The Wisconsin Badgers have gotten off to a perfect 3-0 start to the season, but the play on the court has still not yet reached perfection.
The Badgers have defeated Holy Cross, Montana State, and App State to tip off the 2024 in Madison. Wisconsin begins the season with an epic five-game slate of home games with #9 Arizona and UTRGV (Rio Grande Valley) left. The Badgers, however, have been in losing situations in all three wins and trailed Holy Cross and App State in particular by hefty margins.
In order to defeat the Arizona Wildcats, the Wisconsin Badgers are going to have to play not only great basketball, but also methodical basketball.
Wisconsin Badgers Remaining Question #1: Can the Staff Find a Way to Stop Tobe Awaka?
Perhaps the biggest and most important question the Wisconsin Badgers will have to answer before facing the Wildcats is how can the team stop forward Tobe Awaka.
Awaka was a solid threat against Canisius, but after a few missed shots, relinquished the offensive duties. In his second game of the season, Awaka recorded 18-points and 15-rebounds in his best collegiate performance to date. The forward was a talented player for the Tennessee Volunteers, but was buried on the bench and has not been able to break-out until now.
The reason why Awaka is really dangerous, in this day and age especially, is because of the physicality he offers in the paint. The forward has never attempted a three-point shot and rather aims to play his own version of bully-ball in the paint.
Wisconsin has struggled with talented and physical big men in the past, which could spell real trouble for the Badgers if Awaka is not stopped.
Wisconsin Badgers Remaining Question #2: Will the “Hot-Hand” Approach Work Against Arizona?
Following the win over App State, Big Ten Network courtside reporter Krissy Birdsdall spoke with Wisconsin Badgers big man Steven Crowl. The center stated that the team has been “riding the hot-hand” and giving the ball to who is on point that night. Crowl expressed how the team feels comfortable doing so and added that it has allowed more “freedom” on offense.
While many teams follow a similar method, it might be difficult for the Badgers to do so against a team like the Wildcats. Arizona, for example, has been running the offense through Awaka or Caleb Love which has allowed their top players to get open looks with the basketball.
For the Wisconsin Badgers, it has been a combination of Max Klesmit and John Tonje lighting up the scoreboard. The approach of giving the ball to the player who is looking the best out on the court is respectable, but has also taken time. The Badgers have needed nearly 17-minutes each game this season to score 30 or more points.
Against a really strong, offensive-minded team like Arizona, the Wisconsin Badgers are going to have to get off to a hot start and continue that momentum.
Wisconsin Badgers Remaining Question #3: Is There Enough Depth to Compete With the Wildcats?
Perhaps one of the more layered questions ahead of the game is whether or not the Wisconsin Badgers have the depth to compete with the Wildcats. Early on this season, Wisconsin has focused on really utilizing a seven-man rotation which is rather common in college basketball.
Such reliance on the starting lineup can be great, but the Wildcats have a deep bench that can really hurt the Badgers. Arizona have five different experienced players who have played over ten-minutes per game off the bench. While the two games Arizona has played in have mainly been practice, Wisconsin must prepare for a multilayered attack.
Forwards Carter Bryant and Henri Veesaar, along with guard Anthony Dell’Orso have all played over 17-minutes per game this season. Bryant and Veesaar often sub onto the court together with the duo measuring in at 6-feet-8-inches and 7-feet even, respectively. The big man duo are both stretch players and take limited outside shots but tend to nail them.
Dell’Orso is a transfer guard from Campbell, where he started 58 games in two years and averaged 17.9-points per game. The Melbourne native is a rather accurate shooter but has gotten off to a slow start this season. Dell’Orso might not be lighting it up right now, but he is still a player the Wisconsin Badgers cannot leave wide open.
For More Content
Message me on X (Formerly known as Twitter) @JarrettGuerrera for questions and opportunities. For more basketball content, click here!
