Nimreitz

Hey guys, the Wisconsin thread died down towards the end of last year, but I like having a forum to talk about Badger basketball to anyone who cares to engage me. I also like having a spot to offer up my random thoughts.

I went to watch Wisconsin play Savannah State in Madison tonight, and let me just say this: Wisconsin is going to be a lot better than expected this year. I understand it's crappy competition, and I'm anxious to see how they play Colorado on Saturday. However, we are gigantic, and I can't think of one team in the country who can out rebound us this season. Duke is going to have some serious problems with our height, and now I'm even more confident about that game. I think we're going to win in Cameron unless Duke absolutely shoots the lights out.

Steimsma looked fantastic, Butch was doing his thing, Krabbenhoft is still a pitbull (the most agressive rebounder in the NCAA outside Psycho T), Flowers is still the best on ball defender in the Big Ten, but the big surprise is Sophomore point guard Trevon Hughes. This kid isn't as quick as Devin Harris, but he's going to be a stud at the college level. Definitely a better player than Kammron Taylor, and I liked Kamm. Alando is not missed. We're going to play a pure swing offense with no stars, but a massive team.

Tonight we started Krabbenhoft (6'7'') at shooting guard, and everyone was looking to post up their man down low. Krabbenhoft and Landry's athleticism make us very very intriguing. There's no star, but everyone who plays is unbelievably solid, there are no weak links this year, and no ball hogs. I am really excited.

In addition to the guys mentioned above, here are thoughts on other guys:

Keaton Nankivil: This kid looks like the strongest player on the team, and it's not even close. He looks like he could bench press Brian Butch and throw him 40 feet through the air. His arms are really long too. He needs some more seasoning, but I'm excited about the freshman and think he can be very valuable in the post if we need him this year (even though we won't).

Jason Bohannon: Some of the hype is wearing down for me. I like what Bohannon could have been out of high school, but at Wisconsin he looks like a three point specialist for his career. That's a little disappointing, but oh well. His defense is pretty bad.

John Leuer: This kid played a ton of first half minutes and he looked pretty darn good. He knows how to play. I'm not really sure what position he should play, but he can probably play anything from the 2-4. Big kid who can shoot the ball, but probably isn't athletic to matchup with shooting guards, or athletic small forwards right now.

Starters: Hughes, Krabbenhoft, Landry, Butch, Steimsma
Bench: Flowers (WOW), Bohannon, Leuer, Nankivil

I like it.

Oh yeah, and J.P. Gavinski is awful. This kid doesn't deserve a spot on a Division 3 basketball team.

apelman42

Lol @ JP.

He's this year's Andreas Hemilgk/Jason Chappel...

It's only a matter of time before Travon is in the national spotlight. I'm kind of unimpressed with Landry thus far. Thought he would be a much bigger presence in the post than he is. While Butch and Stietsma have looked good, do you think that it could be because they're just that much taller than the guys on the other teams? I think once we get into some tougher games, those two (especially Butch) aren't going to be as effective. I am much more inpressed with Keaton and Leuer...they're extremely athletic for their size and they both work the hi/lo offense really well. Agreed that Joe Krabbenhoft is a hard nosed player. Not sure why Flowers isn't starting...he's a senior...he deserves it. Bohannon seems to have taken a step backwards as you've said, but I'm still willing to give him some time.

Nimreitz

Flowers will probably start in a couple weeks, remember he took a medical leave of absence from the team for a few weeks during the preseason. I agree about not being impressed by Landry, he's just not the player that I thought he would be at this point in his career. He's focused so much time and energy on being a post player that now when he's asked to play on the wing he just doesn't know how to do it.

I'm sure some of Butch and Steimsma's success so far is because they are so much taller than their competition, but I ask you what team in the country has two post starters that can match up against them? I can't think of a single team. They are going to be taller than everyone they play this year. I also like how Steimsma gets up for rebounds, the kid plays above the rim! I've never seen that from a Wisconsin player. Also, you have to remember that Butch and Krabbenhoft have been two of the best rebounders in the Big Ten for two years now. Steimsma looks just as good now, so we have three amazing rebounders on the court at the same time, and always at least two of them. That makes it very difficult for opponents to get any sort of rebounds, in fact I don't think we will get out rebounded all year.

Brian34Cook

I dont really have many thoughts on them yet.. havent saw em play but I'm very interested in seeing the progress of this thread and at times I'm sure I'll join in on it.. well when I can obviously.. I still have 6 hours before Illinois plays.. stupid Hawaii.. then I sleep and have to wake up for the fball game.. busy night..

