2010-11 College Basketball Predictions: Wisconsin
November 16, 2010
The Wisconsin Badgers outperformed expectations last year, going 24-9 overall and ending up just one win out of a share for the Big Ten regular-season title at 13-5. The Badgers however struggled to get the job done after the regular season. After being beat in the first round of the conference tournament, the fourth-seeded Badgers were bounced from the NCAA Tournament in the second round by Cornell. It was the third time in the past four seasons that the Badgers were beat by a lower-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament.
The Badgers lost senior guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes from last year, but once again think they have a real good chance to win the conference title this year. Head coach Bo Ryan hasn’t allowed the Badgers to finish worse than fourth in the Big Ten in nine years, but with the Big Ten full with talent this year, whether or not Wisconsin makes a run will turn on the development of some of its young guys.
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Frontcourt: Wisconsin brings back seven players with experience down low, and the most talented of the group is senior Jon Leuer, who put up nearly 16 points and six boards a contest last year. Leuer most likely would have received first-team All-Big Ten honors last year if he hadn’t missed seven games with a broken left wrist. Leuer is a difficult guy to defend with his power to score on the inside and hit the outside jumper, and could be set for a breakout year in 2010.
Seniors Keaton Nankivil and Tim Jarmusz will also be back in the starting lineup, but both need to show they have improved from last season. Jarmusz went from shooting 42% from 3-point range to just under 30% last season, and will need to regain his hot hand if he wants to keep starting. Junior Rob Wilson and sophomores Jared Berggren, Mike Bruesewitz, and Ryan Evans are extra bodies Wisconsin will have in the frontcourt.
Backcourt: How well this team replaces Bonannon and Hughes will determine how good this team is this season. Junior Jordan Taylor is the most experienced guard on the roster, and will be relied upon to have a huge season this year. Taylor posted 10 points with just over three rebounds and dimes a game, but will likely be required to post closer to 16 a contest this season.
Senior walk-on Wquinton Smith started at the other guard spot in Wisconsin’s first win over Prairie View A&M, but freshman Josh Gasser scored 21 points in 26 minutes, and could end up being the starter by the end of the year. Adding depth is freshman Ben Brust, who like Gasser, can play either guard spot.
Prediction – 5th Big Ten: While it’s hard to ever go against Wisconsin, I just think the Big Ten is too loaded with talent for the Badgers to come away with a conference title. Wisconsin will still be making the NCAA Tournament, but I have a difficult time seeing this team stringing some wins together while there unless they get a lot of unforeseen production from their returning players.
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