Wednesday night, Wisconsin basketball played its final exhibition match ahead of its 2023-24 season. The matchup at the Kohl Center was more than the (unofficial) start to Badgers basketball season, however. It was also an opportunity for head coach Greg Gard to showcase his revamped roster.
Wisconsin was victorious in the exhibition game against the UW-Stevens Point Pointers. The victory, which came by a final score of 87-44, was UW’s 19th consecutive victory in exhibition matches in as many years against Division 3 teams from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. According to the broadcast, it was Wisconsin basketball’s 50th consecutive exhibition victory overall. A fact that I am certain, by simply mentioning it, will ruffle nobody’s feathers.
St. John’s Transfer AJ Storr Will Make an Immediate Impact for Wisconsin Basketball
In the offseason, Gard needed to find an impact player who could make an immediate difference for the Badgers. Although it was only in an exhibition match, AJ Storr showcased why he is exactly the difference maker Gard hoped he was getting.
The sophomore wing led Wisconsin basketball in scoring with 14 points in 19 minutes. The transfer by way of St. John’s University made five of seven shots from the field and two of three from beyond the three-point line. He added three rebounds, an assist, and a block on the stat sheet.
The former four-star recruit flashed his athletic ability in the first half on a pair of plays. The first, on a two-on-one with point guard Chucky Hepburn, resulted in a dunk by Storr in which he showed an incredible vertical bounce. The second was a failed alley-oop by junior Max Klesmit. Although the pass was slightly off target, Storr corraled it in the air, pulled it down, and went back up to get the bucket.
Is Markus Ilver the Most Improved Player?
Markus Ilver only appeared in 18 games for Wisconsin basketball last season. Despite that, and despite returning all five starters, Gard went out of his way this week to mention that Ilver has had an excellent fall camp. In this exhibition matchup, the rest of us saw just how improved Ilver was.
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Ilver’s stat line was impressive, with seven points, three rebounds, two steals, and a block in 13 minutes. The numbers themselves fail to tell the whole tail. The forward had his breaking-out party with three impressive plays in less than two minutes.
First, Ilver denied the driving Pointers AJ Makinen on the block as he slid in as a secondary defender to help Badgers guard Kamari McGee.
❌❌❌. Not around @MarkusIlver
Stream on @BigTenPlus pic.twitter.com/7B0j7BT890
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 2, 2023
Less than a minute later, Hepburn connected with Ilver off a give-and-go for an impressive oop-dunk. Ilver found himself wide open by virtue of a well-timed cut to the basket.
AIR ILVER!! @ChuckyHepburn connects with @MarkusIlver
Stream on @BigTenPlus pic.twitter.com/vdupKWStjn
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 2, 2023
Finally, Ilver interrupted a pass from Josiah Butler, UWSP’s best player on the day, and took it down to the other end for a breakaway dunk. For a center, the junior from Estonia looked pretty limber.
He's a man possessed! @MarkusIlver
Stream on @BigTenPlus pic.twitter.com/aDbDh4GrMD
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 2, 2023
Chucky Hepburn Will Not Have to Do It All for Wisconsin Basketball
Last season, Hepburn was much maligned for attempting to shoulder too much of the load for Wisconsin basketball. UW is at its best when Hepburn can focus on doing what he does best: dishing out the ball rather than being a primary scorer.
In 20 minutes of action, the Nebraska native dished. He recorded six assists plus four steals. Hepburn was fantastic as a freshman two seasons ago when Johnny Davis was the clear number-one for Wisconsin. Now, he may be set up to return to his best role.
Between graduate student Tyler Wahl, junior Steven Crowl, sophomore Connor Essegian, and Storr, there will be plenty of ways for the Badgers to score points this season. That should help Hepburn, and the entire Wisconsin basketball team, immensely. After finishing as his team’s leading scorer last season, Hepburn might barely crack the top five.
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