Badgers reach semi-finals Big 10 tourney

[Voyageur]

Okay! It's a small win. Getting to the final 4 in the Big 10 tourney. But it's better than it looked about 3 weeks ago, when the wheels had already fallen off the bus, and it looked like it was going to crash.

If Gard just lets these guys play their offense, and quit tinkering with it. He's old school. They should play his defense, which is solid, and then turn them loose to score. These last two games exhibited exactly that.

The sad part is, we're definitely going to lose Storr to the NBA after this season. I talked to a friend, who knows friends of his family, and he's going to pack it in for the big time to get that money. There just isn't enough NIL money out there for him, to spend another year in college. He's going to cash in now.

Imagine if they could keep him around to graduate. He's only a sophomore. Wow!

According to my friend, not even A.J. himself thought it would be this quick of a rise. He thought he'd be with the Badgers at least another year. He chose the right place to make it happen.

 

[weeds]

They're hanging with Purdue AGAIN ...

 

[weeds]

HOT FRICKEN' DAMN!!!!!

 

[Voyageur]

The game, against Purdue, was the game the Badgers have needed to play since the season started. For a while, they played smash-mouth basketball and were winning. Then Gard changed their direction and they became a "finesse team," and let's be honest, that's not their game.

For the first time that I can recall for quite some time, they have several players who cut their teeth not only in high school ball, but pick-up playground ball at the local rec centers, or parks, around cities, where basketball is probably the best recreation available to them. It's a game played where there's no such thing as a foul, unless you draw blood. You learn fast to dish it out, knowing your going to get it, and you play more physical.

Now, if the officials handling the game between Illinois and Wisconsin better, and allow the Badgers to bang with them today, it should be a great game. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

I think Gard is doing all the things he needs to do, at this point, to save his job. A win today and another win or two in the NCAA tourney and I think he's going to get a contract extension of one or two years.

Next year might not be as good. I see Storr going to the NBA. Despite saying he's staying, I have doubts that Essegian will be a Badger next year, and we might see Blackwell hitting the portal, as well as a couple of others, including Winter, who could end up with the Gophers. Above all, there will be some missing pieces after this year is over, and I don't think Gard has recruited players to replace them. At least, not yet.

 

[longtimefan]

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[Voyageur]

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You got that right!

 

[longtimefan]

That was rough. Up 10 and cpuldnt maintain

 

[Voyageur]

That was rough. Up 10 and cpuldnt maintain

I think they ran out of gas. They had some tough sledding the first two days, and they just end up not having enough left in the tank the last six or seven minutes. Not going to fault Gard or the players. They played tough.