Wisconsin seems to be to construct on its finest begin in a decade when the Fifteenth-ranked Badgers host winless Chicago State on Saturday afternoon in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin (7-0) hasn’t performed since Sunday’s 81-75 victory over Pittsburgh within the Greenbrier Tip-Off event. The Badgers are off to their finest begin since 2014-15, a season through which they reached the NCAA Event last.
Chicago State (0-8) misplaced to Drexel 83-71 in Tuesday’s third-place sport on the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Seashore, Fla.
The Badgers returned simply two starters — Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit — after main scorer AJ Storr transferred to Kansas and three-year starter Chucky Hepburn departed to Louisville.
Graduate switch John Tonje, restricted to eight video games final season at Missouri resulting from medical points, has come on to common a team-best 23.0 factors per sport, together with a career-high 41 in a Nov. 15 win over Arizona. He’s taking pictures 95.2 p.c from the free-throw line, tops within the nation amongst gamers with 30 or extra makes an attempt.
Tonje was named Large Ten Participant of the Week on Monday for the second consecutive week. He scored 25 of his team-high 33 factors within the second half within the comeback win over Pitt, ending an ideal 10 of 10 from the road.
“It is like he is been right here 4 years,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard mentioned of Tonje. “He is slot in completely inside the tradition, as a result of he is a very good individual. He cares about his workforce, he cares about successful.”
John Blackwell and Nolan Winter moved into the beginning lineup this season. Blackwell is second in scoring at 16.0 per sport, together with a career-high 30 vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley. Winter provides 9.3 factors and a team-high 5.6 boards.
Wisconsin, lengthy recognized for its defensive model, has scored at the very least 79 factors in every of its first seven video games — the longest such streak at school historical past. The Badgers are averaging 86.9 factors per sport, whereas permitting 71.6.
Wisconsin entered the week main the nation in free-throw share at 86.5 p.c. The Badgers have made extra free throws (147) than their opponents have tried (131).
Chicago State, which joined the Northeast Convention this season, averages simply 59.1 factors per sport, permitting 84.4. The Cougars’ level differential of minus-25.3 ranks 351st out of 355 groups in scoring margin.
First-year coach Scott Spinelli’s squad has struggled offensively, taking pictures simply 34.4 p.c total and 29.7 p.c from 3-point vary. They’re taking pictures 65.0 p.c from the free-throw line, averaging 11.1 makes an attempt per sport to 17.4 for opponents.
Jalen Forrest averages a team-high 9.5 factors, and Quincy Allen is the main rebounder at 4.3.
Spinelli knew his workforce, which completed 13-19 final season, would face challenges in his first yr.
“We have type of a brand new bunch right here of gamers, loads of new faces,” Spinelli mentioned on the Northeast Convention media day earlier than the season. “We misplaced 75 p.c of our scoring from final yr. Actually type of a piece in progress.”
Wisconsin has swept the final three matchups with Chicago State, all in Madison, together with an 80-53 victory final December.
–Subject Degree Media
