of their three-pointers. However, according to one analytical basketball website that uses computer vision and AI, Wisconsin’s offense played above expectation in Tuesday’s loss. More notably, UCLA’s offense exceeded expectations based on the shots taken, but not enough to result in a tough-luck loss for Wisconsin basketball.
Deep Dive Behind Wisconsin Basketball’s Brutal Road Loss
According to Jason Fray of Sports Illustrated:
Big victory for UCLA over Wisconsin. The Badgers are going to be a tough out in March. Greg Gard’s team has great guard play and legit size up front. Bruins add a significant win to their resume. Aday Mara has more than earned the minutes moving forward that many have pined for.
With Wisconsin basketball riding a seven-game winning streak, the UCLA Bruins shot 28 free throws in an 85-83 home victory. UCLA hit 50% from the field, but just 31% from deep. However, 21-of-28 on free throws and ten offensive rebounds led to the one-possession victory. As for Wisconsin, the offense continued to post elite numbers, shooting over 50% from the field and from deep. Unfortunately for the Badgers, they shot 21 free throws while corraling only four offensive boards.
Per ShotQuality, a probability model that uses “computer vision and AI to deliver player location data which drives the most predictive shot models in basketball,” UCLA won the contest 74-70 based on the shots taken. ShotQuality uses over 90 variables, including defensive location, to calculate the value of each shot taken. Star transfer John Tonje scored 24 points on a projected 12 per SQ. As for UCLA, they had three players who were well over expectations.
Wisconsin Hosts Nebraska On Sunday
The Wisconsin basketball team will enjoy four days off before hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday. Nebraska is 12-6, with a home game against the USC Trojans on Wednesday. Nebraska has lost four straight games entering Wednesday’s tilt and sits near the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
Meanwhile, following Tuesday’s defeat, Wisconsin basketball is fifth in the conference standings and 15-4 on the season. Wisco is 5-3 in the Big Ten, with the Michigan State Spartans pacing the league with a blemish-free 7-0 record.
Wisconsin Badgers:
- Green Bay Packers Rival Chicago Bears to Interview former Coach, Wisconsin Badger for DC
- Wisconsin Badgers’ John Tonje and Steven Crowl React to Shocking 2-Point Loss to UCLA – ‘There Are No Moral Victories’
- Wisconsin Basketball: UCLA’s Mick Cronin Gives Greg Gard His Flowers Over Badgers Coach’s Particular Ability
- Wisconsin Basketball: Greg Gard Calls Out Major Issues Which Doomed Badgers vs. UCLA
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