NFL
By: Melo Williams
After an opening night victory Monday over Holy Cross, Wisconsin men’s basketball team is set to host visiting Montana State, marking the first meeting in program history. Tip-Off is set for 7 P.M. CST, Thursday night at the Kohl Center.
WISCONSIN:
The Badgers (1-0) will look to improve to 2-0, after a come-from-behind, 85-61 win over Holy Cross on Monday.
The Badgers faced a 16-point deficit early in the game, but outscored the crusaders 80-40 the rest of the way. Graduate transfer guard, John Tonje scored 23 points in the contest, the most by any Badger in a debut since at least 2000, along with 5 rebounds, and 1 assist.
John Blackwell finished just two points shy of his career high, scoring 16 points for the game and Nolan Winter chipped in a career-high 15 points going 6-for-6 from the field, marking the first time since 2017, that three Badgers scored 15 or more points in a season opener.
Steven Crowl, Max Klesmit, and Kamari McGee all chipped in 7 points with McGee playing a career high 28 minutes, dishing out 4 assists for the first time with Wisconsin. Transfer forward Xavier Amos scored his first points at Wisconsin, while also collecting 4 rebounds.
MONTANA STATE:
Thursday’s game serves as the season opener for Montana State and the second season under head coach Matt Logie.
The Bobcats finished last season 9-9 in the Big Sky conference and 17-18 overall. Montana State earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament winning the Big Sky tournament as a 5th seed, losing 88-81 in overtime to Grambling State in the First Four game.
Montana State was picked to finish first in the 2024-2025 Big Sky’s conference Preseason Media Poll and second in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
Montana State returns two of its three leading scorers from last season. Senior Brian Goracke who averaged 13.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the regular season, was named to the 2024 Big Sky All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.3 points per game on 50.0% shooting from the floor (13-of-26) and 46.7% from three-point range (7-of-15). Junior, Brandon Walker averaged 13.1 points in just 19.6 minutes per game last season for the Bobcats.
Both Goracke and Walker were named to the 2024-2025 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Bobcats are one of the most experienced teams in the country with three-time Big Sky champion Tyler Patterson (128 career games), rotation players senior Patrick McMahon, senior Sam Lecholat, senior Chika Nduka, and junior Jed Miller. Transfers Jabe Mullins (Washington State), Max Agbonkpolo (Utah State), Bryce Zephir (Salt Lake CC), Jeremiah Davis (Fullerton College), BJ Kolly (Western Washington), and freshman Trap Johnson from Belton HS fill-out the roster for the Bobcats.
WISCONSIN’S PROJECTED STARTERS:
John Blackwell
Max Klesmit
John Tonje
Nolan Winter
Steven Crowl
WHERE TO WATCH:
BIG TEN PLUS
