What are the realm of possibilities for the Badgers this season?
The Wisconsin Badgers basketball season will tip off tomorrow at home against Holy Cross at 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin comes into the season with a new look after losing key players in the offseason. The team brought in some new transfers and highly-touted freshman Daniel Freitag.
Wisconsin basketball hopes to exceed everyone’s expectations after a rollercoaster 2023-24. Last season, the Badgers were ranked as high as sixth in the AP Poll, but went through a major rough patch of losses before making it to the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
It was followed by a heartbreaking loss to 12-seeded JMU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and then to make matters worse, key players A.J. Storr, Chucky Hepburn, and Connor Essegian left.
The Badgers come into this season unranked but have the potential to make some noise. They received five votes in the preseason AP Poll and the ceiling could take them far. However, the floor is low in a new Big Ten with 18 teams.
Ceiling: 22-8, AP Top-25 Team
Wisconsin’s ceiling will only come if Greg Gard figures out how to unlock his players. Last season, the Badgers went on an incredible winning streak en route to becoming a top team in the AP Poll. It didn’t last too long before a second-half collapse.
In Wisconsin’s stretch of dominance, Max Klesmit was a scoring machine. He can be an elite scorer in the Big Ten, and if the offense can work him in as a primary scorer or at least a main option, the Badgers can find success. It seems like Klesmit, Steven Crowl, and John Blackwell will be the primary scoring options as returners.
Wisconsin’s ceiling can also come with the successful implementation of newcomers. Freitag has the potential to make an immediate impact, but the focus should shift toward transfers John Tonje, Xavier Amos, and Camren Hunter. If they can carry some of their previous collegiate success to this Badger squad, then they can be a legitimate force in the country.
Remember, Wisconsin basketball has historically done more with less. They don’t bring in the same recruiting classes as Blue Bloods, or even some of the top Big Ten teams for that matter. What Wisconsin does well is get hot when expectations are low. It can happen again this season if all goes right.
Floor: 14-16, Bottom-Three Big Ten Team
On the flip side, the Badgers could continue the same trend of the last eight months or so. After falling to JMU in a March Madness upset, the program added insult to injury by losing part of its core. With a weaker roster on paper compared to last season, a lot could go wrong.
On top of this, Gard enters the season with an immense amount of pressure. Many fans were calling for his dismissal, however, he signed a five-year extension following the end of the season. Even though this is the case, Gard is in the hot seat in the eyes of most of the Badger community.
A below-.500 record would be fears realized for Wisconsin. The problem is that the team doesn’t have a bonafide star/No. 1 option, whereas last season Storr was ‘the guy.’
In general, the team doesn’t have a major strength to emphasize, which could kill them throughout the season. The Badgers are ranked outside of the top 40 in KenPom’s offense and defense. This record could come with not only losing to superior opponents but also playing down to competition.
Prediction: 18-12, Bubble Team
Perhaps shooting could be an emphasis with standouts like Blackwell and Klesmit, as well as Crowl, being able to extend his range a bit, but the failure of having a true strength to capitalize on could keep Wisconsin from being a 20-win team in the 30-game regular season.
Right now, the starters are projected to be Klesmit, Blackwell, Tonje, Crowl, and sophomore Nolan Winter. The towering duo of Crowl (7’0”) and Winter (6’11”) is something to note and could play to Wisconsin’s advantage.
The Badgers will need to find a true point guard as they have to decide between Klesmit, Freitag, Hunter, and Kamari McGee. Last season, Hepburn was a true facilitator and defender. This season, we could see that same level of production from the starting point guard, or perhaps more. It comes down to who will step up.
Realistically, Wisconsin’s wing depth should do most of the heavy lifting in getting this team to a winning record and a chance at March Madness. Following the regular season, the Badgers will likely be a fringe bubble team with this record and will need some momentum from the Big Ten Tournament.
The spectrum is wide for Wisconsin basketball this season, as it’s set to face six teams in the preseason AP Top 25. It will fall on how this team avoids playing down to competition and taking advantage of opportunities.