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Badgers settle for too many three’s, fall to Creighton

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Bronson Koenig

Bronson Koenig

The 9th ranked Wisconsin Badgers took to the road for the first time this season, taking on Creighton in the Gavitt games in Omaha.  It didn’t end well.

Creighton’s defense took Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ out of the game, forcing double teams every time Happ touched the ball.  The Badgers countered by taking 39 three-point shots and made just 11.  They attempted just 24 two-point shots and only five free throws.

In two games so far, the Badgers have attempted 68 threes and 48 two-point shots.

Bronson Koenig had 21 points to lead the Badgers.  Nigel Hayes added 16 and the Badgers fell to 1-1.

For Creighton, Khyri Thomas had 18 points, Maurice Watson Jr. added 17 and Marcus Foster 15 to lead the Blue Jays (2-0).

The Badgers led by six in the first half, but closed out by going 2 for 16 from the field, including 0 for 12 from three-point range.  They failed to score in the final 4:40 of the first half.

The game was the first of five games in eight days.  The Badgers will return home to host Chicago State on Thursday night at the Kohl Center.

AUDIO: Greg Gard said his team didn’t get to the basket enough :13

AUDIO: Greg Gard says it was a good effort, but not enough :19

 

Happ, Hayes and Koenig named to Naismith watch list

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Nigel Hayes

Nigel Hayes

Wisconsin is one of four schools in the country that has three nominees named to the 50-player Naismith Trophy Watch list.

The Badgers are joined by Duke, Kansas and Kentucky with three players making the list.

Ethan Happ, Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig were named to the list, which recognizes the best individual in men’s college basketball each season.

It marks the second-straight season Hayes has been pegged for the preseason Naismith Trophy watch list and the first appearances for Happ and Koenig. [Read more…]

Koenig named to Bob Cousy Watch List

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Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

Wisconsin Badger senior point guard Bronson Koenig was named to the watch list for the 2017 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.

One of 20 candidates named to the watch list, Koenig was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree last season after he finished second for the Badgers in scoring (13.1 ppg) and assists (84).  He enters his senior season having started each of the last 59 games for the Badgers.

The La Crosse, Wisconsin native shot 39 percent (83-213) from three-point range last season.  His buzzer-beating three against No. 2 seeded Xavier sent the Badgers into the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 last season.

Koenig enters the season needing just 71 points and 27 assists to become the 14th player in UW history with at least 1,000 points and 250 assists.

Hayes named Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year

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Nigel Hayes

Nigel Hayes

Wisconsin Badger senior forward Nigel Hayes was named Big Ten Preseason Player of the year by a vote of the league’s media.  Hayes is joined on the first team by teammates Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ.

Hayes is the fourth Badger in the last 14 seasons to be named conference preseason player of the year.  The 6’8 forward from Toledo, Ohio, joins Frank Kaminsky, Alando Tucker and Devin Harris as the only Badgers to earn the distinction.

Harris, Tucker and Kaminsky all went on to turn their preseason nominations into postseason Big Ten Player of the Year awards that season.

“While I appreciate the sign of respect this shows, preseason honors don’t really mean much,” Hayes said.  “I’m much more concerned with postseason player of the year awards, because that would likely mean our team did something special this season.”

“If we win championships, everything individually will fall into place.  Really, I just want to be Frank Kaminsky.”

Hayes was the only player to earn unanimous preseason all-conference team honors.

Badgers give one away, end season in “Sweet 16”

By

Nigel Hayes

Nigel Hayes

With a spot in the “Elite 8” on the line, the Wisconsin Badgers are wishing they had a do-over.

The Badgers led most of the night, but blew a three-point lead in the final 20 seconds and fell to Notre Dame 61-56 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Wisconsin turned the ball over 17 times, including ten in the second half and two in the final half-minute.

