Who are the Badgers most effective players according to advanced stats in 2024?
The Wisconsin Badgers have been one of college basketball’s better teams in 2024, as they’ve gotten deeper and more cohesive as a unit, en route to a 15-4 record and the No. 18 rank in the AP Top 25.
The Badgers have three new starters this season, but have managed to quickly generate success, while getting quality production off the bench as well.
That includes sixth man Kamari McGee, who has essentially operated as an extra starter this season, averaging 7.1 points. 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 54.8 percent from three in 22.3 minutes per game.
McGee has essentially played the same amount of minutes as Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter this season, with the Badgers deploying a number of three-guard lineups to match with other opponents over the course of games.
With his numbers, it’s no surprise that he is a part of Wisconsin’s best three-man lineup, which actually ranks as one of the best in the country when it comes to efficiency.
According to College Basketball analyst Evan Miyakawa, the Badgers have the sixth-best three-man lineup in the entire country, which consists of McGee, John Blackwell, and Steven Crowl.
Looking at the top three-man lineups in the country, Wisconsin’s trio ranks second among all lineups when it comes to observed offensive efficiency, which measures lineup performance adjusted for the quality of opponent at 140.0.
That ranks second to only Florida’s trio of Alex Condon, Alijah Martin, and Thomas Haugh, who are all key contributors on the No. 5 team in the country.
Because of the elite offensive efficiency of the trio and good enough defensive efficiency, the Badgers’ three-man lineup ranks sixth in the country with a 51.1 observed efficiency margin.
Thus far, they’ve played a significant number of possessions together, as their 251 offensive possessions and 255 defensive possessions rank among the top in the country, which only makes the efficiency numbers even more eye-catching.
Wisconsin’s depth will be key to their success as the later part of the season comes together. And this three-man lineup is a big part of that, as the Badgers have a bevy of talented guards that complement each other well, leading to some of the best offensive success that the program has seen in recent history.
The Badgers arrive at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis ahead of the Big Ten Tournament championship game against Michigan.
Rich Klesmit had a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains from his hotel room last week. He was in Denver for a trip in the middle of a chaotic week that included both business and pleasure, happy as ever as he described what he was seeing while taking in the scenery.
What Klesmit never could have imagined at the time was that he’d be back in the same city a week later, this time for the start of what he hopes will be a long run for the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament.
Klesmit and his frequent traveling companion — wife, Kelly — would much prefer to be making the 90-minute drive down I-41 from their home to watch their son Max, a fifth-year senior guard for the Badgers, play the game he loves this week. The list of people who were disappointed that Wisconsin didn’t end up in Milwaukee is long, and the Klesmits are on it somewhere.
But if Rich and Kelly have proven anything over the years, it’s that they’ll travel anywhere, anytime, to watch their three children play a game.
“The lengths they go is ridiculous,” Max said. “I want to say I’m going to be that parent one day, but you also can’t be two places at once.”
While that may be true, it’s certainly not due to lack of effort on his parents’ part.
Why Rich and Kelly Klesmit ‘do a lot of high-fiving’
They were on and off high school sweethearts in Neenah, went their separate ways in college and found love again years later. They’re closing in on their 29th wedding anniversary.
The most fascinating part about Kelly that some people may not know is she was once a commercial airline pilot for Midwest Express and later United.
Max Klesmit is joined by his parents, Kelly and Rich, along with Badgers coach Greg Gard during a Senior Day ceremony prior to the Badgers’ game against Penn State on March 8 at the Kohl Center.
True story: Little Max, 4 or 5 years old at the time, once was strapped into a seat with his mother seated right next to him on a flight from Appleton to Chicago. Nothing out of the ordinary there, other than the fact that it was Kelly’s way of giving her son an adventure on one of her off days. There were seats available on the flight, so she secured some non-revenue tickets and off they went to O’Hare Airport.
They ate at McDonald’s in the airport, Max played around in what he remembers nearly two decades later was a “huge jungle gym,” and they hopped on a flight back to Appleton.
Kelly decided to retire from flying after she got pregnant with Rowan, the couple’s third child and their only girl.
“I didn’t want to miss things,” she said, “which as it turns out was probably a good decision because I would have missed a lot of stuff.”
