Dec 10, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Combating Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) drives between Wisconsin Badgers ahead Carter Gilmore (7) and Nolan Winter (31) throughout the first half at State Farm Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Ron Johnson-Imagn Photographs With the non-conference calendar winding down, Butler and No. 20 Wisconsin will proceed their preparations for league play on Saturday afternoon after they conflict in Indianapolis within the Indy Basic.
The Badgers (8-3) have already got gotten their toes moist in Massive Ten play, going 0-2. The Badgers fell to unranked Illinois 86-80 on Tuesday, which adopted losses to Michigan and then-No. 5 Marquette.
In opposition to Illinois, Nolan Winter matched his profession excessive in factors (15) and minutes performed (29), however coach Greg Gard needs to see extra from the 7-footer within the two video games earlier than heavy Massive Ten play begins on Jan. 3.
“He is a extremely good participant, and I believe simply scratching the floor of the place he will be, however I like his willingness to go get within the combine,” Gard mentioned. “I would like him aggressive offensively, I would like him searching searching for threes.”
Winter averages 9.7 factors per sport however lacked the boldness to take extra deep pictures, averaging 1.6 makes an attempt per sport till he took seven 3-pointers in opposition to Illinois. Whereas the sophomore hit solely two, Winter has related on 34.8 % of his makes an attempt this season, up from 30.8 % final season.
Wisconsin is also solidifying its rotation, and Gard needs to search out the proper stability in enjoying time.
“I’ve bought to search out extra minutes for [Jack] Janicki,” he mentioned. “I imply clearly [Carter] Gilmore I believe has given us all the pieces he is bought and has actually embraced and flourished within the position that he has. So these two guys I might say I do know I can depend on. I believe Xavier’s [Amos’] persevering with to be taught and as we undergo this, you already know, troublesome stretch.”
The Badgers have misplaced three video games in a row, with video games in opposition to Butler and Detroit Mercy earlier than transitioning to the Massive Ten schedule in earnest.
Butler (7-3) will play its remaining non-conference sport earlier than a packed Massive East schedule takes maintain. The Bulldogs will take the brief journey from campus to downtown Indianapolis with a two-game shedding streak.
After falling to then-No. 17 Houston, Butler got here again from a 23-point deficit Tuesday in opposition to North Dakota State, solely to fall 71-68 behind a 27-point efficiency by foe Jacari White that took the Bulldogs out of their rhythm. White went 7-for-9 taking pictures from past the arc and 10 of 14 general.
“That is one thing that with a veteran crew … simply cannot occur,” coach Thad Matta mentioned about Butler’s 23-point first half.
Making issues worse for Butler is an harm to Augusto Cassia, who began eight of 10 video games this season however went down with a knee harm with 10:19 remaining in Tuesday’s sport.
Butler hasn’t introduced outcomes of a deliberate MRI.
The Bulldogs are efficient after they management the tempo of the sport and drive to the basket. Matta will depend on Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks to do this in opposition to the Badgers; they common a mixed 31.8 factors per sport.
–Area Stage Media
