The NCAA Tournament is and should be the standard for Wisconsin Basketball. It’s a program that has tournament success and is one of the better programs in the country. However, the Badgers fell short of the tournament this year.
Instead, they are in the NIT Tournament and have won their first three games. They are now looking at the NIT Semifinals in Las Vegas Tuesday, where they will take on North Texas. The Badgers are cleaning things up that haunted them most of the regular season and are using these extra games to do so.
Free Throw Shooting Is Improved Since Missing the NCAA Tournament
Going into the NIT, the Badgers were only shooting 67% as a team from the line. At the beginning of the year, they started out shooting well. As Big Ten play went along, the Badgers left a ton of points there and was the difference in multiple conference games, costing them a shot at the NCAA Tournament. It made no sense why that statistic dropped that fast in little time.
In three NIT games, Wisconsin is shooting just short of 85% at the line. Last night against Oregon, Wisconsin was 12-13 from the line. Players like Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl are shooting much better, and Chucky Hepburn is becoming more consistent from the line as well.
The Badgers Have A Closer Now
The better Wisconsin teams that earned NCAA Tournament births, as of late, had a closer. Last year’s team had Johnny Davis. Other players such as Bronson Koenig, Trevon Jackson, and D’Mitrik Trice have also embraced that role. This team did not have one until a few weeks ago. This year, it’s been Max Klesmit who has put the team on his back at the end of games.
Greg Gard on Max Klesmit:
"He did not want to lose.
"From the state, wearing that jersey means a ton to him."#Badgers
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 22, 2023
Last night, Klesmit scored the final five points for the Badgers, including a three to give them the lead for the rest of the game. When Wisconsin was up one with two seconds left, it was Klesmit who nailed two free throws confidently. While Klesmit only averages just about eight points a game, he’s become the closer and the leader of this team. Both were needed, and he’s answered the call
The Players Have Bought In
Nobody wants to be in the NIT. You're not gonna frame this as a successful season no matter how far they go…
But credit this group.
They're getting a lot more out of this than what probably would have happened if they snuck into the NCAA Tournament. #Badgers
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 22, 2023
Greg Gard mentioned before the Big Ten Tournament he would accept an NIT bid if Wisconsin got one. It’s one thing for the coach to want the bid, but the players have to be open to it too. A lot of times in the NIT, we see the bubble teams who missed the tournament get bounced right away in the NIT. It’s nothing like the NCAA Tournament. It’s something you play for all year. It hurts when you fall short, and most of the time, you just want the season to end.
Both Wisconsin and Oregon played last night like this was the NCAA Tournament. Both teams accepted it and showed they wanted to win. Yes, the overall pace and aesthetics of the game were not pretty, but you could tell players were giving it their all.
It’s obvious Wisconsin wants to win the NIT. It may not pay off now, but I would be willing to bet it will pay off next season as they make another bid at the NCAA Tournament bid. This team had no momentum a few weeks ago. Now? They’re playing their best basketball since December. They have bought into this, and the fans are starting to believe in it too.
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