NFL
By: Melo Williams
Wisconsin men’s basketball improved to 2-0 after defeating Montana State 79-67 at the Kohl Center on Thursday night. Wisconsin has now started the season 2-0 for the 4th time in the last five seasons.
Head coach Greg Gard improved his overall record to 188-107 (.637), 112-33 (.772) at the Kohl Center, and a regular season, non conference games record of 67-22, with a 49-5 record at the Kohl Center.
This is the 6th time in Gard’s 9 full seasons, the Badgers have opened 2-0 or better.
Wisconsin won the game dominating the paint, outscoring Montana State 12-4, 6-0 fast break points, made free throws, Max Klesmit’s hot hand from behind the arc, and Kamari McGee’s defense in the 2nd half on Montana State’s Jabe Mullins.
The Badgers action in their motion offense was on point with a lot of give-and-go, creating driving lanes to the rim for easy buckets besides McGee’s high degree of difficulty, up-and-under the defense layup at the rim.
Of the Badgers’ 79 points, all but 4 points were scored at the free-throw line, dunks/layups or from behind the arc.
One of the staples of Wisconsin’s program has been getting to the free throw line and taking advantage of the opportunities.
Wisconsin went 20-21 from the free point line and is now 36-37 on the season from the charity stripe.
Wisconsin has now posted back-to-back games shooting 90% or better from the free throw line (min. 12 attempts) for the first time since December of 2014, when it went 17-18 (.944) against California on December 22nd 2014, and 12-13 (.923) against Buffalo on December 28th 2014.
The Badgers has outscored its first 2 opponents 36-13 at the free throw line.
Badgers senior guard, Max Klesmit scored a season high 26 points (7-15 FG, 6-11 3FG, 6-6 FT), one shy of his career high 27 points. Max’s 6 made three’s is a career-high, tallying his 11th game with at least 20 points.
John Blackwell recorded 13 points (4-13 FG, 3-6 3FG, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Blackwell is averaging 14.5 PPG this season for the Badgers.
John Tonje finished with 13 points (2-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 8-9 FT), 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Kamari McGee tallied 11 points, (5-7 FG, 1-1 3FG), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.
Kamari scored 7 of his 11 points in the second half while taking the main defensive assignment of Jabe Mullins. Mullins is one the Bobcats best shooters and McGee prevented Mullins from getting many touches with his on-ball defense, staying attached to Mullins throughout screens and seeing man and ball playing the passing lanes magnificently.
McGee forced Mullins into turnovers, holding Mullins to one shot from the field, a 3-pointer with 3:35 left in the game.
John Blackwell and Max Klesmit both said its great playing with Kamari McGee because of his lead by example character on-and-off the court and how all the players feed off of his energy.
Badgers head coach, Greg Gard said that Kamari McGee has grown since transferring to the Badgers. “Kamari has the poise, maturity, operating at a functional speed.”
Though the “Twin Towers”, Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter only scored 6 points apiece, both impacted the game with defense and playmaking.
Nolan Winter led Wisconsin in rebounds with a career-high 8.
Steven Crowl led the Badgers in assists with 4, including the assist to Kamari McGee’s sweet up-and-under layup.
Coach Gard said “There was a lot of good things tonight and we’ll try to build off that.”
Next up for Wisconsin men’s basketball, is a Sunday, November 10th 2024 meeting vs Appalachian State at 11 AM CST at the Kohl Center before facing #10 Arizona at the Kohl Center on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 8 PM CST.
