Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[DingleJerry]

Even if it goes in it still has work for the nba. His form isn't as bad as Davis's was as at least the arm motions are fine. But he's basically shooting an awkward set launch shot which is tough to translate to nba as you'll need to rising up and shooting over people. So NBA coaches will also try to tweak him big time which should knock him down any draft assessments by them. He is the right size for an NBA 3/D wing type guy if he can just make catch/shoot shots and never develops the shoot over someone aspects I'm talking about. But I'm still really skeptical of all of it and don't see an NBA player as of now. Hope he stays all 4, collects the NIL money here and has some fun.

[ReasonablySober]

Up to #6 in the AP.

[skbucks1985]

If they go 2-1 in the Purdue and Illinois games and get tripped up no more than once along the way and win 1 at least 1 game in the Big Ten Tournament, I think that would be an all but guarantee of a 1 seed in the tournament. Its unlikely, but its plausible and the fact that I can lay out a plausible path to a 1 seed is not something I thought I'd be saying in late January after the 1-2 start.

[DingleJerry]

Can't say I've watched a ton of Purdue but I did watch a bunch of their 2H yesterday and wasn't all that impressed. Sure having Edey makes them the clear favorite on UW and I expect to lose. But to me, the surrounding players didn't impress me much and seemed weaker than years past. Although, the announcers were talking the opposite way like the supporting cast (non big guys) is better now so who knows since it was one game.

[skbucks1985]

I think Purdue is not quite as deep as they were last year, but I do think their top 6 is better than it was last year. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are better than they were last year, Lance Jones has been a really nice addition for them. But overall I think they have a lot of the same issues of struggling to manufacture offense outside of Edey and being more susceptible than most to a team that goes on a heater from outside.

And Edey has played well against Wisconsin and his shooting numbers are really gaudy, but he's never really gone off. HIs career high against them in 24 and his other 3 games he had 17, 17 and 21.

[chonestown]

Why do I keep calling Klesmit "Luke"? I seriously have no idea. Halp.

[DingleJerry]

I think Purdue is not quite as deep as they were last year, but I do think their top 6 is better than it was last year. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are better than they were last year, Lance Jones has been a really nice addition for them. But overall I think they have a lot of the same issues of struggling to manufacture offense outside of Edey and being more susceptible than most to a team that goes on a heater from outside.

And Edey has played well against Wisconsin and his shooting numbers are really gaudy, but he's never really gone off. HIs career high against them in 24 and his other 3 games he had 17, 17 and 21.

Big thing for me is no one the Ivey, Carson Edwards, Treveon Williams level. Even the Stefanovic sharpshooter seems better than the current iterations of that role player there. The Lance Jones they were hyping yesterday does not seem to be at the level of Edwards/Ivey, not even close. But, yea it was one game

[skbucks1985]

I think Purdue is not quite as deep as they were last year, but I do think their top 6 is better than it was last year. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are better than they were last year, Lance Jones has been a really nice addition for them. But overall I think they have a lot of the same issues of struggling to manufacture offense outside of Edey and being more susceptible than most to a team that goes on a heater from outside.

And Edey has played well against Wisconsin and his shooting numbers are really gaudy, but he's never really gone off. HIs career high against them in 24 and his other 3 games he had 17, 17 and 21.

Big thing for me is no one the Ivey, Carson Edwards, Treveon Williams level. Even the Stefanovic sharpshooter seems better than the current iterations of that role player there. The Lance Jones they were hyping yesterday does not seem to be at the level of Edwards/Ivey, not even close. But, yea it was one game

I think Smith and Loyer may be better overall players than Stefanovic but I don't think they're the shooter he is and I don't think they have a truly great shooter. And totally agreed on Jones, he is a good player that had been very valuable for them but he is nowhere near the player Edwards or Ivey were.

[jute2003]

They have been impressive on and off this year but I dont think I see the 6th best team in the country when I watch them. Top 15, sure...capable of an upset, of course. I think they're as likely as ever to get beat by a 14 seed in the tourney though. I hope they prove me wrong.

[skbucks1985]

This year's team has the fortune of this year's field. Its possible that UCONN is that team and everyone looks back on this 3 months from now and will have realized in retrospect that UCONN was clearly a cut above everyone else. But everyone else I've seen enough to say that they're eminently beatable on a given night. And even UCONN, they got run off the court by Seton Hall when they couldn't hit their 3's and that's something I can see happening at pretty much any time.

