Where does Wisconsin men’s basketball team rank in the USA TODAY Preseason Poll of coaches?

MADISON – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team has one believer out there.

The Badgers received one point in the USA TODAY Preseason Poll, meaning one of the 31 coaches on the panel ranked the team No. 25 on his ballot.

Consider it a sign of respect for a program that is a regular in the NCAA Tournament but also a symbol of how far the team has to go.

The Badgers are replacing last season’s leading scorer (AJ Storr), their leader in assists and minutes played (Chucky Hepburn) and a fifth-year senior with 161 games of experience (Tyler Wahl).

The team will be anchored by sophomore John Blackwell and seniors Steven Crowl, Max Klesmit and Kamari McGee. Bolstering that bunch are transfers John Tonje, Xavier Amos and Camren Hunter and freshman Daniel Freitag.

UW was picked to finished in a tie for 12th in a preseason poll of Big Ten media and none of its players received a vote for first- or second-team preseason all-conference.

Guard Max Klesmit is one of six seniors for the Badgers this season.

That said, Badgers coach Greg Gard likes his team because of its depth, versatility and size. He especially likes its experience. There are six seniors or graduate students and four juniors on the 17-man roster.

“That is probably the thing that jumps out the most specifically in today’s era,” Gard said. “Our past success has been predicated on experience, maturity.”

The Badgers are one of 10 Big Ten teams listed in the poll.

Purdue, the two-time defending conference champion, is ranked 13th followed by No. 18 Indiana, No. 22 UCLA and No. 24 Illinois.

Outside the top 25 are Rutgers (27th), Michigan State (30th), Oregon (tied for 31st), Ohio State (tied for 37th), Maryland (39th) and Wisconsin, which is tied for 46th.

UW opens the season Nov. 4 against Holy Cross at the Kohl Center. During the first few weeks of the season the Badgers will face two ranked opponents: No. 10 Arizona on Nov. 15 at the Kohl Center and No. 17 Marquette on Dec. 7 in Milwaukee.

As for the low preseason…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-does-wisconsin-mens-basketball-160907686.html

Author : Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Publish date : 2024-10-23 16:09:00

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