BadgerMens BB Thread 2023/24

[Keg Man]

Reading Bucky news many - hometown - reporters think Bucky's going to get in the dance no lower than a 6 seed.

I want a pair of the rose colored glasses they're wearing.

I see nothing from Bucky that gets them a win in their next 3 games (2 regular season and 1 Big 10 Tournament), and I don't see them making the tournament.

It's not there overall record, it's the complete collapse that has them here. I don't see selectors giving Bucky the benefit of the doubt. I think they will give a different team a chance.

Hope I'm wrong

 

[TW]

Reading Bucky news many - hometown - reporters think Bucky's going to get in the dance no lower than a 6 seed.

I want a pair of the rose colored glasses they're wearing.

I see nothing from Bucky that gets them a win in their next 3 games (2 regular season and 1 Big 10 Tournament), and I don't see them making the tournament.

It's not there overall record, it's the complete collapse that has them here. I don't see selectors giving Bucky the benefit of the doubt. I think they will give a different team a chance.

Hope I'm wrong

I look at it two ways. If they get in, that's great. But, it could save Gard's job for him. If they don't get in, we will probably see someone new running the team on the sideline. It wouldn't hurt my feelings. Maybe it would stop the exodus that appears is going to happen.

 

[44blitz]

I look at it two ways. If they get in, that's great. But, it could save Gard's job for him. If they don't get in, we will probably see someone new running the team on the sideline. It wouldn't hurt my feelings. Maybe it would stop the exodus that appears is going to happen.

The feeling around Madison is Gard's safe regardless, you forget they paid out a bundle for PC and his staff and then cut the Hockey coach last year. Those coupled with some other expenses make cutting Gard tough this yr, maybe next year but this yr they may have a hard time swallowing it.

 

[TW]

The feeling around Madison is Gard's safe regardless, you forget they paid out a bundle for PC and his staff and then cut the Hockey coach last year. Those coupled with some other expenses make cutting Gard tough this yr, maybe next year but this yr they may have a hard time swallowing it.

Sadly, you're probably right. But we can expect several guys leaving in the portal. There should also be some changes made on the floor.

For openers, Blackwell needs to replace Hepburn as the starting point which would probably send Hepburn to the portal if he knows about it, before this school term ends. Since we're only losing Wahl, from the starting lineup, that means it's still Gard's players. After that, it's guys who are hanging out in the wings. A new coach, in two years, would be accepting whatever is left, after the portal abdications. It might be pretty ugly.

 

[Keg Man]

Unfortunately, I think Bucky Basketball is in a bad way.

It appears on offense there is an insistence on running down the shot clock that all too frequently results in a desperation shot at the end of the clock. All to frequently, Bucky passes up open shots to run the clock. Sometimes they just stand around until the end of the clock and then try to start the offense. Many times during a Bucky offensive possession you see loose opponents defense in the beginning that tightens as the possession extends.

Gard is probably a good Xs and Os coach. And, I probably like his strategy.

But, I do not like how he implements the offensive strategy.

Also, I think Gard - more often than not - plays experience over skill. Maybe that's why Bucky starts hot but fades as other teams younger athletes get used to college basketball?

I think Bucky will lose a lot of players in the portal after thus year if Gard stays and some if he leaves. I believe college basketball players hope ro play in yhe NBA. WI just won't get you the shot.

I get everything about Gard's salary. But, I think the entire program is at a crossroads, I don't think Gard can fix it, and I think every delay in moving on takes Bucky farther from success.

 

[TW]

Unfortunately, I think Bucky Basketball is in a bad way.

It appears on offense there is an insistence on running down the shot clock that all too frequently results in a desperation shot at the end of the clock. All to frequently, Bucky passes up open shots to run the clock. Sometimes they just stand around until the end of the clock and then try to start the offense. Many times during a Bucky offensive possession you see loose opponents defense in the beginning that tightens as the possession extends.

Gard is probably a good Xs and Os coach. And, I probably like his strategy.

But, I do not like how he implements the offensive strategy.

Also, I think Gard - more often than not - plays experience over skill. Maybe that's why Bucky starts hot but fades as other teams younger athletes get used to college basketball?

