Though they were recently smothered on the boards by North Carolina in the Maui Invitational Championship Game, the Badgers have spent the bulk of this season snagging just about every rebound available.
That trend should continue for No. 16 Wisconsin (4-2) against Prairie View A&M (2-4), which has been dominated on both the offensive and defensive glass in just about every game this year.
The Badgers have been astonishingly good at rebounding in the early goings of 2016, as they rank in the top 20 of offensive rebounding percentage and defensive rebounding percentage, according to Ken Pomeroy. They’ve allowed opponents to rebound just 19 percent of their misses, sixth-best in the country and second-best among Power 5 teams.
Much of that rebounding prowess comes in the form of redshirt sophomore forward Ethan Happ, one of just a handful of players to rank in the top 75 of both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. He leads the Badgers in both categories at 27 and 14.2 percent, respectively.
Happ has left his teammates in the dust this year, grabbing 8.8 rebounds per game, more than three more than any other UW player. That number might not seem especially gaudy, but the Badgers’ traditionally deliberate style means fewer possessions and, accordingly, fewer available rebounds.
Though Happ has received most of the attention for UW’s masterful rebounding performance, sophomore forward Charles Thomas has made the most of his limited minutes this year. While he’s played just 8.3 minutes per game, Thomas is second on the team in defensive rebounding percentage and has been a rock for the Badgers whenever he’s stepped on the court. The UW coaching staff has loved the improvement that they’ve seen from him since his shaky freshman season.
“You can always get better at rebounding,” assistant coach Howard Moore said. “I always tell the bigs, instead of trying to get six, get 12. That’s where you can show your improvement.”
Also in on the action has been sophomore guard Khalil Iverson, who has earned himself a healthy 14.5 minutes per game in his second season in Madison. He’s third on the team in offensive and defensive rebounds, and remains a spark plug off the bench for UW.
The Panthers do have a 6-foot-9 player in junior center J.D. Wallace, who should see a lot of playing time Sunday. Outside of him, they have just one contributor taller than 6-foot-4. With the Badgers struggling to make shots, there will be ample opportunity for offensive rebounds for Happ and Thomas.
Wallace and junior forward Zachary Hamilton have been the lone stars for the Panthers in an otherwise dismal start to the season. Hamilton leads the offensive charge with 13.8 points per game, most of which come from beyond the 3-point line. He has taken more 3-pointers than 2-pointers this year, and is shooting a healthy 48.1 percent from beyond the arc.
The Badgers should quiet Hamilton and spread the floor enough to neutralize Wallace’s defensive presence and come away with an easy win, but with a tough offensive start to the season, they might need all the rebounds they can find.
The game against Prairie View A&M tips off at 1 p.m. at the Kohl Center.