When the Badgers closed the regular season against Penn State on March 8, Rich and Kelly were in their usual seats at the Kohl Center. Max wasn’t playing due to injury, but there was no chance they were missing this game: It was senior day.
But they could be excused for having one eye on the game in front of them and another on the one streaming on Kelly’s phone: Cal, their middle child and a redshirt freshman guard at Northern Michigan, was playing in the semifinal of his conference tournament.
A hectic stretch of games actually had begun that Wednesday in Marquette, Michigan, where Kelly traveled through a storm that dropped more than two feet of snow on some parts of the Upper Peninsula to watch Cal’s final regular-season game. She made it back to Neenah in the wee hours of the morning, got some sleep and managed to work part of the day at her job as a special education teacher at a Neenah middle school.
Rich and Kelly drove that night to Stevens Point to watch what turned out to be the final game of Rowan’s junior season: The Neenah girls fell to Eau Claire Memorial in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal.
After the Badgers’ loss to the Nittany Lions on Saturday, the Klesmits stayed out late with some of the other Wisconsin families at a group gathering hosted by the seniors’ parents at Wando’s.
Team Klesmit left Madison at 6 a.m. the next morning for a 5-plus hour drive to watch Cal in the championship game in Houghton. Rich drove and Kelly mostly napped, but at least they were together. That’s not always the case during basketball season.
When Rich says “we do a lot of high-fiving this time of year,” he means it in the figurative sense; they feel like two ships passing in the night at times. But it’d work in the literal sense as well: There’s been a lot of hand-slapping while celebrating their kids’ accomplishments over the years.
Why the Klesmit family watches a lot of basketball
It’s not a stretch to say the Klesmit family lives and breathes basketball.
“This is kind of sad,” Rich said, “but we don’t watch much else on TV other than basketball.”
Even how they watched those games sets apart Team Klesmit from the rest. Rich, who played for legendary Neenah coach Ron Einerson in high school, would encourage his kids at a young age to not follow the ball while watching games. Look for the little details that make players and teams good, he’d tell them. Try to pick out the nuances of certain systems. Appreciate how the game is played. Notice how players impact winning without scoring a point.
Max is a perfect example of that this season. He’s shooting 28.2% from 3-point range, down from 39.8% a year ago, and there’s little doubt a nagging ankle injury that has plagued him most of the season has been a major contributing factor in that decline. But he still impacts winning in a variety of ways.
Do yourself a favor: Take your eyes off the ball for two or three defensive possessions when the Badgers (26-9) open NCAA Tournament play with a game against Montana (25-9) on Thursday at Ball Arena and just watch Max chase the player he’s guarding around screens. Look closely and you even may see him subtly delivering a shoulder shiver with the intent of making that screener think twice the next time Wisconsin’s No. 11 comes rushing at him.
“Let’s say you take 15 shots a game,” Rich says now, relaying the message he’s delivered many a time over the years. “Those 15 shots take you 3 seconds. So you’re talking about 45 seconds of an entire game. Let’s say you’re playing 33 minutes a game, what are you doing the balance of that time?”
Rich coached each of his three kids from second through eighth grade before turning over each of them to someone else once they reached high school. All three were raised as lead guards who were responsible for making good decisions and getting their teammates involved in the game and make everyone around them better.
“I think they’re all very similar players,” Kelly said. “They all are more concerned with whatever it takes to win. Whatever that looks like, that’s what they’ll do.”
Max has a reputation as a trash talker, and his parents say Cal fits that description as well. Not so much for Rowan, and Kelly said she wishes her daughter had a little more edginess to her.
That said, her parents believe Rowan might be further along from a developmental standpoint than her brothers were at her age. Being the youngest does have its advantages.
“She learned so much from them growing up,” Kelly said about Rowan, who has a handful of NCAA Division II offers and hopes to turn heads on the Division I level with her performance in AAU ball this spring. “We tried to do girls stuff with her — let’s get her in Brownies, let’s try dance and gymnastics — and she wasn’t having any of it. She’d try it, but when it came down to it, all she wanted to do was play hoops with the boys.”
While nobody in the family was happy that Rowan’s team checked out of the postseason two wins shy of reaching state, there was one silver lining to that defeat:
It made an already busy weekend a little less complicated.