Nimreitz

Wisconsin beats Colorado 78-52, the game was never in doubt. No stars again tonight, but it looks like everyone had a good night. I'm excited.

apelman42

Yah, I watched the games on Friday and Saturday. Bohannon looks like he answered my criticism...as did Landry. The game against FAMU was a joke...The Colorado game was close for about 5 minutes, than we held a 15-30 point lead most of the game. Stiemsma had like 4 blocks in the span of 2 minutes...it was awesome. Flowers has really developed a nice jump shot and the freshman Jon Leuer has looked amazingly athletic. He's got better post moves than the 5th year senior Brian Butch. Which reminds me. Butch had some hilarious plays such as: missed dunks, botched fast breaks, and etc. He looks like a big dufus out there sometimes.

Nimreitz

Yeah he really does. But somehow the kid comes up big when we need him and is the best defensive rebounder in the Big Ten.

Nimreitz

In his post game presser, someone asked Bo about limiting offensive rebounds from the other team. He started to say how maybe since Krabbenhoft is such a prolific rebounder, but he can also take the ball quickly up the court teams are leaving 2 or 3 guys back when before they might have sent 4 crashing the boards. Okay fine, whatever. He then went on to say this:

"We've always told our guys get it out, get it down. But only when some of our guys were trying to help their chances with the NBA did they tell people that we slow it down. We've never told anybody not to get it out and get it down the floor. I think it helped their chances to play professionally by saying we are a slow team, we slow it down; no we don't. Never have. Some guys can just get it down quicker. And effectively."

Who did Bo just take a shot at? Devin? Alando? And more importantly, why would he say it?

Nimreitz

Wisconsin played like absolute ****, shooting something like 36% from the floor against Georgia, but we limited Georgia to around 34% shooting, shot a ton more free throws, and grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, so the game became a blowout at the end. Held Georgia to 17 points in the second half. The way Wisconsin played in that first half, they looked like they were looking ahead to the Duke game on Tuesday.

apelman42

Yah. Player of the game goes to Michael Flowers. Aside from the botched dunk, kid played an awesome defensive game. I'm not sure, but I think that was his first double-double ever. Big game on Tuesday.

Brian34Cook

Just dont shoot like crud and you should have a good chance to beat Duke, thats assuming ya'll play some solid defense too..

Nimreitz

We're the #1 defense in the country so far this season.

Brian34Cook

Didnt realize that lol

Nimreitz

So, I don't know exactly what to say. How about: There's no shame losing to Duke and I've never been more embarrassed as a fan.

What the ****? I just don't know what else to say, I'm speechless. Okay...

Trevon Hughes shoots too much. He has to because no one else on the team wants to score and no one on the team can create offense for anyone else.

Joe Krabbenhoft is all hustle, but useless offensively.

Marcus Landry is a great physical specimen, but not much of a basketball player.

Brian Butch at least comes to play.

Greg Steimsma needs to play more. Look Bo, I understand they're a quick team, but they were driving like crazy on us; put the big man in the middle.

Flowers is good.

Bohannon is better than we all think, unfortunately he either doesn't have any confidence in himself, or Bo Ryan won't let him do anything except shoot 3's. He's hopeless on defense.

John Leuer is pretty dope.

Kevin Gullickson has no business being on a D1 basketball court, much less as a scholarship athlete for us.

The team sucks. Absolutely sucks. I can chalk this up to nerves, getting out hustled, bad luck, not preparing enough, getting out coached, and simply being outclassed by better players. It's a little of all of these factors, but if you're not as talented as a team like Duke you have to out hustle them, you HAVE to prepare for them meticulously. It's just a sad day in Badgerland. Bo Ryan better figure his **** out before Texas.

TM

Oh, please. Stop being so harsh. You sound like me after a loss.

You got caught up in the "Wisconsin is too big" bull. I was so sick of hearing that junk. You're tall. Great. But it's what I alluded too prior to the game - What happens when Duke sticks 4 guys on the perimeter? Your big duds become useless because they got zero foot speed. So they back off. Then what happens? Taylor King shoots 5 3pointers. That's what happens. And what about the weave and screens Duke uses? Your team better be great at hedge and recover, otherwise you're dead becuase Duke's just waiting for you to switch on those weaves and create your own mismatch.

The game of basketball is all about matchups. An obvious fact (so much so that I feel dumb for saying it), but it's something that's overlooked. Wisconsin is a Top 25 team, but they match up poorly with Duke. They'll be solid in the Big 10 against most those teams.

I also said this in the Duke-Wisc game thread, but I was not impressed AT ALL with Bo's antics on the sideline. His team was on the end of some poor, poor calls but I thought his reactions were detrimental. Shortly thereafter, Flowers started making he faces. Butch started making the faces. They were too busy being mad and asking the officials "What'd I do" after the play was already over.