Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers - News - January 02, 2024

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Tyler Wahl - New season highWahl totaled 19 points (4-6 FG, 11-13 FT), eight rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals in 29 minutes during Tuesday's 83-72 victory over Iowa.

ImpactWahl was one of Wisconsin's biggest offensive threats to begin last season, but many who follow the program seem to say that he hasn't quite been the same around the basket since a mid-season ankle injury. Fast forward to 2023-24, and Wahl got off to a bit of a slower start, due largely to the added depth on this year's Wisconsin squad. He seems to be taking a bit of a turn offensively in recent weeks, however, and is now averaging 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists over his last three games. It's the perfect time to round into form with Big Ten play just about to heat up.

JANUARY 3•ROTOWIRE

Connor Essegian - Buried on bench againEssegian did not see the court in Tuesday's 83-72 win over Iowa.

ImpactThe last time the Badgers took the court 10 days earlier, Essegian logged a season-best 18 minutes in the contest, due largely to an injury to point guard Chucky Hepburn. Tuesday was a different story, however, as Essegian was once again a non-factor and didn't even see the court. Coach Greg Gard noted in his post-game press conference that Essegian is trending in a good way (per Benjamin Worgull of Badger Blitz), but the issue keeping him off the court appears to be continued defensive lapses. As a result, his minutes are going almost entirely to recent addition AJ Storr and freshman John Blackwell, which is a testament to the depth of this team. There should eventually be a role for Essegian given he averaged 11.7 ppg last season and shot 35.9 percent from distance, as this year's Badger team is shooting just 32.4 percent from beyond the arc, good for 218th in the country entering Wednesday's games. It's unclear when that role may materialize, though.

JANUARY 3•ROTOWIRE

Max Klesmit - Boosts scoring in up-tempo matchupKlesmit provided 15 points (4-8 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 6-8 FT), one rebound, four assists and one steal across 30 minutes during Tuesday's 83-72 win over Iowa.

ImpactKlesmit's offense can be a bit inconsistent, as shown by the fact he put up more points Tuesday than his previous four games combined. He's still a solid defender and capable ball-handler, which is important considering point guard Chucky Hepburn has seemingly been limited by injuries of late. Klesmit is essentially a valuable, real-life "glue guy," however that doesn't necessarily translate to a spot on the fantasy radar.

JANUARY 3•ROTOWIRE

Chucky Hepburn - Plays through injuryHepburn notched four points (2-5 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-1 FT), two rebounds, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes during Tuesday's 83-72 victory over Iowa.

ImpactHepburn suffered a groin injury Dec. 22 against Chicago State and was originally considered questionable for this contest despite a long break between games for the Badgers. While he ultimately suited up, the Wisconsin point guard saw a below-average minutes total and was held to single-digit scoring for the sixth consecutive game. On the season, his scoring has taken a significant downturn, as he's fallen from 12.2 to 8.6 ppg. His efficiency from the field is up slightly, but he's down nearly 15 percentage points in three-point shooting. Hepburn will need to right that ship for the Badgers to truly be a threat in the Big Ten.

JANUARY 3•ROTOWIRE

Overtime: Badgers Find Their Footing in Second Half to Close Out IowaWisconsin scored 51 points in the second half.

JANUARY 3•247SPORTS.COM

OSEN's Observations: Balanced effort leads Badgers to double-digit win to begin 2024OSEN's Observations: Balanced effort leads UW to home win over Iowa

JANUARY 3•247SPORTS.COM

Iowa vs

21 Wisconsin

Chucky Hepburn finds AJ Storr with a sick alley-oop pass off the glass to extend Wisconsin's lead vs. Iowa

Iowa vs

21 Wisconsin

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers - News: Jan 3, 2024

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Chucky Hepburn finds AJ Storr with a sick alley-oop pass off the glass to extend Wisconsin's lead vs. Iowa