Why the Klesmits aren’t ready for this ride to end
Kelly and Rowan packed enough clothes to last them a week when they departed last week for Indianapolis, where Rich joined them after taking a flight from Denver, the second stop on a business trip that began in Pennsylvania.
The three of them watched Max and the Badgers beat Northwestern in a Big Ten Tournament game Thursday and UCLA in a quarterfinal the following day. Rich drove Saturday to Springfield, Illinois, where Cal and Northern Michigan were playing in an NCAA Division II opener in a game that tipped off at the same time Wisconsin was playing Michigan State in a semifinal.
The Wildcats, who would have played again Sunday and Tuesday if they got on a roll, lost to conference foe Michigan Tech. That meant Rich could get back to Indy for the Badgers’ championship showdown with Michigan State on Sunday.
“Three hours,” Rich said, “is like going to the grocery store for us.”
When Rich was asked if he and Kelly ever have pulled off two games in one day, the master of the one-liner delivered this quip:
“That’s a walk in the park, bro, c’mon,” he said.
The Klesmits seem to thrive on the challenge of getting to as many games as they can. The only Wisconsin game Rich missed this season was at Maryland. The only two games Rowan didn’t have one of her parents at a game was when they were in Los Angeles for the Badgers’ games against Southern Cal and UCLA in January. Cal missed the first 12 games of the season with a fractured wrist he sustained while taking a charge in an exhibition game at Michigan State, so Rich and Kelly have tried extra hard to attend as many of his games as possible.
Don’t mention to Rich and Kelly that all of this could lead to logistical headaches at times because that’s just not the way they view the situation. They want to be there to console after tough losses and celebrate after big wins.
Max remembers a time from his freshman season at Wofford when he had a rough performance in a game at Virginia Military Institute and was happy Rich, who had driven 865 miles to watch, was there to hand out a hug.
“You really take things for granted, especially as a young person and don’t realize how much of a commitment that is for them,” Max said.
The Klesmits have put a lot of miles on their Nissan Armada and Infiniti Q70L. Flying to Denver instead of driving to Milwaukee? So be it.
After a stretch of 12 games in 10 days, they’re hoping the Badgers keep this basketball season going as long as possible.
“It’s been fun living it,” Kelly said. “And it’s not over.”
Next stop: Denver, where the Klesmit family hopes the basketball is as breathtaking as the view.
Photos: Wisconsin men’s basketball faces Michigan in Big Ten Tourney title game
Wisconsin guard John Tonje shoots on Michigan guard Rubin Jones during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit shoots on Michigan center Danny Wolf during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje drives on Michigan guard Rubin Jones during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell drives on Michigan guard Tre Donaldson during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin shoots on Wisconsin guard John Tonje during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit drives on Michigan guard L.J. Cason during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos pulls in a rebound from Michigan forward Will Tschetter during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Rubin Jones drives on Wisconsin guard John Tonje during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Rubin Jones drives on Wisconsin guard John Tonje during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell shoots on Michigan forward Will Tschetter, right, and Rubin Jones during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. shoots on Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit collects the ball as Michigan guard Rubin Jones attempts a steal during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. shoots on Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard watches against Michigan during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Rubin Jones drives on Wisconsin guard John Blackwell during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. drives on Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin looks to shoot on Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl shoots on Michigan center Danny Wolf during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin shoots on Wisconsin guard John Blackwell during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Tre Donaldson shoots on Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin shoots on Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin drives on Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell looks to pass on Michigan guard L.J. Cason during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin looks to drive on Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit looks to drive on Michigan guard Tre Donaldson during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Nimari Burnett fouls Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Jack Janicki looks to pass on Michigan guard L.J. Cason during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan forward Will Tschetter shoots on Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard L.J. Cason drives on Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee during the first half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) shoots on Michigan center Danny Wolf (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Michael Conroy
Michigan coach Dusty May lifts the trophy after beating Wisconsin in Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament title game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan players celebrate after defeating Wisconsin in Sunday’s Big Ten Tournament title game in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin drives on Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin drives on Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan forward Will Tschetter blocks a Wisconsin guard John Tonje shot during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje dunks on Michigan center Vladislav Goldin, right, and Nimari Burnett during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje drives on Michigan forward Will Tschetter during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Danny Wolf shoots on Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje shoots on Michigan center Vladislav Goldin during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell shoots on Michigan center Danny Wolf during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell drives on Michigan guard Nimari Burnett during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee shoots on Michigan guard Nimari Burnett during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee shoots on Michigan guard Nimari Burnett during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje drives on Michigan guard Rubin Jones during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit drives on Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje shoots on Michigan forward Will Tschetter during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje drives to the basket as Michigan guard Tre Donaldson defends during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit drives on Michigan guard L.J. Cason during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore reacts to a basket against Michigan during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan guard Tre Donaldson and Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter battle for a rebound during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Michigan center Vladislav Goldin is defended by Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter, left, Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit shoots on Michigan center Danny Wolf during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin guard John Tonje drives on Michigan guard Rubin Jones during the second half of Sunday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) and guard John Blackwell (25) react after a play during the first half against the Butler Bulldogs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The No. 1 seed Michigan State Spartans (27-5, 17-3 Big Ten) will hit the court in the Big Ten tournament against the No. 5 seed Wisconsin Badgers (25-8, 13-7 Big Ten), Saturday at 1 p.m. ET live on CBS.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State game information
On the hardwood, John Tonje is averaging 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
John Blackwell is piling up 15.5 points, 2.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Steven Crowl posts 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season. At the other end, he delivers 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocked shots.
From an offensive standpoint, Nolan Winter is posting 9.7 points, 1.1 assists and 6 rebounds per game.
So far this season, Max Klesmit is putting up 9.5 points per game.
So far this season, Jaden Akins averages 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. At the other end, he delivers 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocked shots.
Offensively, Jaxon Kohler averages eight points and 7.7 rebounds per contest.
Jase Richardson is putting up 11.7 points, 2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.
On a per-game basis, Jeremy Fears Jr. averages 7.2 points, 2 rebounds and 5.5 assists, shooting 40.3% from the field.
Tre Holloman is putting up 9 points, 3.8 assists and 2 rebounds per game this season.
This season the Spartans are shooting 46.3% from the field, 4.6% higher than the Badgers concede.
Michigan State is 19-7 against the spread and 24-2 overall when shooting higher than 41.7% from the field.
The Badgers shoot 46.1% from the field, 5.8% higher than the Spartans allow.
This year Wisconsin is 18-7 against the spread and 21-4 overall when shooting better than 40.3% from the field.
The Spartans pull down 36.8 rebounds per game, topping the Badgers by 3.9 boards per contest.
The Badgers are 124th in rebounding in the nation, and the Spartans are ninth.
The Spartans are averaging 78.3 points, 7.6 more than the Badgers allow.
The Badgers average 80.6 points, 13.7 more than the Spartans concede.
Badgers control second half, advance to Big 10 Tournament Quarterfinals
Having lost three of their final five regular season games, the Badgers had plenty to prove against Northwestern. They answered the call, notching a seven-point win and leading for 29 minutes. It was a much-needed bounce-back win and an opportunity to bring some momentum into the weekend.
Nolan Winter and John Tonje tied for the team lead in points with 18. Tonje also tied for the lead in rebounds with seven while accruing two steals and committing zero turnovers. Nick Martinelli finished with 22 points of his own and was Northwestern’s only consistent source of offense.
The victory advances Wisconsin into the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Tournament, where they’ll face the fourth-seeded UCLA Bruins on Friday afternoon
Second Chance Points Keeps Offense Afloat Early
Wisconsin had been in a slump for a handful of games and came out cold Thursday, starting 2-for-9 from the field with four turnovers in just under nine minutes of action. Then, they turned their focus to the glass. The Badgers’ next four baskets were second-chance points, turning a three-point deficit into a five point lead with eight minutes to play. 12 of Wisconsin’s first 24 points were second chance points.
Overall, Wisconsin didn’t shoot it with great efficiency, hitting on 41.5 percent of their field goal attempts and 32.0 percent from the three-point line. Additionally, the Badgers suffered multiple lengthy scoring droughts. While it was nice to see them pick up the slack via offensive rebounds, the Badgers can’t afford to endure many cold spells against UCLA on Friday
Defense is peaking at the right time
At certain points this season, defense felt like a clear weakness for Wisconsin. Down the stretch of the regular season — save for an ugly loss to Penn State — the Badgers turned up their defensive efforts and boosted their defensive metrics. Before Thursday’s win, Wisconsin was ranked 36th in defensive rating via kenpom.
They were particularly impressive against Northwestern, holding players not named Nick Martinelli to 13-of-40 shooting while forcing 14 turnovers, eight of which came off steals. The Wildcats shot just 34.6 percent from the field in the second half, allowing Wisconsin to pull away.
Nolan Winter is an X Factor
Winter’s impact was undeniable Thursday as a rebounder, defender and scorer. The sophomore forward notched a team-best positive 22 plus-minus and got to the free throw line at will. Winter had just five field goal attempts but cashed in on nine of his 10 shots at the charity stripe. He posted a pair of big putback baskets early in the contest and notched a pair of steals across 26 minutes.
While his season-long stat line isn’t gaudy, Winter’s individual success often coincided with team success. Wisconsin boasts a 12-1 record in games where Winter scores in double figures and shoots 50 percent or better from the field. The only loss? A Feb. 22 overtime defeat at the hands of Oregon at the Kohl Center in which Wisconsin led by as many as 17.
The Wisconsin Badgers rolled to a 70-63 triumph over the Northwestern Wildcats in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
Fueled by strong offensive contributions from sophomore center Nolan Winter and First-Team All-Big Ten wing John Tonje, the Badgers controlled the offensive tempo throughout the second half of play. After shooting under 40% from the field and 25% from deep in the first half, UW improved to shoot 44% from the floor and 38.5% from outside in the closing frame.
Greg Gard’s group also forced the Wildcats into tough offensive situations to close the contest. The Wildcats shot just 34.6% from the field and 25% from outside in the final 20 minutes to go along with seven turnovers.
Northwestern did jump out to a quick 8-3 edge in the opening minutes, but the Badgers quickly retaliated with a 19-9 scoring spurt courtesy of baskets from five different playmakers. The Wildcats then cut the deficit to one, 31-30, before Wisconsin closed the half on a 6-0 run, fueled by both Winter and Tonje, to establish a 37-30 halftime advantage.
The Badgers rode that late-half momentum into the second frame. They effectively spread the ball to all of their primary playmakers, balancing their scoring from all three levels. That and strong defense powered the team to a 15-point lead by the 8:00-minute mark.
Wisconsin led by as many as 18 points later in the half before easing up its on-ball pressure on the defensive end. Northwestern closed in strong from, but it was too little, too late.
Both Winter and Tonje led the Badgers with 18 points, plus collected 13 combined rebounds. In his first game back from injury, program veteran Max Klesmit notched nine points in 23 minutes of action, while Kamari McGee and John Blackwell accounted for eight points apiece.
Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli poured in a game-best 22 points in what may be the final game of his college career. Wildcats guard K.J. Windham also added 14 off the bench.
The Badgers will now advance to play the UCLA Bruins at 2:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The winner of that bout will advance to the semifinal round of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament.
Wisconsin Badgers forward Tyler Wahl (5) celebrates the win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers with forward Nolan Winter (31) after the game at Williams Arena.
Nolan Winter remains in good spirit despite the injury in Wisconsin Badgers’ game against the Penn State Nittany Lions which they also lost.
Nolan Winter
Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler, right, and Frankie Fidler, left, celebrate a turnover as Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter, center, reacts during the second half on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
He played just 13 minutes in that game after incurring a shoulder injury from a put back dunk. This worried many fans as he has been an indispensable part of the team’s offense and defense. He carved his way into the starting five after his rookie season and is averaging 9.5 points per game, seven rebounds, and one assist.
It’s been four days since the Penn State game and according to the latest from head coach Greg Gard, Winter recovered from the injury scare.
“(Nolan Winter) was back (at practice) a little bit yesterday,” Gard told reporters on Tuesday.
“Then we varied today, which was more opponent specific. So he’s in-and-out a little bit. But he’s back. Said he feels good. That’s the plan, is he will be back and ready to go.”
