Wisconsin

BYU vs Wisconsin Preview: Keys to the Game, Wisconsin Overview, Prediction

Published

12 months ago

March 21, 2025

BYU vs Wisconsin Preview: Keys to the Game, Wisconsin Overview, Prediction

For the first time since 2011 versus Gonzaga, BYU is playing a round of 32 game in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin, meanwhile, is going for their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2017 after an 85-66 win over Montana. Both teams scored 80+ in their first round game in what could foreshadow a high-scoring game between two of the nation’s best offenses.

You can also check out the Rise and Hoop Podcast where I previewed BYU-Wisconsin.

BYU and Wisconsin by the Numbers

Wisconsin KenPom: 13

NET: 15

AP Rank: 13

Record: 27-9 (13-7 Big 10)

Notable Wins: Arizona (H), UCF (N), PItt (N), Iowa (H/A), Rutgers (A), Minnesota (H/A), Ohio State (H), USC (A), Nebraska (H), Northwestern (A/N), Indiana (H), Purdue (A), Illinois (H), Washington (H), Michigan State (N), UCLA (N), Montana (N)

Losses: Michigan (H/N), Marquette (A), Illinois (A), UCLA (A), Maryland (A), Oregon (H), Michigan State (A), Penn State (H)

BYU KenPom: 23

NET: 25

AP Rank: 17

Record: 25-8 (14-6 Big 12)

Notable Wins: NC State (N), Wyoming (N), Arizona State (H/A), Oklahoma State (H), Colorado (A), Cincinnati (H), Baylor (H), UCF (A), West Virginia (A), Kansas State (H), Kansas (H), Arizona (A), West Virginia (H), Iowa State (A/N), Utah (H), VCU (N)

Losses: Ole Miss (N), Providence (A), Houston (A/N), Texas Tech (H), TCU (A), Utah (A), Arizona (H), Cincinnati (A)

KenPom Prediction: Wisconsin 76, BYU 74 — Wisconsin 58% win probability

FanDuel Spread: Wisconsin -1.5

Point Total: 154.5

Wisconsin Overview

The Badgers are one of the best offensive teams in the nation. The top player to watch is sixth-year senior John Tonje, who was one of two unanimous First-Team All Big 10 selections. The 6-foot-5 guard averages 19 points and 5 rebounds on 46% shooting from the field and 39% from three. Tonje can score in a variety of ways — he averages 6 three-point attempts per game and is adept at drawing fouls and getting to the line. Tonje is 34th nationally in fouls drawn per 40 minutes, and averages 6.5 free throw attempts per game and shoots 91% from the foul line. I believe Tonje is the best guard BYU will have seen up to this point. VJ Edgecombe is a top 5 pick and played great versus BYU, but isn’t as productive as Tonje, and Caleb Love isn’t as consistent Tonje.

Wisconsin’s three starting guards go 6-foot-5, 6-foot-4, and 6-foot-4. John Blackwell is the Badgers second-leading scorer at 15.6 ppg and forms a great duo with Tonje. The sophomore guard shoots 32% from distance and is more streaky than Tonje, but he’s had multiple games this year where he’s made 4+ threes.

What makes Wisconsin different than any other team BYU has seen is the skill set of their starting frontcourt. UW’s two frontcourt starters are 7-foot fifth-year senior Steven Crowl and 6-foot-11 sophomore Nolan Winter. Both players average just under 10 points per game and are adept three-point shooters. Crowl shoots 42% from three on two attempts per game and Winter shoots 37% from three on 2.6 attempts per game. BYU has not seen a frontcourt with that size AND ability to shoot from three.

Wisconsin doesn’t really rely much on their bench for scoring, but they typically run an 8-man rotation. 6-foot senior guard Kamari McGee is leading scorer off the bench with 6.7 ppg and shoots 46% from three.

As a whole, offense is the strength of this Wisconsin team. They rank 13th nationally in KenPom offensive efficiency and rely on the three ball. BYU shoots the most threes in the Big 12 and Wisconsin shoots the most in the Big 10; nearly half the field goal attempts for both teams are from three. Wisconsin shoots 34.8% from three, which is 123 nationally, while BYU shoots 37% from distance.

The Badgers are the best free throw shooting team in the country, shooting 82.7% from the foul line. Five of their top six scorers shoot at least 80% from the line. One component that is not part of Wisconsin’s offense is offensive rebounding. The Badgers rebound 28% of their misses, which is 237 nationally in offensive rebound percentage. VCU ranked 12th nationally in offensive rebound percentage going into the BYU game, rebounding more than 36% of their misses.

The Badgers are known for their offensive, but their defensive ratings are stout. In fact, Wisconsin ranks 24th nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency, which is three spots ahead of VCU. Wisconsin’s defensive philosophy is completely different than VCU’s.

