Wisconsin Basketball Countdown: Early Test Against #9 Tennessee

Wisconsin basketball season is nearly upon us. As the Badgers’ quest to return to the NCAA Tournament nears, BadgerNotes is counting down the days and previewing the upcoming season. College basketball returns in Madison when the Wisconsin Badgers tip off against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in nine days (Monday, November 6th). Before then, catch up on the latest rumblings in Madison with our 10-day countdown:

• Day 10: Is Tyler Wahl a Top-10 Defender in Program History?

Wisconsin Basketball Will Be Tested Early by #9 Tennessee Volunteers

UW head coach Greg Gard will have no time to breathe after the season opener against Arkansas State. Merely four days later, the Tennessee Volunteers will come to the Kohl Center. The Vols are ranked ninth in the preseason AP Poll, eighth at KenPom, and fifth at BartTorvik.

Wisconsin Basketball Excluded in AP Top 25, But Analytics Like Badgers

The game is the second in a home-and-home series between Wisconsin and Tennessee. UW won the first game of the series hosted by Tenessee in Knoxville in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the return game in Madison was not played in 2020 as it was originally scheduled.

Tennessee Might Be Without a Key Player Against the Wisconsin Badgers

In a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on February 28th, injury derailed the Volunteers’ season. Starting point guard Zakai Zeigler tore his ACL, and Tennessee was unable to overcome the loss. Through February, head coach Rick Barnes’s squad was the second-highest-ranked team overall, led the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, and ranked 51st in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to BartTorvik. From that point on, the Vols fell to 31st overall, 23rd in defense, and 102nd in offense. Tennessee went 3-3 after losing Zeigler, falling to Florida Atlantic in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, and averaged merely 61.7 points per game in NCAA Tournament play.

Mar 8, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Eugene Brown III (3) shoots against Wisconsin Badgers guard Connor Essegian (3) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

After tearing his ACL eight months ago, Ziegler’s timetable for return remains unclear. The preseason Second Team All-SEC selection has been practicing but is not yet fully cleared for game action, according to Barnes. Before the high-profile matchup in Madison, Tennessee travels to Michigan State for an exhibition game on Sunday, October 29th, and hosts Tennessee Tech in its regular-season opener on November 6th. Even if Ziegler is not ready to go for those two games, he may or may not make his season debut at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin Basketball vs. Tennessee: A Battle of Experience

Even without Ziegler, Tennessee returns key pieces of its roster from last season. Three of the Vols’ top-four scorers from last season are returning. Ziegler, Santiago Vescovi, and Josiah-Jordan James return with a collective decade of college basketball experience already under their belts. With the Badgers returning all five starters, some grown-man basketball will be played at the Kohl Center on November 10th.

Vescovi has long been among the best players in the Southeastern Conference. The Uruguayan is already a two-time First Team All-SEC honoree and led the conference in three-point shooting percentage each of the last two seasons.

Mar 2, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Max Klesmit (11) celebrates a three-pointer during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

Apparently, two fifth-year players (Vescovi and James) were not enough for Barnes. This offseason, Tennessee sought to shore up its offense in the transfer portal. It did so by adding six-foot-six-inch, 200-pound wing Dalton Knecht. After two years in Junior College, Knecht earned a scholarship from the Northern Colorado Bears. He compiled an impressive senior season, leading the Big Sky Conference in scoring, and was named to the All-Big Sky Conference second team. Knecht will be a welcome addition after the Volunteers lost forward Olivier Nkamhoua to Michigan in the transfer portal.

Final Thoughts

This is perhaps the matchup I most looking forward to watching Wisconsin basketball play this season. Barnes and Gard both always have reliable defenses, both programs are always in the NCAA Tournament picture, and both teams feature experienced rosters. Computer projections have this game as close to a toss-up as it can get. KenPom projects a one-point victory for Wisconsin, but BartTorvik projects the Tenessee to win by one. If the Badgers can secure an early-season victory against a contender for the SEC title, it will go a long way toward making the Big Dance in March.

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