Carter Gilmore, Greg Gard, Wisconsin Badgers basketball
Feb 13, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31), forward Carter Gilmore (14) and head coach Greg Gard celebrate a three point basket during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Kohl Center.
Winter’s absence in the game against the Lions was sorely missed. His tenacity on defense and ability to shoot the three from beyond the arc limited the movements of their guards.
Gard himself said he needs his entire starting unit to compete or major alteration on their system will be made.
Another Wisconsin Badgers starting 5 members set to return
Max Klesmit is another starting unit member sorely missed in the game against the Lions. He also missed the last two games before that.
Jack Janicki and Kamari McGee tried to hold down the forth but their efforts were not enough.
He had a significant recovery period and it worked as Klesmit himself said he will be ready for the Big Ten tournament.
Wisconsin Badgers coach Greg Gard
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit (11) talks with head coach Greg Gard during the second half of their game Thursday, March 2, 2023 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Purdue beat Wisconsin 63-61. Uwmen02 18
“Feeling good. Gonna play,” he said on Monday.
Badgers will face the Northwestern Wildcats on Thursday. These two teams last met on February 1 with the Badgers coming out on top of a close match, 75-69.
Jan 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Tyler Wahl (5) celebrates the win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers with forward Nolan Winter (31) after the game at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler, right, and Frankie Fidler, left, celebrate a turnover as Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter, center, reacts during the second half on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
He played just 13 minutes in that game after incurring a shoulder injury from a put back dunk. This worried many fans as he has been an indispensable part of the team’s offense and defense. He carved his way into the starting five after his rookie season and is averaging 9.5 points per game, seven rebounds, and one assist.
It’s been four days since the Penn State game and according to the latest from head coach Greg Gard, Winter recovered from the injury scare.
“(Nolan Winter) was back (at practice) a little bit yesterday,” Gard told reporters on Tuesday.
“Then we varied today, which was more opponent specific. So he’s in-and-out a little bit. But he’s back. Said he feels good. That’s the plan, is he will be back and ready to go.”
Feb 13, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31), forward Carter Gilmore (14) and head coach Greg Gard celebrate a three point basket during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports
Winter’s absence in the game against the Lions was sorely missed. His tenacity on defense and ability to shoot the three from beyond the arc limited the movements of their guards.
Jack Janicki and Kamari McGee tried to hold down the forth but their efforts were not enough.
He had a significant recovery period and it worked as Klesmit himself said he will be ready for the Big Ten tournament.
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit (11) talks with head coach Greg Gard during the second half of their game Thursday, March 2, 2023 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Purdue beat Wisconsin 63-61. Uwmen02 18
“Feeling good. Gonna play,” he said on Monday.
Badgers will face the Northwestern Wildcats on Thursday. These two teams last met on February 1 with the Badgers coming out on top of a close match, 75-69.
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The Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball are currently without a head coach after the resignation of Marisa Moseley who has been with the team since 2021. Her resignation comes at the heels of a failed season and controversy on how she managed the players.
Nov 11, 2022; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Marisa Moseley speaks with guard Avery LaBarbera (12) during the first half of their game against the Kanasa State Wildcats at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK
It might not be vacated for long as the school is already searching for a replacement while some experienced coaches put forward their names for the job.
University of Wisconsin-Madison might want to take a look at their very own Tamara Moore who took to X to express her desire to inherit the job left by Moseley who is regarded as a trailblazer in the field.
She wrote:
I would like to apply for the head coaching position at Wisconsin. My pride & passion for my Alma mater runs deep. I ❤️ this team & I truly believe I can bring something new to the sideline. My journey is not typically but my knowledge of the program & the past success is strong.
Her post was positively received by many Badgers fans with some saying she is a perfect for the job.
Moore’s life after Wisconsin Badgers
Moore played for the Badgers from 1998 to 2002, winning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2001. She was inducted to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.
She then carved a respectable professional career in the WNBA, having played for Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, and Los Angeles Sparks.
Moore became a coach after playing pro, with his start coming through a high school women’s basketball team from Minneapolis. She proceeded to become the second female coach of the Kingsborough Community College.
Her first major gig was as the men’s basketball and softball coach at Mesabi Range College.
