The Badgers are looking to remain undefeated at home on Thursday.
The Wisconsin Badgers used a solid second half to dispatch the Holy Cross Crusaders, 85-61. John Tonje’s 23 points in his Badgers debut were paramount as Wisconsin pulled away from Holy Cross. Nolan Winter had his best game in a Badger uniform, going 6-for-6 from the field and finishing with 15 points. Wisconsin also converted all 16 free throw attempts in their season-opening win.
Greg Gard and company now focus on the Montana State Bobcats, who reached the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
What should Badgers fans know about Montana State?
Opponent Preview
Matt Logie enters his second season as the head coach of the Montana State Bobcats. MSU finished the season 17-18, but they played their best basketball when it mattered. The Bobcats used a dominant Big Sky Tournament run to earn their ticket to the Big Dance last season. In their First Four game against Grambling State, Montana State fell 88-81 in overtime.
The Bobcats enter the 2024-25 season as one of the favorites to win the Big Sky Conference. Montana State was voted the top team in the media poll, and the second-best team in the coaches poll behind rival Montana.
Montana State’s top scorer and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year last season, Robert Ford III, is now with the Würzburg Baskets basketball club in Germany, but the Bobcats return starters Brandon Walker, Brian Gorake, and Tyler Patterson. Gorake and Walker, both forwards, averaged over 13 points per game last season and were named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team.
MSU was active in the transfer portal this offseason. The Bobcats signed guard Jabe Mullins from Washington State, forward Max Agbonkpolo from Utah State, and B.J. Kelly from Western Washington. Matt Logie’s crew also signed two guards from the junior college ranks: Bryce Zephir and Jeremiah Davis. Zephir and Davis are among the top 50 JUCO recruits in the country.
Last season, the Bobcats ranked 225th in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency and 215th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Score Prediction
It will be interesting to see how Matt Logie will best utilize the new talent coming into Bozeman for the season, but Montana State will be a step up in competition. Wisconsin’s game against Holy Cross marked the second straight game, if you count the exhibition against UW-River Falls, in which the Badgers lacked execution before settling in. I anticipate the Badgers will continue that trend against a Bobcats team that will make noise at the Big Sky Conference.
Prediction: Wisconsin 77-59.