VCU is a pressure defense who relied on forcing turnovers, and that is not UW’s identity. Wisconsin has one of the lowest defensive turnover percentages nationally, ranking 332 with a 14.4% defensive turnover percentage. What the Badgers do well is rebound and protect the rim. They don’t get many blocks, but their two seven footers can congest the paint and make shots difficult around the rim. In addition to not forcing turnovers, Wisconsin can be a susceptible at times to the three ball. Wisconsin in Big 10 play allowed opponents to shoot 35% from three, which was 12th in the Big 10.

Four Under-the-Radar Storylines

Keba Keita vs UW Frontcourt

I am fascinated to see how Kevin Young uses Keba Keita this game. Wisconsin’s front court is skilled and neither starters are statues, but they aren’t athletic like most of the Big 12 frontcourts; they are a stereotypical Big 10 frontcourt is some ways.

I imagine Kevin Young will spread the floor with three shooters and then ruthlessly put Egor Demin and Keba Keita in PNR situations to see if 7-foot, 250 pound center Steven Crowl can cover the space to slow down Egor and cover Keba. In BYU’s blowout win over Kansas, Keba abused Hunter Dickinson in PNR situations and Dicksinson; I imagine BYU will try to do the same versus the Badgers. Wisconsin has seen some really good big men in the Big 10, but no one with the athleticism that Keba has.

Will Boskovic get more minutes?

Fouss will get minutes and I think he will be successful. Wisconsin doesn’t double-team the post a ton, and I trust Fouss to score one-one-one versus just about anyone in the country. Fouss has showed he can score against bigger players one-and-one. Boskovic could get some more run here though for defensive purposes. Both Wisconsin bigs can shoot the three, and Boskovic could get some minutes if Fouss struggles to get out on the perimeter. Boskovic is more adept there and wouldn’t give up a ton of size down low. I expect Fouss to get a healthy dosage of minutes, but I think Boskovic carves out a role this game.

Can Mawot Mag slow down John Tonje?

Mag had the main assignment on A10 POY Max Shulga and had Shulga in a straight jacket. Shulga had zero two-point attempts and was uncomfortable all game when guarded by Mag. Mag has been matched up against top opposing guards all year and has routinely slowed them down. Tonje may be his toughest test yet. If Mag can make Tonje take difficult shots and/or limit his attempts, he may be the top reason why BYU is able to come out with a victory.

Is Kanon Catchings an under-the-radar x-factor?

Catchings came through in Big 12 play when it was not expected. In his three conference games with double-digit points, he had multiple games preceding with single-digit outputs. Catchings played four minutes versus VCU to at least get his feet coming off his knee injury versus West Virginia a few weeks ago. I’m not counting on Kanon to come through big, but he has some things going in his favor. Kevin Young is all about exploiting mismatches, and Kanon can do that versus Wisconsin. Nate Winter is 6-foot-11 and plays the four in Wisconsin’s starting lineup. I could see KY putting in Kanon to force that matchup and then give Kanon some off-ball screening action to force Winter to chase him around the perimeter. That isn’t Winter’s strong suit and could open up a handful of Kanon looks. Even two threes from Kanon could be a difference in this game. So if you want a deep cut x-factor, I’ll go with Kanon Catchings.

Prediction

VCU stylistically on paper was a tougher matchup for BYU than Wisconsin, but the Badgers are a better team and will be a tougher game for BYU. Their offense is as good as BYU has seen this season and their defense is big and sound.

I expect a offensive-centric game versus two offenses that rank top 15 nationally. Both teams are playing well and this could prove to be the most entertaining second round game. John Tonje presents a huge challenge for BYU and could single-handedly win this game.

Since I force myself to pick a winner, I’ll side with BYU for some of the reasons I highlighted above. 1) I think Mag can slow down Tonje just enough to prevent him from taking over this game, 2) Keba can present matchup problems to Wisconsin’s front court, and 3) Wisconsin’s lack of defensive pressure will give BYU additional shot attempts and allow Egor Demin and Dallin Hall to play a bit more free.

Prediction: BYU 85, Wisconsin 83

*Record Straight Up: 26-8

*Record Against the Spread: 18-16

* I’ll make a prediction for every game and track my record through the season

Source link

Click to comment

Wisconsin

‘Very large snow storm coming’ Sunday, but snowfall totals uncertain

Published

1 hour ago

March 12, 2026

Press Room

‘Very large snow storm coming’ Sunday, but snowfall totals uncertain

A significant snow storm will hit during the late evening on March 14 and last until the morning of March 16. The National Weather Service is advising people to plan to stay off the roads.

Weather forecasters aren’t sure how much snow central Wisconsin residents will see Sunday, March 15, but they are advising people to stay off the roads that day.

There is a significant storm coming that will hit during the late evening hours on Saturday, March 14 and go through March 15, lasting until almost the morning of Monday, March 16, said Scott Berschback, National Weather Service meteorologist in Green Bay. However, as of March 11, the National Weather Service isn’t putting out any predictions for snowfall totals just yet.

“There is a very large snow storm coming,” Berschback said.

Some weather apps on phones are predicting between 20-24 inches of snow for March 15 in Central Wisconsin, and The Weather Channel app says between 8-12 inches are expected.