Her résumé got even more stacked after that as she found her way in the National Basketball Association when she was hired as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics 2022 Summer League.
Her latest achievement is becoming the first ever female scout of 2024 NBA finalist Dallas Mavericks.
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Mayfield Sports Marketing
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Mar 5, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) celebrates his basket against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
This will be the final year for Wisconsin Badgers guard Max Klesmit in college basketball. Klesmit has been one of the key players on this roster.
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit (11) finds an open teammate during the first half of their game against Washington Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
Despite not being named to any of the BIG10 teams this season, he was still showing support for his teammates. John Tonje made it to the BIG10 all-first team and John Blackwell made it to the BIG10 all honorable mention team. It is not a surprise that Tonje made it to that team, but it was a surprise that Blackwell was not on the second or third team in the BIG10 Conference.
Wisconsin Badgers Guard Max Klesmit Baffled About John Blackwell’s Ranking In the BIG10 Conference
Mar 5, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) works around Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Lu’Cye Patterson (25) during the second half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
When Klesmit found out about the BIG10 conference awards for college basketball on Tuesday, he was totally baffled about John Blackwell being on the All BIG10 Honorable Mention. Max Klesmit said on his Instagram page,
“This is laughable.”
A season ago, John Blackwell was on the All-BIG10 freshman team. Klesmit had much more to say about Blackwell being snubbed. He said,
“I mean, I just don’t know how many sophomore guards – I mean, I don’t want to say sophomore, but – younger guards have a point guard that left last year that was ball dominant for us and ran most of the show for us. And that was big shoes for JB to fill. And I think he did everything and then some.”
Blackwell is the first Badgers player to receive a postseason honor during their sophomore season since Chucky Hepburn during the 2022 season. Blackwell this past season for Wisconsin averaged 15.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, and shot 45.6% from the field in 31 games played for Wisconsin. The Badgers during the regular season finished with a 13-7 record in conference play and had a 23-8 overall record also.
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Wisconsin basketball (23-8, 13-7 Big Ten) fell to No. 18 in the latest edition of the AP Poll.
The poll’s update arrives after the Badgers’ 1-1 week on the hardwood, which included a much-needed seven-point road win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers and a disheartening 11-point defeat to Penn State.
While the triumph against Minnesota showcased Wisconsin’s poise and depth in a harsh road environment, the loss to the Nittany Lions was the most detrimental of any Wisconsin experienced this season. The result dropped Greg Gard’s team six spots in the latest AP Poll, down to No. 20 in the NCAA’s NET rankings and to No. 14 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Badgers are also down four spots (from No. 19 to No. 23) in the ESPN BPI and two spots in KenPom (from No. 10 to No. 12).
Most importantly, Wisconsin relinquished an opportunity to clinch a double-bye in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. The team will now square off against the winner of Minnesota-Northwestern in the second round on Thursday, March 13.
Wisconsin is one of seven Big Ten teams in the latest AP Top 25. Michigan State holds the No. 7 position after wins over Iowa and Michigan. Maryland (No. 11), leapfrogged the Badgers after convincing wins over Michigan and Northwestern punctuated an outstanding 2024-25 slate. Purdue (No. 20), Michigan (No. 22), Oregon (No. 23) and Illinois (No. 24) all moved from the ‘receiving votes’ section into the top 25.
UCLA, which defeated Wisconsin in late January, also received 52 votes to remain in the ‘receiving votes’ section.
Texas A&M’s big-time win over Auburn on March 4 made the Aggies the biggest mover in this week’s poll (up eight spots from No. 22 to No. 14). The BYU Cougars were another big mover (up six spots from No. 23 to No. 17) after a road win over Iowa State on March 4.
Wisconsin, alongside Missouri, Michigan and Marquette, dropped at least five spots to close the regular season. No other program fell more than four spots in this week’s edition.
Outside of Penn State, every team to beat Wisconsin this season either made it into the AP Top 25 or the ‘receiving votes’ section. That type of resume accurately portrays Wisconsin’s top-end form throughout the year.
The Badgers’ NCAA Tournament seed will depend on how they perform in the conference tournament. Until then, UW will concentrate on preparing for the Golden Gophers or Wildcats on March 13.