I think Bucky will lose a lot of players in the portal after thus year if Gard stays and some if he leaves. I believe college basketball players hope ro play in yhe NBA. WI just won't get you the shot.

I get everything about Gard's salary. But, I think the entire program is at a crossroads, I don't think Gard can fix it, and I think every delay in moving on takes Bucky farther from success.

The reason I favor Blackwell over Chucky is that delay in starting play. Chucky holds the ball, and like you said, it ends up with desperation shots. Blackwell is more proactive, probing, and trying to create holes, by moving towards the bucket, and around on the outside. Chucky doesn't do that.

It might be some on Gard, but as much on Chucky. He just doesn't try to probe the defense. When he does make a move towards the bucket, it's never a feint, it's an actual move. You can't cexpose defense intent without probing.

 

[Keg Man]

The reason I favor Blackwell over Chucky is that delay in starting play. Chucky holds the ball, and like you said, it ends up with desperation shots. Blackwell is more proactive, probing, and trying to create holes, by moving towards the bucket, and around on the outside. Chucky doesn't do that.

It might be some on Gard, but as much on Chucky. He just doesn't try to probe the defense. When he does make a move towards the bucket, it's never a feint, it's an actual move. You can't cexpose defense intent without probing.

I think Blackwell is Bucky's most important player. I can't see him staying another year.

I think Chucky is playing the way Gard, his coach, wants. Admirable, but I bet he looks somewhere else after the season to free up his game.

I don't want to lose either, Blackwell or Chucky. I think the rest are replaceable.

 

[TW]

I think Blackwell is Bucky's most important player. I can't see him staying another year.

I think Chucky is playing the way Gard, his coach, wants. Admirable, but I bet he looks somewhere else after the season to free up his game.

I don't want to lose either, Blackwell or Chucky. I think the rest are replaceable.

Agreed on Chucky. I think he's doing what Gard wants. You can kind of sense the frustration in him out there at times.

On the other hand, Blackwell just plays his game. I think that's also why he has more limited minutes.

Obviously, as you watch them play, the offense does not run well through Hepburn, even though that seems to be what Gard demands. It becomes more obvious when you see them come out of time-outs, and they want "last shot." Hepburn holds onto the ball until the last second, and throws up desperation outside shots. There's no rhythm to what they do, and nobody is jockeying to get position for a pass off a Hepburn drive, they just stand there, waiting for what is usually a failed attempt at a close out shot.

Milking the clock to protect a lead has gotten to be a total disaster for the Badgers. They don't even get reasonably decent shots at the bucket. They're all desperation shots because the defenses are waiting on them to run the clock down, then start to apply pressure. The only one who seems to be able to handle those pressure situations is Wahl, and that's really only close to the basket. Tyler's game has been limited to about a 6 ft. perimeter, and outside of that, he's not even part of the offense. I have a hunch that's on Gard's orders. Crowl's game, unfortunately, is pretty much closed out, unless he has a decent height advantage against the two bigs other teams throw against him. All, pretty much part of Gard's design, to keep him inside the paint.

A couple of weeks ago, I watched Klesmit throw up some threes that went down, and it brought the Badgers back into a game. When there was a break in play, and Klesmit was gassed, they sent in a sub. As he walked to the bench, Gard didn't even acknowledge his presence, and that was bothersome, especially since the guy had let the dogs out, and just plain lit up the arena. You got to get on board with the electricity of the moment, and share the emotions with your players. You can't stand there like a cold fish.

Simply put, Gard might be a "nice guy" to a lot of people, but he sure isn't what I consider a good enough college basketball coach for the Badgers, and appears during games to be detached from his players when he should actually be more into the game and them, emotionally.

 

[Keg Man]

So apparently all we needed was McGee to spark everything and get everybody to pull their heads out of their butts

 

[TW]

Playground basketball. McGee brings the same thing to the court as Blackwell and Storr. The Badgers needed that extra shot in the arm, and Kamari brought it in only 10 minutes of play time.

Let's hope Gard utilizes that talent he has on this team against Purdue, and in the Big 10 playoffs. It would be nice to see them at least do well enough to make it to the second our third round of the big dance.

Until I see it happen, I'll just keep hoping, but have no confidence in him. He doesn't know how to manage a team of players who are free spirits on the court. He's an old four-corners coach.