Saturday’s humiliating defeat against Penn State knocked the Badgers out of contention for the double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, giving them the opportunity for a much-needed “get right game” of sorts. They took care of business, fending off the Wildcats 70-63 on Thursday and advanced to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
Wisconsin basketball has had its ups and downs over the past couple of weeks, raising a lot of questions and concerns for the team as it gears up for the most important stretch of the season. Their win over Northwestern revealed a lot with the first round of March Madness just one week away.
Here are the biggest takeaways from yesterday’s game.
Klesmit’s presence noticeable in return
Wisconsin has been without senior guard Max Klesmit for two weeks due to a lower leg injury he suffered against Washington. The team felt his absence, as the Badgers dropped two out of their final three regular season games and lost a lot of their mojo on offense. Wisconsin shot a measly 23.5% from three and had a -26 point differential in the second period during that span.
In his return, Klesmit totaled nine points and shot 60% from the field with four total rebounds. While Klesmit didn’t light up the box score, his presence on the court was noticeable. The Badgers found a lot more success in the passing game than they had in recent weeks, exploiting holes in the defense that allowed for more open-look shots.
Klesmit’s leadership role for the Badgers cannot be understated. They looked lost during his absence over the past couple of weeks but looked like a well-oiled machine at times against Penn State. Wisconsin operated with a much more methodical and fluid approach, which allowed them to take control of the game and take some pressure off of the starters in the second half. Klesmit is a big reason why this happened.
Rocky start, rhythmic finish
The Badgers sputtered out of the gate, having some early turnover trouble and missing on a lot of their jumpers. The Wildcats led for about the first 10 minutes of the game, but Wisconsin slowly but surely found a rhythm and started to pull ahead.
The Badgers found themselves firmly in the driver’s seat in the second half, leading by 18 with less than five minutes to play in regulation.
The Badgers have struggled with their 3-point shot the past couple of weeks. It looked like it would be much of the same against the Wildcats, hitting only three of their first 16 attempts. They eventually found their shot and closed out their first game of the Big Ten Tournament by hitting five out of their last nine 3-point attempts.
Wisconsin plays its best basketball under the confines of its rhythm, which is both good and bad. On the positive side, they look like a team with Final Four potential when they play at their peak, with effortless passing and high-octane scoring.
But when they’re forced to play to their opponents’ rhythm, they have a harder time adjusting and don’t execute with the same level of efficiency. They were able to play their style of basketball for much of Thursday’s game, but this will be something to monitor throughout the rest of the conference tournament and NCAA tournament.
Clash of strengths
Wisconsin will take on UCLA today in the quarterfinals. The Badgers lost to the Bruins 83-85 in Los Angeles back in January, their smallest margin of defeat of the year. They meet again in the Big Ten Tournament in what will be a matchup between two very different playing styles.
Head coach Greg Gard’s squad is characterized by their high-flying offense, averaging 80.8 points per game. The Bruins are the best defense in the Big Ten, only allowing 65.1 points per game. It’ll be a classic clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object, a game that truly could go either way.
The Badgers will need to hit their 3-point shots to pull out a win. The 3-pointer has been one of their strengths this season, but the Badgers have been cold beyond the arc as of late. They finished strong against Northwestern but will face a tougher opponent in UCLA and will need to keep their foot on the gas.
Winning the turnover battle will also be crucial for Wisconsin. They dominated Northwestern, scoring 17 points off takeaways while only allowing five points off of turnovers. The Badgers will need to take what they can get against this stifling Bruins defense, and capitalizing off turnovers will be a key factor in today’s game.
The Badgers’ win over the Wildcats provided a huge confidence booster. They’ll need to ride this momentum to move past the Bruins and advance to the conference tournament semifinals.
With Klesmit back in the lineup, they could have an easier time finding their rhythm, which will be dire against a defense like UCLA’s that can suck the life out of opposing offenses. How Wisconsin responds to a stout defense like that of the Bruins will be a must-watch, and it could be a preview of how prepared they are for March Madness.
A lot of questions remain unanswered, but one thing is for certain: it's sure to be a great game in Indianapolis this afternoon.
