WISCONSIN BADGERS NEWS

Submit a question for Jesse Temple's Wisconsin Badgers mailbag The offseason has arrived for Wisconsin football, while basketball season is heading into Big Ten play. What's on your mind?

JANUARY 7 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Huskers can't slow Badgers as winning streak slams to a halt Nebraska's offense was fine. The defense wasn't in a defeat to the No. 21 team.

JANUARY 6 • 247SPORTS.COM

GAME DAY: Wisconsin at Providence Wisconsin is just 1-4 all-time against Providence.

JANUARY 6 • 247SPORTS.COM

Wahl leads balanced attack as No. 21 Wisconsin trounces Nebraska 88-72

Tyler Wahl scored 17 points to lead five Wisconsin players in double figures and the 21st-ranked Badgers beat Nebraska 88-72 on Saturday to snap the Cornhuskers’ five-game winning...

JANUARY 6 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tyler Wahl - New season high Wahl 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.

Impact Wahl 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 again Essegian did not see the court in Tuesday's 83-72 win over Iowa.

Impact The 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 matchup Klesmit 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.

Impact Klesmit'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 injury Hepburn 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.

Impact Hepburn 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 Iowa Wisconsin scored 51 points in the second half.

JANUARY 3 • 247SPORTS.COM

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

JANUARY 3 • 247SPORTS.COM

Preview: Iowa at No. 21 Wisconsin Wisconsin resumes Big Ten play on Tuesday.

JANUARY 2 • 247SPORTS.COM

Men's AP Top 25: Purdue still No. 1; Arizona, FAU, Gonzaga take big drops

Purdue kept its spot at the top of the AP top 25 men's college basketball poll, while Arizona, Gonzaga and Florida Atlantic had massive fall...

JANUARY 1

Former Bucks owner, U.S. senator Herb Kohl dies at 88

Herb Kohl, a former Democratic U.S. senator from Wisconsin and former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, has died.

DECEMBER 28, 2023

Men's AP Top 25: Purdue remains No. 1, FAU has highest ranking ever

Florida Atlantic jumped seven places in the AP men’s college basketball poll following a double-OT win over No. 4 Arizona.

DECEMBER 25, 2023

What Advanced Stats Tell Us About Wisconsin Through Non-Conference Play Some takeaways through the first 12 games of the season.

DECEMBER 23, 2023 • 247SPORTS.COM

Carter Gilmore - Scores seven in rout Gilmore ended Friday's 80-53 win over Chicago State with seven points (1-1 FG, 5-5 FT) and two rebounds in 10 minutes.

Impact Gilmore remains a bench contributor for the Badgers, averaging 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds on 11.3 minutes per game (11 appearances). The 6-foot-7 junior has been relegated to a slightly reduced role with the arrival of AJ Storr and emergence of John Blackwell, but he remains involved for Wisconsin in his fourth season with the program.

DECEMBER 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Connor Essegian - Sees 18 minutes Friday Essegian registered five points (2-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt) and three rebounds across 18 minutes during Friday's 80-53 win over Chicago State.

Impact Essegian notched five points and three rebounds during Wisconsin's win over Chicago State. The 6-foot-4 sophomore saw a season-high 18 minutes during Friday's contest after averaging 27.3 minutes with 19 starts in 2022. It remains unclear if Essegian is still limited with a back issue, or if he has fallen out of favor with head coach Greg Gard.

DECEMBER 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

AJ Storr - Career-high 29 points Storr notched 29 points (11-18 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 4-6 FT), two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 31 minutes during Friday's 80-53 victory over Chicago State.

Impact Storr notched a new career-high 29-point performance against Chicago State in a dominating home win. The 6-foot-7 sophomore, who scored 20 in the first half, continues to supply the Badgers with a consistent scoring output in his first season with the program. Through 12 starts, the 6-foot-7 sophomore is averaging 15 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists on 25.6 minutes per game. Storr has overcome some early-season shooting struggles, currently posting 44.6/31.7/87.5 shooting splits.

DECEMBER 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE