Wisconsin Basketball to Lean on Core Contributors Down the Stretch

Wisconsin Badgers head basketball coach Greg Gard is working to turn things around after losing five of its last seven games.

The Badgers have responded to their brutal four-game losing skid by winning two of the last three contests. However, turnovers, defensive inconsistencies, and poor shooting from beyond the arc have become concerning trends this team desperately needs to correct.

John Blackwell returned to the Wisconsin Badgers lineup and has been a much-needed shot in the arm. However, it’s clear that the team’s starting five will play a pivotal role and log heavy minutes in the remaining weeks of the regular season.

Greg Gard Plans to Tighten up the Wisconsin Basketball Team’s Rotation 

Against the Terrapins, the Wisconsin basketball team’s starting lineup, consisting of Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, AJ Storr, Tyler Wahl, and Steven Crowl, dominated the minutes played.

Behind the starting five, Blackwell was the only Badgers reserve that reached double figures in minutes—nobody else had more than seven. Greg Gard’s decision to rely so heavily on his starters underscores the team’s urgency and need to get out of this rut as they approach the postseason.

“You’re in mid-February; you try and get things done,” Gard told reporters following the win over Maryland. “Chucky is in great condition. Who cares about what’s going to happen if we play tomorrow? Today is the most important day.

“We had to do what we had to do to take care of business.”

Despite this being an objectively deeper Wisconsin basketball team compared to a year ago, recent games have revealed a stark contrast between the starting lineup and the bench.

I’d argue that outside of Blackwell — who has established himself as a reliable sixth man for the Wisconsin Badgers — nobody else in the rotation is at a place in their development where they can play 20+ minutes in a pinch and not have it be a considerable drop-off in production.

Navigating Challenges Ahead for the Wisconsin Badgers

Looking ahead, Greg Gard must now balance managing the Wisconsin basketball team’s workload so as not to wear out his players before the postseason — with doing whatever it takes to win — even if it means putting more on the plate of the Badgers starting five.

Either way, the team’s depth will be tested, particularly in managing foul-trouble situations. While Gard remains hopeful for the return of injured point guard Kamari McGee, the immediate focus is on leveraging the strengths of the current roster. That means more minutes for Hepburn.

Gard can steal a few minutes here and there by sliding Klesmit over to the point or getting walk-on Isaac Lindsey in the game. But it’s clear Gard doesn’t trust anyone else to run the show for prolonged periods of time.

On the wing, the Klesmit, Storr, and Blackwell trio can cover the heavy lifting minutes-wise — with Connor Esseigan pitching in intermittently.

That said, the Wisconsin basketball frontcourt presents a challenge for the Badgers. While the future remains very bright, it looks like the physical grind of Big Ten play has caught up with backup center Nolan Winter, who played only five minutes against Maryland.

During the losing streak, Crowl played his worst basketball of the season. If he continues to play this many minutes, he might not have much gas left in the tank when the tournament rolls around. That might be a roll of the dice Gard is willing to take in order to string together a few wins because Gus Yalden and Chris Hodges aren’t viable options right now.

In an interesting development, Markus Ilver took over for Carter Gilmore as the primary backup to Wahl. Ilver plays hard when given the chance and stretches the floor in a way Gilmore can’t. If he can play physical defense, rebound, and be an offensive threat, that’s all you can ask for.

As the Badgers navigate the final stretch of the season, their ability to lean on a top-heavy rotation will be pivotal for Wisconsin basketball. Let’s hope there’s enough gas in the tank when it’s all said and done.

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