Expectations were low for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team heading into the 2024-25 season.
After losing AJ Storr, Chucky Hepburn and Connor Essegian to the transfer portal and Tyler Wahl to graduation, analysts picked the Badgers to finish 12th in the Big Ten standings in the preseason poll. To end its 2023-24 season, Wisconsin was upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and it appeared that returning to the dance would be an uphill battle.
Fast forward to January, and the Badgers are riding high. Sitting at 16-4 and fourth in Big Ten standings, Wisconsin has already surpassed preseason expectations. So, how did this happen?
An unlikely hero in John Tonje
Coach Greg Gard and the Badgers announced John Tonje’s signing in May 2024. Tonje, a graduate student, spent the 2023-24 season with the Missouri Tigers. But, he only played eight games with Mizzou after an injury cut his season short.
Wisconsin started its season 3-0 before a match-up with No. 9 Arizona. An offensive masterclass ensued that saw Tonje score 41 points, nearly breaking Wisconsin legend Frank Kaminsky’s single-game scoring record. The Kohl Center erupted in pandemonium after the 103-88 victory over the Wildcats, and Ab Nicholas Court was covered by the fans and bedlam. Tonje and the Badgers put the rest of the Big Ten on notice.
Tonje’s hot shooting has been instrumental to Wisconsin’s success this season. He leads the team with 18.0 points per game and has proven to be a hot hand behind the 3-point line, hitting on 39.4% of his attempts. It’s safe to say the Badgers have compensated for the loss of AJ Storr, who only averages 6.6 points per game with the Kansas Jayhawks this season.
Tonje has been on fire this season, but he isn’t the only John who has shown up big-time for the Badgers.
The emergence of John Blackwell
John Blackwell earned a bigger role for the team as a freshman last year as the season progressed. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore, Blackwell has become a standout player on this Badgers team, averaging 16.3 points per game at a high level offensively. He has also been a strong performer defensively, averaging 4.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
Another great aspect of Blackwell’s game is his shooting ability. Blackwell has hit 48.5% of his field goals this season, including 34.8% of his 3-point attempts. He has also made 82.6% of his free throws, contributing to Wisconsin’s status as the top free-throw shooting team in the nation thus far. Blackwell’s poise as a shooter and in clutch situations has made him one of Wisconsin’s brightest young stars.
Fire and ice
The Badgers’ success this season is no fluke — they truly have found something special, particularly with the duo of Tonje and Blackwell. The tandem has been so special that they deserve a nickname, and “fire and ice” is the perfect fit.
Tonje embodies “fire” due to his explosive shooting ability and the energy he has brought to this team as a transfer. He has scored over 20 points in six games this season, including two games where he scored over 30. Tonje has provided a spark to this Badgers team that desperately needed it following the departure of several key players this past offseason.
Blackwell represents “ice” thanks to his composure and smooth shooting. He is only a sophomore, but he has taken on a bigger role for the team than multiple older players. His maturity as a player and ability to perform under pressure will make him a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten for years to come.
Tonje and Blackwell have been standout performers, but they are not a two-man show. As a whole, this Badgers team is playing phenomenally. They currently average 82.5 points per game and 15.3 assists per game, and they shoot 47.2% from the field and hit on 36.2% of their 3-point attempts. For comparison, the 2014-15 team that played in the National Championship averaged 71.9 points per game, 12.7 assists per game, shot 48% from the field and hit on 35.7% of their 3-pointers.
The hype is real, and it’s time to buy into the Badgers.
Fire and ice will hit the court next against Maryland tonight at 6:00 p.m.
