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    Indiana at Wisconsin discussion thread

    Owen GrahamBy IU Basketball 80 Comments

    Game Day essentials:

    No. 11 Wisconsin (13-4, 5-1) vs. Indiana (12-6, 4-3)

    • Tip Time: 8:30 p.m. Eastern, Friday
    • Location: Kohl Center (17,071), Madison, Wis.
    • Television: FS1 (Brandon Gaudin, Robbie Hummel)
    • Stream: Fox Sports
    • IU Radio Network: IU Radio Network
    • Point Spread: Wisconsin is around a 10.5 point favorite.
    • KenPom Projected Score: No. 94 Indiana 66 – No. 12 Wisconsin 79
    • Series: Indiana leads series, 97-80.

    Road woes: Inside the numbers of Indiana’s away losing streak against Wisconsin

    Wisconsin’s Greg Gard

    Greg Gard was named the 17th head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers in the spring of 2016.

    Gard officially took over the job as an interim in the 2015-16 after then-current head coach Bo Ryan announced his immediate retirement. In that season, Gard led the Badgers to a 15-8 overall record and a 12-6 conference record and finished in the sweet sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. After the season, Gard was given the Jim Phelan Award by CollegeInsider.

    Since taking over, Gard has led the Badgers with a record of 177–97 and a conference record of 98-62. Wisconsin has seen the NCAA Tournament five times since Gard took over and made the semifinals in the NIT last season. Gard has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year twice (2020, 2022) since becoming head coach.

    Gard has climbed the ranks of the coaching world since starting his career as an assistant for Southwestern High School in 1990. Gard first broke onto the college scene in 1993, where he was named an assistant at his alma mater Wisconsin-Platteville. After a six-year stint in Platteville and another two years in Milwaukee, Gard arrived at Wisconsin in 2001. He was an assistant for the Badgers for 14 years before named interim head coach.

    Wisconsin’s results and roster

    DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME/RESULT
    11/6/2023 Arkansas State Madison, Wis. W 105-76
    11/10/2023 #9 Tennessee Madison, Wis. L 70-80
    11/14/2023 at Providence (Gavitt Games) Providence, R.I. L 59-72
    11/17/2023 Robert Morris Madison, Wis. W 78-68
    11/20/2023 vs. #24 Virginia (Fort M. Tip-Off) Fort Meyers, Fla. W 65-41
    11/22/2023 vs. SMU (Fort M. Tip-Off) Fort Meyers, Fla. W 69-61
    11/27/2023 Western Illinois Madison, Wis. W 71-49
    12/2/2023 #3 Marquette Madison, Wis. W 75-64
    12/5/2023 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. W 70-57
    12/9/2023 at #1 Arizona Tucson, Ariz. L 73-98
    12/14/2023 Jacksonville State Madison, Wis. W 75-60
    12/22/2023 Chicago state Madison, Wis. W 80-53
    1/2/2024 Iowa Madison, Wis. W 83-72
    1/6/2024 Nebraska Madison, Wis. W 88-72
    1/10/2024 at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio W 71-60
    1/13/2024 Northwestern Madison, Wis. W 71-63
    1/16/2024 at Penn State University Park, Pa. L 83-87

    Wisconsin’s game notes (via Wisconsin Athletics)

    WALL-TO-‘WAHL’ PLAYER

    • A two-time Big Ten champion, Tyler Wahl (143 games, 102 starts) has developed into one of the Big Ten’s most versatile players.
    • Prior to this season, Wahl was 1 of 20 players in the country named to the 2023 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award watchlist.
    • With UW off to a 5-1 start in Big Ten play, Wahl is averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 boards per game in conference play.
    • Wahl’s has scored in double figures 7 straight games, averaging 13.7 points (59.6% FG), plus 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

