Analyzing Wisconsin’s Big Ten Tournament floor, ceiling and most likely outcome

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The Wisconsin Badgers have struggled to close the 2024-25 regular season, winning only two of their last five games. Many different factors explain those struggles, including the absence of senior guard Max Klesmit and a tough quality of opponent.

However, the Badgers now need to perform well during the Big Ten Tournament to hold onto a strong position entering March Madness. If all goes well, the team could still begin its NCAA Tournament quest in nearby Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s latest loss to Penn State dropped it from a double-bye position, down to the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. The Badgers will play the winner of Northwestern-Minnesota on Thursday. With a win, Wisconsin would face No. 4 UCLA, the winner of that contest moving on to face either Michigan State, Indiana, or Oregon — each of which would be Quad 1 opponents. The Badgers making a run to the tournament semifinal could confirm them for the Milwaukee NCAA Tournament pod site.

Entering the conference tournament, here is a full analysis of Wisconsin’s floor, ceiling, and most likely outcome:

Floor: Lose to UCLA in Quarterfinals

MADISON, WISCONSIN – MARCH 08: Greg Gard head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers looks on during the second half of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Kohl Center on March 08, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Wisconsin shouldn’t struggle with either Northwestern or Minnesota. The Badgers handled both in the regular season, including road wins over each. It goes without saying that Wisconsin should advance to the quarterfinals without too much trouble.

The potential matchup against UCLA is interesting because the Badgers struggled with the Bruins earlier in the year, mainly due to center Aday Mara’s career performance. UCLA’s talented guards Kobe Johnson and Sebastian Mack also posed significant threats on Wisconsin’s defense. If Max Klesmit plays in the game against UCLA, it should be a close game against two top-end teams. If…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/analyzing-wisconsins-big-ten-tournament-185419581.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-03-10 18:54:00

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