Wisconsin basketball comes into this season looking for a deeper postseason run after crashing out early last year in the NCAA Tournament.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Wisconsin basketball.
Last season, the Badgers were playing their best basketball going into the Big Ten Tournament and even upset Zach Edey and Purdue en route to losing to Illinois in the Big Ten Championship. Wisconsin then fell victim to the classic 12-seed upset in the opening round of March Madness.
Things are going to be tougher this season for Wisconsin and every team in the Big Ten with four new teams in the conference. With only getting one guaranteed matchup against each team, it raises the stakes each time the Badgers take the court.
The Badgers are going to be a mix of a youth and veterans looking for opportunities this year with just three transfers. NIU forward Xavier Amos will provide some experience down low for Wisconsin as the former four-star recruit takes his collegiate career to the next level.
We might have picked Wisconsin basketball to finish 12th in the Big Ten, but this team has the potential to cause chaos when conference play rolls around.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head Coach: Greg Gard (10th season overall, all at Wisconsin)
2023-24 Record: 22-14 (11-9)
2024 Postseason Finish: Lost to James Madison (72-61) in first round of the NCAA Tournament
Notable Departures:
- A.J. Storr (16.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.9 APG)
- Tyler Wahl (10.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 53.5 FG%)
- Chucky Hepburn (9.2 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG)
Notable Non-Conference Games:
- vs. Arizona (Nov. 15)
- vs. UCF (Nov. 22)
- vs. LSU OR Pitt (Nov. 24)
- at Marquette (Dec. 7)
Projected Rotation:
PG: Daniel Freitag (6-2, 195, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #129 ranked recruit
SG: Camren Hunter (6-3, 200, Jr.)
*Missed 2023-24 season to injury*
2022-23 Stats: 16.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG (Central Arkansas)
SF: Max Klesmit (6-4, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 Stats: 9.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG
PF: Xavier Amos (6-8, 215, Jr.)
2023-24 Stats: 13.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.3 BPG, 49.6 FG% (Northern Illinois)
C: Steven Crowl (7-0, 247, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 Stats: 11.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 55.6% FG%
6: John Tonje (6-6, 215, Gr.-Sr.)
*Missed 2023-24 season to injury*
2022-23 Stats: 14.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 APG (Colorado State)
7: John Blackwell (6-4, 194, So.)
2023-24 Stats: 8.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.6 APG
8: Kamari McGee (6-0, 180, Sr.)
2023-24 Stats: 2.1 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.4 APG, 54.3 FG%
9: Carter Gilmore (6-7, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 Stats: 1.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.5 APG, 48.7 FG%
10: Jack Robinson (6-6, 190, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #192 ranked recruit
Wisconsin Basketball Team MVP: Xavier Amos
Xavier Amos is in a tough spot to be thrown into the MVP role heading into his first season with Wisconsin basketball, but he has all the tools to be successful. He’s a strong rebounder, plays great defense and isn’t afraid to do the dirty work down low to score buckets. Amos is going to be big part of this Badgers team.
Wisconsin might not be a high-scoring team this year, but it can control the glass and use that to gain leverage in every single matchup. Amos is going to play a big part in doing that especially since head coach Greg Gard loves to run with three guards on the floor more often than not.
Wisconsin Basketball Make-or-Break Player: Camren Hunter
The Badgers are going to need scoring options this season, and Camren Hunter is in a position to be one of the main threats. After A.J. Storr left for Kansas, the Badgers need to replace his production. Hunter showed two years ago at Central Arkansas he can be one of the leading scorers on a team.
Hunter is going to have more motivation than ever to come in and producer for the Badgers. Missing last season and then also being on a new team creates a drive to be successful. Gard is very high on Hunter not only for being a two-time all-conference player but also his work ethic and character.
Key Analytic: Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds
Wisconsin was the third-worst team in the Big Ten last year, and two of the four teams coming over from the Pac-12 finished with more than 34 rebounds per game. It doesn’t matter how much you score. Losing the rebound battle will cause you to lose games.
Gard knows rebounding was a weakness of his Badgers last season, and it’s why he went after Amos as well as Hunter who can also pull in boards when necessary. For a team that may not have the most prolific offense, controlling the glass is going to define how this season goes for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Basketball 2024-25 Projections
Projected Conference Finish: 12th in the Big Ten
Projected Postseason Ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Exit