    SOMETHING IN STORR

    • Sophomore transfer AJ Storr has been an instant fit since arriving at Wisconsin. A BIG EAST All-Freshman honoree last year with St. John’s, Storr is leading the Badgers averaging 15.3 points per game.
    • He has scored in double figures in 15 of 17 games this season (12 straight).
    • Storr has led UW in scoring in 6 games.
    • Storr ranks 6th in the Big Ten shooting 84.7% from the free throw line, going 50-for-59.
    • Storr became the first Badger to score in double figures in each of his first 3 games since NBA Draft lottery pick Devin Harris did so in each of his first four games (2001-02 season)

    CHUCKY AT THE POINT OF IT

    • A Big Ten All-Freshman honoree and All-B1G honorable mention last season, Chucky Hepburn has started every game of his career (85 games) since arriving at Wisconsin.
    • UW has won 12 of its last 14 games and during that stretch Hepburn has averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 assists (1.1 turnover) & 2.0 steals per game.
    • Even more impressive, Hepburn is maintaining a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio (68 ast to 21 TOs). That ranks 3rd among Big Ten point guards this season (min. 3.5 APG) and 9th best among all major conference players.
    • On the season, Hepburn has more steals (32) than he does turnovers (21).

    BIG THINGS FROM ‘BIG STEVE’

    • The development of Steven Crowl has seen an upward trajectory during his career at Wisconsin. The junior big man averaged 0.7 points per game as a freshman, 8.8 ppg as a sophomore, and starred last year averaging 12.1 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
    • This season, Crowl is a leading contributor for UW, ranking 2nd in scoring (12.0 ppg), 1st in rebounds (7.8 rpg) and 2nd in assists (2.3 apg).
    • Crowl is a big reason why Wisconsin has won 12 of its last 14, averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 boards (3.9 o-reb) per game during that stretch.

    JOHN ‘JB’ BLACKWELL

    • True freshman John Blackwell has earned himself early minutes in a veteran-laden rotation for UW. A 2x Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, Blackwell is the first Badger to be recognized multiple times since Brad Davison (2017-18).
    • The Bloomfield Hills, Mich. native is averaging 8.9 ppg with double figures in 9 of 17 games.
    • Blackwell has led UW in scoring in 2 games, and ranks 4th among Big Ten freshmen in scoring so far this season.

    Wisconsin’s KenPom notable numbers:

    (out of 362 teams)

    Tempo – No. 316 (Offense No. 346 / Defense No. 110)

    Offensive Efficiency – No. 6

    • Wisconsin holds a 53.1 effective field goal percentage so far on the season (No. 76). The Badgers are shooting 35.1 percent from three (No. 111) and 53.3 percent from two (No. 72).
    • The Badgers are converting their chances from the line when granted. As a team, they shoot 77 percent from the line (No. 25) and free throws make up 21.1 percent of their total points (No. 76).
    • Wisconsin also does a great job of taking care of the ball. Opponents are getting steals at a 6.9 percent rate (No. 8) and their overall turnover percentage is at 15.1 percent (No. 51).

    Defensive Efficiency – No. 39

    • Opponents hold an effective field goal percentage of 51.8 percent against the Badgers (No. 244). Teams are shooting 35.2 percent from three (No. 265) and 51.1 percent from two (No. 209).
    • Part of what makes Wisconsin’s defense so highly ranked is their limitation on second-chance points. Opponents are getting offensive rebounds at only a 22.1 percent rate (No. 5).
    • Wisconsin doesn’t force a large number of turnovers, with just a 17.8 percent rate (No. 157) and a 9.1 percent steal percentage (No. 201).
    • The Badgers also don’t rack up a ton of blocks, with a 4.9 percent rate on the season (No. 345).

    Extras

    • Wisconsin has the sixth hardest schedule in all of D1 basketball.
    • The Badgers have the eighth-best continuity of minutes from the previous season to this season (percentage of returning minutes, 71.9 percent).
    • They are the 23rd tallest team with their player’s average height at around six feet six inches.
    • Steven Crowl is 50th in effective field goal percentage in the nation (No. 10 in the Big Ten).

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

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