Wisconsin basketball coaches callout sparking turnaround for Steven Crowl
Wisconsin Badgers senior Steven Crowl has been playing some of his best basketball since Greg Gard challenged him to play more aggressive.
Wisconsin Badgers center Steven Crowl has seemingly turned a corner and is starting to show signs of the aggressive, consistent play that head coach Greg Gard has been waiting to see.
After a disappointing and inexcusable performance against Illinois in which Crowl failed to record a single rebound—a rare and glaring statistic for the 7-footer—Gard didn’t hold back in his critique.
“He hasn’t been aggressive enough all year, quite frankly,” Gard said. “The biggest thing with him is competing and aggressiveness all the time. We can do blockout drills and work on technique, but you still have to go get the ball.
“That’s the mindset he needs to re-establish. He’s had it at times but not consistently enough.”
It appears that Gard's message was received loud and clear.
Over the past four games, Crowl has been on a tear, averaging 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 74% from the floor.
His standout performance in Wisconsin’s 75-63 win over Rutgers further exemplified this resurgence. Crowl recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists on 8-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
The game marked his first double-double of the season and the 12th of his career. His assertiveness on both ends of the court set the tone for the Badgers, helping them secure a much-needed Big Ten win.
Crowl's recent efforts have also helped lead the Badgers to four straight wins and allowed the Badgers to play a more complementary inside-out style of offense. His ability to play aggressively and maintain this level of play will be vital for Wisconsin as it fights for positioning in the loaded Big Ten conference.
"I've always been a big fan of his," Gard told reporters after the Rutgers game. "I've seen him every day for four and a half years, and I felt he has potential to be—you know, and I've been around all the really good ones.
"Steve is best when he's aggressive, and in the last four games, we've tweaked how we sub him in and out a little bit. I think it's helped him. But he knows an aggressive Steve is the best Steve."
Through the first 10 games of the season, Crowl averaged 24.7 minutes per game. Since the Illinois matchup, however, the 7-footer from Minnesota has seen his playing time dip to 20.7 minutes a night, with forwards Nolan Winter and Carter Gilmore shouldering more minutes to help keep Crowl fresh—and allowing him to be more impactful.
Gard also spoke about Crowl’s impact in key moments against the Scarlet Knights.
“He was big for us, especially down the stretch, both ends off the backboard. Thought he got us some key offensive rebounds, finished some plays, and then was able to gobble up some defensive rebounds there at the end for us to seal it away," Gard noted.
Crowl’s renewed focus and aggressive mindset have been a crucial development for Wisconsin. While Crowl may not be the team’s best player, there’s a case to be made that he’s among the most important. If Crowl can sustain this upward trajectory, he has the potential to be the frontcourt anchor Gard initially envisioned for this team.
The Badgers return to the Kohl Center on Jan. 10 for a matchup against the Minnesota Gophers—a game that will be broadcast on Peacock.
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It has been thoroughly enjoyable to watch his skills and aggressiveness impact the Badgers team! Knew he had it in him! GO STEVE!!