After a three-game losing streak in early December, Wisconsin has quietly won 11 of its past 13 games, most of them by double digits. Greg Gard’s team has received little national attention, but it has Final Four potential.
On Saturday, the Badgers beat Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 74-63, behind 22 points, six rebounds and four assists from sixth-year guard John Tonje. Sophomore guard John Blackwell pitched in 19 points and six rebounds. Wisconsin is a well-balanced team built around that dynamic backcourt duo. It has experience, size and high-level shooting. Four rotation players — Tonje, senior guard Kamari McGee, senior forward Carter Gilmore and sophomore forward Nolan Winter — are shooting at or above 39 percent from behind the arc. As a whole, the Badgers are hitting 10.1 threes per contest, which ranks 24th nationally. And that is in spite of the fact that senior guard Max Klesmit, who shot 39.8 percent from deep a season ago, has yet to find his touch. Klesmit has connected on just 28.5 percent of his 6.2 three-point attempts per game to this point.
This is not the walk-it-up, grind-it-out Wisconsin of old. During the summer of 2023, Gard brought in former Badgers guard Kirk Penney, who spent several years playing overseas, to join the staff and revamp and modernize the offense. Perhaps what stands out the most about the Badgers is that their success is not dependent on their perimeter shooting. They beat Ohio State and USC in back-to-back games in mid-January despite going a combined 14 of 50 from three. They get to the free throw line, where they convert on a nation’s–best 84.1 percent of their attempts. Tonje and Blackwell complement each other well and put constant pressure on the rim. Wisconsin is averaging 81.3 points per game and ranks ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. The defense hasn’t been particularly noteworthy, but it has been better than that of other offensive powerhouses like Alabama, Kentucky and Gonzaga, especially of late. In the Badgers’ last five games, only one of their opponents (Maryland) has scored more than 70 points.
Overall, Wisconsin has the formula to be a very dangerous team in March. Since December 10, its only losses have come to UCLA and Maryland (both on the road). We’ll learn a lot more about the Badgers this coming week when they face Purdue at Mackey and Illinois in Madison.
A bubble team I have my eye on to make the Tournament and potentially pull off an upset: Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons got two wins this week over Stanford and Cal to improve to 10-3 in the ACC (18-6 overall). They have been elite defensively all season and are beginning to look much sharper on the other end of the floor, where they have struggled immensely. In three straight games, Wake Forest has shot over 52 percent from the field. When he is in rhythm, senior guard Hunter Sallis (18.4 ppg) is one of the premier guards in the country. Sallis’ backcourt mate, senior Cameron Hildreth, has been sensational during the squad’s three-game win streak, averaging 23 points on 67 percent shooting.
St. John’s senior guard Kadary Richmond will end up winning Big East Player of the Year. There are several contenders, including Marquette senior guard Kam Jones, Creighton senior big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, Villanova senior forward Eric Dixon and Richmond’s teammate, junior guard RJ Luis Jr. Richmond averages fewer points than all of them, but his versatile, two-way game has fueled the Johnnies, who are likely to win the conference.
The 6-foot-6 transfer from Seton Hall started the season slow partly because he wasn’t used to playing at the fast pace that Rick Pitino wanted. Now that he is comfortable in Pitino’s system, Richmond is thriving. Over the Red Storm’s 10-game win streak, he has averaged 14.0 points (on 52.2 percent shooting), 5.9 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals. Expect those numbers to get even better during the last month of the season.
Speaking of St. John’s, Rick Pitino should be the national Coach of the Year. Bruce Pearl has done a phenomenal job at Auburn. Jon Scheyer continues to prove he was the right choice to succeed Coach K at Duke. Dennis Gates, Mark Pope, Todd Golden, Nate Oats, Pat Kelsey, Tom Izzo and Mark Byington are all worthy of consideration as well. But we can’t take what Pitino has done for granted just because he has done it so many times. In just his second year at the helm, Pitino has St. John’s sitting atop the Big East at 12-1 (21-3 overall) and looking like a real threat to make a run to San Antonio. The program is having its best season in more than four decades. The Pitino Effect.