[HaroldinGMinor]

They have been impressive on and off this year but I dont think I see the 6th best team in the country when I watch them. Top 15, sure...capable of an upset, of course. I think they're as likely as ever to get beat by a 14 seed in the tourney though. I hope they prove me wrong.

I think there are maybe 5 - 7 teams that can win it all this year. UW is in a tier below that unless they can figure out things on D.

Bucky could easily go 0 - 2 this week.

[Bucksmaniac]

If they go 2-1 in the Purdue and Illinois games and get tripped up no more than once along the way and win 1 at least 1 game in the Big Ten Tournament, I think that would be an all but guarantee of a 1 seed in the tournament. Its unlikely, but its plausible and the fact that I can lay out a plausible path to a 1 seed is not something I thought I'd be saying in late January after the 1-2 start.

The Big 10 is not strong enough imo for this to work. That’d be a total of 7 losses, should be enough for a 2 but probably not for a 1.

[DingleJerry]

They have been impressive on and off this year but I dont think I see the 6th best team in the country when I watch them. Top 15, sure...capable of an upset, of course. I think they're as likely as ever to get beat by a 14 seed in the tourney though. I hope they prove me wrong.

I'd probably be pretty confident in saying top 12 at this moment and then put a maaaaybe on the top 8ish world. They've been really good and playing as good as anybody since the Providence game.

But yea they're not so good they still couldn't easily lose in the first two rounds, just the nature of the parity of CBB these days. I would nitpick on the 'as likely' aspect though. This team seems to be a bit less likely imo due to not being so 3 pt shot reliant as the past and more athletic due to Storr/Blackwell. That massive scoring drought to kill them should be less likely with this team. Doesn't mean it can't happen, just that I'd say they did clearly address the offensive issues that have plagued them for years so it seems less likely than the past few teams.

[skbucks1985]

If they go 2-1 in the Purdue and Illinois games and get tripped up no more than once along the way and win 1 at least 1 game in the Big Ten Tournament, I think that would be an all but guarantee of a 1 seed in the tournament. Its unlikely, but its plausible and the fact that I can lay out a plausible path to a 1 seed is not something I thought I'd be saying in late January after the 1-2 start.

The Big 10 is not strong enough imo for this to work. That’d be a total of 7 losses, should be enough for a 2 but probably not for a 1.

They're a 2 in virtually every Bracketology right now, and unless all of the teams currently ahead of them in the rankings and on the seed line do better, which I think is probably unlikely, then they'll be sitting pretty.

The thing I forgot in my initial comment, and in retrospect would make me less certain about that scenario leading to a 1 seed is that 2 of the teams they could be battling are teams that beat them. And one of them was a blowout and the other was at home.

[MikeIsGood]

The thing about "they aren't actually the #6 team in the country" is that Duke also isn't 7, Kansas isn't actually 8, Marquette isn't actually 9, etc. There just aren't super strong teams this year. So will we finish the year 6? No, I doubt it, but I push back on that narrative a bit because when you actually look at the rankings it makes plenty of sense.

It's all relative to other teams. And I know y'all know that, and I get the point, but I also think it's okay to look at the group and give them credit with the teams they're ranked with.

[ReasonablySober]

I haven't watched a second of non-Badger basketball, but relative to other Wisconsin teams I've seen this team looks as good or better. Obviously they don't have a Naismith candidate, but I like that they have reliable scores throughout the regulars to go with role players who know what to do.

Anything short of a deep tournament run would be a disappointment.

[HaroldinGMinor]

If they win the B1G I'll consider it a home run success of a season. Tourney success is matchup/luck-dependent

[chonestown]

I haven't watched a second of non-Badger basketball, but relative to other Wisconsin teams I've seen this team looks as good or better. Obviously they don't have a Naismith candidate, but I like that they have reliable scores throughout the regulars to go with role players who know what to do.

Anything short of a deep tournament run would be a disappointment.

Yeah, I agree for this year.

Deep team with veteran leadership. They've avoided the scoring droughts that have plagued the program historically. Health pending, they're equipped for tournament play.

There's more play around the margins. Badgers are good enough and balanced enough to move on if they have a clunker/foul trouble/injury. They shoot free throws well. They still take care of the ball. It's a recipe for winning.

[neiLz]

This Badger team can hoop. Storr is good.

[MikeIsGood]

Masterclass so far, heat checks aside.