Wisconsin Basketball: X-Factors for a Badgers NCAA Tournament Run

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program are ready to dance in this year’s edition of March Madness.

Set to clash with the Sun Belt’s James Madison Dukes (31-3) on Friday evening in the first round, the Badgers have nothing short of a difficult path to the Final Four in Glendale, with potential matchups against Duke and Houston on the schedule with a win. However, given Wisconsin’s magical run to the Big Ten Conference Final, beating Zach Edey and the No. 3 ranked Purdue Boilermakers on the way, anything seems possible for this year’s Badgers squad.

To keep the dream alive, the Badgers are going to need several guys to step into the spotlight. Let’s discuss three X-Factors that have the keys to take this team deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Wisconsin Basketball X-Factor No. 1: Chucky Hepburn

Sophomore A.J. Storr may have led the Badgers in scoring on their road to the Big Ten final last week, but none of the team’s success would have been made possible without point-guard Chucky Hepburn’s grit, poise, and finishing ability on the court.

Hepburn notched 22 and 20 points against Purdue and Illinois last week, keeping Wisconsin alive in games they entered as notable underdogs. Chucky has been the guy to step up when Storr’s shot isn’t falling, and was even trusted with the ball for the last play of regulation against Purdue.

However, as critical as Hepburn’s offense has been, his defense will be the deciding factor for Wisconsin in their tournament campaign.

Taking a huge leap from the 2022-23 season, No. 23’s ability to contain the opponent’s starting point guard has been a huge factor of success for the Badgers. March Madness means skilled guards, and it will be up to Hepburn to control the pace of play on the defensive end of the floor. As seen in losses against Penn State and Iowa in conference action, when the opponents’ guards get hot, Wisconsin basketball finds themselves in deep trouble.

Wisconsin Basketball X-Factor No. 2: John Blackwell

Big Ten All-Freshman guard John Blackwell has been one of Wisconsin’s biggest headlines this season. The true freshman out of Highland Park, Michigan has provided a much needed spark off the bench on several occasions, including 18-points performances against Purdue, Maryland, and Robert Morris, and 17 against Arizona and Rutgers during the regular season.

Following a four game stretch in four days next week, the Badgers will need to stay fresh during the tourney, especially in their first round encounter with the Dukes on Friday. Coming off an ankle injury in the last two games of the conference tournament, Coach Gard will look to Blackwell to maintain the energy on the court, knock down shots from beyond 10 feet, and finish through contact at the rim.

Along with Kamari McGee, if the Badgers can find production from Blackwell on both sides of the floor, they’re instantly bolstering their chances to win. In March, when one guy goes cold, another needs to heat up — and Blackwell will definitely be asked to be the one that steps into the spotlight.

X-Factor No. 3: Steven Crowl

Big Steve, it’s your time to take over.

Ahead of Friday’s matchup, it’s key to note that JMU does not field a single player over 6’9″ on their roster. Averaging a solid 11.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, 7’0″ Steven Crowl has the opportunity to completely dominate the first round of March Madness action.

After guarding the notoriously tall Zach Edey in Minneapolis next week, Crowl should be relieved to be studying his matchup for Friday. Given the fact that half of JMU’s victories have come over Quad Four — that’s right, QUAD FOUR! — teams, it’s hard to imagine that the Dukes’ big men have had much experience against skilled forwards and centers across the course of the season.

A solid, two-way performance from Crowl can be the primary deciding factor in not only the Round of 64, but also the following matchup against (potentially) Duke and 7’0″ star Kyle Filipowski. One can’t express enough how critical Crowl’s defense will be for Wisconsin going forward.

Chucky lock-downs, Blackwell points, and Big Steve dominance — your three X-Factors for a Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament run.

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