Observations/Grades From Wisconsin Basketball’s Throttling of Oklahoma

[Da-news-now]

Recap


The 17th ranked Wisconsin Badgers blew out the Oklahoma Sooners in front of a sellout crowd at the Kohl Center. The Badgers were led by 28 points and six assists from Nigel Hayes, who posted his best game of the season in three straight games. D’Mitrik Trice, Bronson Koenig, and Ethan Happ had 16 points each.

Despite the final score, the game wasn’t always a blowout. The Badgers had an eight point deficit late in the first half, and went into halftime trailing. Oklahoma’s half time lead was a product of their lights out shooting (50% FG, 63% 3FG) and the Badger’s poor defense. But the Sooners cooled off in the second half, and Wisconsin took the reins.

Observations


–Wisconsin is now on a three-game winning streak, with all three of the victories by 17 points or more. Syracuse and Oklahoma are both NCAA Tournament caliber teams, so it is not like the Badgers have just been beating up on cupcakes. After some early season struggles, Wisconsin is starting to look as good as we thought they would.

-After the Prairie View A&M game, I wrote that Nigel Hayes had his best game of the season. Two days later, I wrote the same thing after the Syracuse game. Now, I’m writing it again. Hayes has been unstoppable over the last three games. He is attacking the rim, drawing fouls, dishing out assists, and hitting his midrange jump shots. He is looking like the All-American we thought he could be.

Game getting out of hand. Nice of Badgers to lock it up before I have to get a toddler to nap. pic.twitter.com/hfBTroZ7YG

— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) December 3, 2016
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-Khalil Iverson is still raw offensively, but at this point, it doesn’t even matter. He is so good at everything else. He is the best defender on the team. He dives for loose balls, he grabs tough rebounds, and he throws down monster dunks. What he contributes to the team doesn’t always show up in the box score, but he provides such great energy off the bench, and deserves to be on the court more.

Khalil Iverson can finish in traffic. pic.twitter.com/kqL5RzSHLF

— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) December 3, 2016
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-D’Mitrik Trice is really good for a freshman. He is quick, a good passer, and is a lights out shooter. He is hitting 65% from deep this season, including 4/4 today. That is ridiculous. The combination of Trice and Brevin Pritzl is going to set all kinds of shooting records for Wisconsin over the next four years.

-Ethan Happ needs to work on his free throws. With his skill and quickness in the post, he is going to keep drawing a ton of fouls. If he can’t improve his free throw shooting, he is going to leave a lot of points on the court.

-Having more than one of Iverson, Happ, and Thomas on the court at the same time hurts the offensive spacing. That is a problem, because Iverson and Happ are Wisconsin’s two best defenders. They both need to be on the floor a lot. But it is clear that the offense looks better when only one of them is in.

-I like when Koenig and Trice are on the court at the same time. Koenig is at his best when he is shooting off the catch, and moving him off the ball allows him to get better looks.

-To go off that, Wisconsin’s three guard lineups also look really good. When any three of Koenig, Hill, Showalter, and Trice are in at the same time, Wisconsin’s spacing and ball movement is tremendous.

Grades


Bronson Koenig (16 points, 6-15 FG, 4-10 3FG, two assists): B+

Zak Showalter (five points, 1-5 3FG, three rebounds, one assist, one steal): B-

Nigel Hayes (28 points, 6 assists): A+

Vitto Brown (five points, 1-5 3FG, three rebounds, one block, one turnover): C-

Ethan Happ (16 points, 7-9 FG, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, two blocks, two turnovers): B+

D’Mitrik Trice (16 points, 6-8 FG, 4-4 3FG): A+

Charles Thomas (eight minutes, 0-1 FG, one assist, one turnover, three fouls): D+

Khalil Iverson (four points, four rebounds, one steal): A-

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[TW]

No doubt about it, Nigel Hayes has found his game, and if he continues to play the game he has been, he's on his way to a great season. If he falls back into that game he was playing - throwing up outside shots that don't go - it's going to hurt him, and the team.

There is so much depth on this team that it's hard to insure they all get playing time. We may be on the verge of seeing a team that has a couple of guys coming off the bench who can hit double figures in scoring game after game, and some strong defensive pressure in the paint, if Happ and Iverson can learn to play on the court at the same time. But, I'm not all that convinced that they aren't doing well out there together, at this point. It's a learning curve.

Pritzi & Trice. They are going to be very special as teammates. After this season, these two are going to be the ring leaders of another great show next year, and beyond. There's just so much talent here, and it has to be difficult for Gard to get it all traveling down the same track.

 

[57packer]

There is a lot of depth TW, but lately, in the bigger games it really hasn't showed up. It seems like the rotation is kind of down to 8-9 players now, and the only one really contributing on offense is Trice. There is a lot of "potential" on the bench, but right now it isn't adding much.

Trice is ready to contribute "now". He will likely get most of the guard minutes off the bench going forward. He can sub for both Showy and Koenig. Thomas is only getting minutes because he's tough defensively down low and grabs rebounds. He brings absolutely nothing on offense and really doesn't seem to have added anything to his game since last year. Iverson is an athletic, high energy guys who rebounds, defends tough, and can score going to the hole. He also does not seem to have added much to his offense since last year. Hill will get some minutes against some teams but doesn't add much either. Illikainen is invisible and his minutes have started to go down. Completely disappears on offense and a so-so defender. Prtizl and Van Vliet are MIA right now.

While I'm upbeat about the future, I'm a little worried about next year. The only returning starter will be Happ who is more than solid. Trice will be fine at the point. After that, a whole lot of questions right now. Maybe guys will emerge over the next 20-25 games, but right now I'm not sure who else would start and who will bring some offense to the table. Have to hope Prtizl and Van Vliet make the jump and are ready next year. Maybe one of the talented frosh will surprise.

 

[TW]

It has to be difficult for Gard. So much talent, and so few minutes to really go around. Not a lot of players are getting meaningful minutes. I wish they did. Yet, it seems like when they're getting it, they do their job, as role players, each seeming to understand that their day will come as the season moves on, and in years to come.

I kind of see it like the development of Koenig. It was a process that started slowly, and developed. He's become a complete player at this level.

True that Happ is the only returner next year, but we're going to see a lot of Iverson, Pritzi, and Trice this year, and I believe, as the year progresses, more of Van Vliet. I think about how Happ was there, waiting, spending a year learning the game, before he hit the floor. Illikainen will step up. I haven't seen him play, but I heard incoming Kobe King is one heckuva player. Of course he's coming in to a position that's already loaded at guard. I'm anxious to see Nathan Reuvers in action. He's up there in height with Happ & Val Vliet.

I dunno! They also have an open scholarship I believe. Maybe they'll find a swing guy who is looking to make a move in a system where they can excel. We've had a lot of guys make it from that play at Wisconsin.

 

[Nutbush]

I think more players are getting more playing time now than when Bo was head coach and I think it will pay off not only in experience but in recruiting also. A lot of talent here. I like Gards coaching style although Bo certainly was no slouch. We are in pretty good hands.