AUDIO: Greg Gard on the loss and 17 turnovers :16

Ethan Happ had 14 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in the final minute.  Nigel Hayes and Zak Showalter added 11 points each, but it’s the turnovers that stand out. [Read more…]

Badgers beat Xavier, advance to “Sweet 16” (AUDIO)

By

Bronson Koenig

Bronson Koenig

Bronson Koenig played the hero on Sunday night, hitting two of his six 3-pointers in the final seconds to send the Wisconsin Badgers to a 66-63 win over the Xavier Musketeers in St. Louis.

Koenig hit a three with 11.7 seconds left to tie the game at 63-all.  After Zak Showalter drew a charge against Xavier freshman guard Edmund Sumner, the Badgers advanced the ball to mid-court and called a time out.  Greg Gard drew up a play for Koenig and it came off just as planned.  Koenig hit a fade away three in the corner to give the Badgers the 3-point win.

Koenig hit six-0f-12 from three-point range and finished with 20 points.  Ethan Happ added 18. [Read more…]

Hayes & Happ honored by Big Ten

By

Ethan Happ

Ethan Happ

Wisconsin redshirt freshman Ethan Happ has been recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and forward Nigel Hayes has been named to the All-Big Ten first team, as the Big Ten Conference handed out its season-ending awards Monday night.

Happ was selected by both the coaches and the media as the 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.  He was also a unanimous selection by coaches to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was named to the league’s all-defensive team.  The forward from Milan, Illinois, was also recognized as a third team all-Big Ten honoree by the media and drew honorable mention recognition from the coaches. [Read more…]

Badgers drop to sixth seed with loss at Purdue

By

Nigel Hayes

Nigel Hayes

With the third-seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament on the line, the Wisconsin Badgers ran into a red-hot Purdue Boilermakers team, falling 91-80 on Senior Day in West Lafayette.

Purdue (24-7, 12-6 Big Ten) hit the Badgers from both inside and out.  Outside, P.J. Thompson hit six of his eight three-pointers and finished with 22 points, well above his league scoring average of 5.5 points a game.

Vince Edwards (11 points) also hit three-of-five three-pointers and the Boilermakers finished 10 of 19 from three-point range (52.6%) and 28 of 45 overall (62.2%).

From inside, Freshman Caleb Swanigan hit the Badgers with 27 points and Senior A.J. Hammons added 16 as Purdue scored 28 points in the paint and had a field day (25 of 33) at the free throw line. [Read more…]

Badgers knock off short-handed Gophers

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Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

The Minnesota Gophers played once again without three of their top players, after they were suspended for the remainder of the season.  The Wisconsin Badgers jumped out early, built a comfortable lead and cruised to a 62-49 victory at Williams Arena.

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said his team played OK, and he would have liked to see more efficiency on offense.

What he got was pretty good balance from his team, with six players scoring at least six points as the Badgers (20-10, 12-5), won for the 11th time in the last 12 games and are tied with Michigan State (25-5, 12-5) for second place in the Big Ten with one game left to play.

Wisconsin will face one more road game on Sunday, at Purdue (23-7, 11-6).  But the victory over the Gophers assured the Badgers of a top four finish for the 15th straight season.

Bronson Koenig had 14 points (12 in the 1st half) to lead the Badgers.  Vitto Brown added 12 points, Zak Showalter had eight points and Nigel Hayes added six points and seven rebounds. [Read more…]

Badgers Big Ten climb continues (AUDIO)

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Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

Bronson Koenig (Photo by David Stluka)

The Wisconsin Badgers continued their rise in the Big Ten on Sunday night, moving into a four-way tie for second place with a 68-57 win over the Michigan Wolverines.

Bronson Koenig led four Badgers in double figures with 19 points.  Nigel Hayes added 16, Vitto Brown had 14 and Ethan Happ had 12 points.

Against Iowa, the Badger bench came through with 24 points, outscoring the Hawkeyes 24-to-three.  Last night, the Badgers got 65 of their 68 points from starters.

The Badgers (19-10, 11-5 Big Ten) won for the 10th time in 11 games.  Michigan (20-10, 10-7), who is fighting for an NCAA at-large berth, lost for the third time in four games. [Read more…]