NFL
By: Melo Williams
Wisconsin mens’ basketball team improved to 8-0 on the season with a 74-53 win over Chicago State Saturday at the Kohl Center, and moved up to No. 11, up four spots in the new AP poll.
Wisconsin’s 8-0 start to open the season, is the first since the 2013-14 season and just the fourth time in the NCAA tournament era since 1938-39.
The Badgers is the first Big Ten team to reach 8 wins and became the second Power 5 Conference team to reach the 8-win mark, joining Florida.
Back-to-Back Big Ten Player of the Week, John Tonje led all scorers with 22 points, to go along with 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Tonje went 3-6 from 3-point range and is now shooting (16-38, 42% 3FG) from deep. Tonje also went 9-10 from the free-throw line and is now (69-73, 94%) on the season.
John Tonje has scored 20+ for the 4th time this season and is 1 of 4 players in the Big Ten with four 20-point games this year joining Dylan Harper (Rutgers), Nick Martinelli (Northwestern), and Dawson Garcia (Minnesota).
Tonje has scored in double figures in all 8 games this season.
Nolan Winter has continued making his mark on the team by contributing 12 points (4-4 FGs, 1-1 3FG, 3-3 FT) along with 6 rebounds.
Winter has scored double digits for the third straight game and the 5th time this season. Winter has a pair of games this season with at least 12 points while going perfect from the field.
When Winter is scoring, he gives the Badgers an advantage because he can score on all 3-levels stretching out defenses where he can take a big man off the dribble with the ability to make passes while driving.
Steven Crowl will always make an impact on the game rather its on offense or defense, most nights its both. Crowl finished with 9 points, a team high 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and matched his career high 3 blocks.
Crowl is the Badgers team leader in assists averaging 3 assists per game. Saturday marked Crowl’s 9th career game with 5+ assists and the 5th time he has posted 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
PREVIEW:
The No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers (8-0 overall, 0-0 conference) opens up conference play against the Michigan Wolverines (6-1 overall, 0-0 conference) who’s coming off winning the 2024 Fort Meyers Tip-off championship, knocking off then ranked No. 22 Xavier 78-53.
The one loss the Wolverines has is from a 72-70 loss to Wake Forest November 10.
The Wolverines were led by the 2024 Fort Meyers Tip-off tourney MVP Danny Wolf who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds in the championship game.
Wolf’s “Twin Tower” partner Vladislav Goldin tallied 18 points and 5 rebounds.
Michigans point guard Tre Donaldson, an Auburn transfer finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Donaldson is a strong and physical scoring guard. Gets to his spots well, high basketball IQ, and a playmaker.
Roddy Gayle Jr., an Ohio State transfer earned All-Tournament Team honors, only scored 6 points in the championship game, however Gayle Jr. tallied 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists against Virginia Tech.
A lot has been made about the “Twin Towers” match up between the 7-footers, Badgers Steven Crowl/Nolan Winter vs the Wolverines Danny Wolf/Vladislav Goldin.
I asked Badgers head coach Greg Gard about his thoughts having his own Twin Towers vs Michigan’s Twin Towers.
Though the Twin Tower matchups are intriguing and the better of the duo’s will have a huge impact on the outcome of the game for either team.
I think this game will be won on the perimeter, who has better guard play. The rebounding battle, who wins the offensive rebounding, who has less turnovers, and lastly, who creates points from the fast break.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
– Between the Twin Towers matchups, the Winter vs Wolf battle is key
– Can Crowl outwork Goldin on the glass
– What backcourt will have the best defense, Wisconsin’s Klesmit/Blackwell or Michigan’s Donaldson/Gayle Jr.
– Can Michigan defense slow down John Tonje
– Both teams can play uptempo basketball, who will score more fast break points
– Badgers bench must outplay the Wolverines bench
STATS:
UW 86.9 PPG = UM 80.9 PPG
UW 71.7 OPPG < UM 60.1 OPPG
UW 47.9 FG% = UM 50 FG%
UW 36.3 3FG% = UM 38.5 3FG%
UW 86.5 FT% > UM 66.7 FT%
UW 35 RPG = 37 RPG
UW 8.7 OREBPG < UM 11.7 OREBPG
UW 26.3 DREBPG = UM 25.3 DREBPG
UW 15.3 APG = UM 17.6 APG
UW 9.4 TOPG > UM 15.3 TOPG
UW 6.7 SPG = UM 7.6 SPG
UW 1.9 BPG < UM 4.7 BPG
TEAM SCORING PPG LEADERS:
UW UM
John Tonje – 22.9 Tre Donaldson – 13.0
John Blackwell – 14.9 Roddy Gayle Jr.- 12.0
Max Klesmit – 11.5 Danny Wolf – 10.9
Nolan Winter – 9.6 Nimari Burnett – 10.0
Steven Crowl – 8.5 Vladislav Goldin – 9.1
TEAM REB & AST PER GAME LEADERS:
UW UM
Nolan Winter – 5.6 Danny Wolf – 9.9
Steven Crowl – 3.5 Tre Donaldson – 4.0
TV/Radio:
TONIGHT 8PM CST
Peacock/Badger Radio Network
