MBB: Big Ten Basketball Preview – Wisconsin

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to (possibly) my final installment in our MBB Big Ten preview series. Today we are going to be looking at yet another heavy hitter, the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers finished last season with an impressive 27-10 record, finishing tied for fourth place in the Big Ten with both UCLA and Purdue, with a 13-7 conference record. Wisconsin would finish as the runner-up to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament, losing a close matchup 59-53. They would go on to lose in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, losing a heartbreaker to 6-seed BYU, 91-89.

As for my names to watch, aside from the Badgers top returning player in John Blackwell, I would have to start my list with Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde. This is exactly the kind of dude you expect to see at Wisconsin. He gives me real strong E.J. Singler vibes, with maybe a little less rebounding and a little more playmaking. He’s (probably) not going to lead Wisconsin in any of the major counting stats, but this dude will be essential to making the team go. He’s gonna do all the little things, he’s versatile, and he can knock down the three ball at a consistent clip (41.3% last season). He’s the kind of guy every winning team needs to succeed.

Next up is Nick Boyd, the San Diego State transfer. I think he will be a very, very important member of this team. He gives the Badgers a legitimate threat from three (37% for his career), and another big-bodied guard to drive the lane. I also trust him to make the right decisions with the ball, as a 5th year senior.

Lastly, I have to go with big man Austin Rapp. Honestly, I’ve been impressed with Wisconsin’s ability to go into the portal this year and get the guys who are, in my opinion, perfect fits. Rapp really, really reminds me of Jon Leuer. Even last year at Portland, that’s who I thought of when he played against Oregon. He’s a 6’10” big who will step out and hit the three at a 35 to 40% clip, grab you 6-7 rebounds a game, and block a few shots in the lane. If Rapp can refine his low-post game a little more, I could see him gathering some Kaminsky comps when he inevitably enters the NBA Draft.

Wisconsin will (barring injury) most likely finish in the top 5 of the conference. There’s no preamble needed at this point, it’s just what they do. But if they take a little while getting the rotation right, trying to figure out the chemistry with all these new guys, I could see them starting on the slower side of things. That being said, I don’t think that will happen. Greg Gard has been the head coach for ten years now, and he’s been on campus since 2001. He’ll get his guys right before the season tips off.

Oregon will host the Badgers this season, time and date are still currently TBD.