The most underrated big man in college basketball is Florida sophomore forward Alex Condon. The Gators’ standout guards — seniors Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard — get most of the spotlight, and rightfully so. But Condon, an alumni of the NBA Global Academy, has been terrific all year and is a major reason that Florida is one of the nation’s best rebounding teams. At 6-foot-11, the versatile forward is both highly skilled and physical. Condon put up 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the Gators’ upset victory over Auburn on Saturday, while also holding star Johni Broome to just 18 points on 19 field goal attempts.
If Alabama’s bench was a separate team, it would make the NCAA Tournament. Before Latrell Wrightsell Jr. ruptured his Achilles, the senior guard was in the Tide’s starting lineup, so let’s say the following players are reserves: sophomore guard Aden Holloway, freshman guard Labaron Philon, senior guard Chris Youngblood, sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate, freshman forward Derrion Reid, senior guard Houston Mallette and freshman forward Aiden Sherrell. That group has versatility, athleticism, shooting and defense. Alabama ranks fifth in the country in bench points per game (35.2). In Saturday’s 85-81 win at Arkansas, Dioubate was arguably the team’s MVP, scoring 14 points in 15 minutes and making a huge play on the offensive glass to seal the outcome in the final seconds.
Game of the Weekend: Clemson 77, No. 2 Duke 71
We had a court storm at Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday. With less than 20 seconds remaining and his team trailing 73-71, Duke star Cooper Flagg slipped on his way to the basket and was called for traveling. Clemson iced the contest at the free throw line, snapping the Blue Devils’ 16-game winning streak.
The key was containing Flagg for much of the night. The freshman sensation scored several key baskets down the stretch, but finished with just 18 points on 6 of 17 shooting. Senior big man Viktor Lakhin (22 points, four rebounds, three blocks) and senior guard Chase Hunter (14 points, seven rebounds, three assists) led the way for the Tigers, who have now prevailed in five straight matchups against AP top-five opponents. The best part about this game? Dickie V was on the call!
Player of the Weekend: Jase Richardson, Guard, Michigan State
With his father, former MSU star and NBA player Jason Richardson, in attendance, Jase put on a show at the Breslin Center on Saturday. The freshman scored 18 of his career-high 29 points in the second half to lift Michigan State to an 86-74 win over Oregon. The Spartans trailed by 14 at halftime before Richardson took over.
Tom Izzo Isn’t Going Anywhere: “I Still Have the Fire”
He just turned 70, but Michigan State’s Hall of Fame coach doesn’t act or sound like someone who is about to retireFive Games to Watch This Week (all times ET)
Tennessee at Kentucky, Tuesday, 7 p.m., ESPN
When these teams met in Knoxville, Kentucky pulled off the stunning upset without senior guard Lamont Butler. Can Tennessee get revenge at Rupp?
Purdue at Michigan, Tuesday, 7 p.m., Peacock
Michigan can take over the top spot in the Big Ten with a win here, but it will be a massive challenge. Purdue point guard Braden Smith is playing as well as anyone right now.
Houston at Arizona, Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN
One of the best offensive teams in the country (Arizona) meets one of the nation’s best defensive teams (Houston). The winner of this game will be in a very good spot to win the Big 12.
Auburn at Alabama, Saturday, 4 p.m., ESPN
A historic rivalry. A chance to be (or stay) ranked No. 1 in the next AP poll. The two most stacked rosters in college hoops. This is the game of the season.
Creighton at St. John’s, Sunday, 3 p.m., FS1
The top two teams in the Big East square off at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm’s defense has been spectacular, but can it stop Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth?
Additional Notes
- Injury news: After being listed as questionable, Florida senior guard Alijah Martin missed Saturday’s game against Auburn with a hip pointer. Louisville guard Chucky Hepburn sat out against Miami due to a groin injury, which is not believed to be serious, according to Jeff Goodman. Kentucky senior guard Lamont Butler, who has been battling a shoulder injury, returned this weekend and helped the Wildcats get an 80-57 win over South Carolina. Iowa State sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic was also back in action after missing the past month with a hand injury, scoring 14 points in his team’s blowout victory over TCU. The Cyclones are now 15-1 when Momcilovic plays.
- With a victory over Oregon on Saturday, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo tied the legendary Bob Knight for the most Big Ten wins in history. Izzo has a chance to break the record on Tuesday against Indiana.
- After this weekend, there are only two remaining undefeated teams in conference play: Yale (Ivy) and Akron (Mid-American).