The National Weather Service isn’t predicating amounts right now because saying there is a possibility of between 8-24 inches of snow isn’t very helpful, Berschback said.

The storm could hit closer to the Milwaukee area or up near the Michigan state line, Berschback said. He said it is going to be a significant storm, but as of March 11, it isn’t known whether it will be a major storm similar to what we’ve seen this winter or one that the area hasn’t seen in years, he said.

Berschback recommends residents keep a close eye on the weather this upcoming weekend and plan to not drive anywhere on Sunday.

Snow also expected March 12 in Central Wisconsin

There is another storm that is expected on Thursday, March 12, but it will be hitting north of Wausau, Berschback said. Wausau, Marshfield, Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids can expected about 1/2 inch to 1 inch of snow March 12.

Contact Karen Madden kmadden@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.

Source link

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Legislature sued over spending millions on private attorneys

Published

13 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Legislature sued over spending millions on private attorneys

The lawsuit comes after a 2025 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation.
The investigation found the state Legislature had spent about $26 million in taxpayer money on legal fees to private attorneys since 2017.

Law Forward, a Madison-based liberal law firm, is suing the Republican-controlled Legislature over its use of taxpayer money to hire private attorneys.

The lawsuit, which was filed last month, comes after a 2025 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found the state Legislature had spent about $26 million in taxpayer money on legal fees to private law firms since 2017.

The investigation found the vast majority of the spending came after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul won the November 2018 election, defeating Republican former Gov. Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel.

The sharp increase in spending also followed a law passed by Republican legislators in the December 2018 lame-duck session that authorized the Assembly speaker and Senate majority leader to hire private lawyers with taxpayer money.

“Wisconsin taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent lawfully to advance a valid public purpose,” Law Forward President and General Counsel Jeff Mandell said in a statement. “This lawsuit challenges the tens of millions in taxpayer funds, most of which is wasted by the Republican-controlled Legislature on private legal counsel in pursuit of private interests.”

He called the practice a “clear violation of the Wisconsin Constitution’s public purpose doctrine and Wisconsin’s system of divided government.”

The lawsuit names as defendants the Assembly, Senate, Department of Administration and legislative leaders, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu.

Vos and LeMahieu could not be reached immediately for comment about the lawsuit.

The lawsuit cited a 2023 dispute in which the Senate continued to pay private counsel after it had been removed as a party in a case involving the use of surveillance cameras in Green Bay City Hall. The case cost the Senate more than $1 million in fees, according to records reviewed by the Journal Sentinel.

Assembly leaders also spent $1.8 million on fees related to former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman’s 2020 election probe, which found no evidence of fraud. The probe ended when Vos fired Gableman in August 2022. The legal fees did not include other investigation-related expenses, like Gableman’s salary.

Much of the spending at issue stems from the 2018 lame-duck session, in which Republicans passed a series of laws stripping Evers and Kaul of various powers a month before they took office. One of those laws allowed legislative leaders to pay for outside counsel with taxpayer money and circumvent the attorney general to intervene in lawsuits that challenge state law.

Since then, the Legislature has spent more than $8 million defending challenges to the lame-duck laws.

In a July 2025 interview, Vos told the Journal Sentinel the laws ensured the governor did not consolidate too much power.

“The norm is for one person to try to take more authority, because they can make an easier, quicker decision,” Vos said.

“I think that’s really unhealthy for democracy, which is why we have so rigorously defended the right of the Legislature and the court to maintain its own independence,” he added.

Source link

Wisconsin

‘Not a hiding place’: Ogden police lauded for role in catching Nevada, Wisconsin murder suspects

Published

1 day ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

‘Not a hiding place’: Ogden police lauded for role in catching Nevada, Wisconsin murder suspects

OGDEN — In the last week, Ogden police have helped track down two suspects wanted outside of Utah in connection with separate homicides, which has Chief Jake Sube lauding the efforts of local law enforcement.

“Ogden is not a place where violent criminals come to run, hide or blend in. If you victimize people and come here to hide, we will find you,” he said in a social media post Tuesday.

In the most recent case, Ogden officials on Sunday arrested Randy Darius Jenks, 36, wanted in Mount Morris, Wisconsin, in connection with the death of his grandmother. The woman’s body had been discovered that same day at her Wisconsin home, according to court papers filed in 2nd District Court in Ogden as part of Jenks’ arrest accusing him of being a fugitive from justice.

On March 3, police arrested Ziaire Jacob Ham, 22, who is charged in Las Vegas with murder in the killing of a woman and a toddler, according to court papers and Sube’s statement. Ham had been spotted in Ogden by an Ogden officer and subsequently fled to Roy, where he was arrested.

“The arrest of these two individuals reflects exactly how we protect Ogden every day. We use technology, relentless police work and coordinated action with our regional partners to find violent offenders, take them into custody and deliver them to justice,” Sube said.

Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski echoed Sube’s comments. “Ogden is not a hiding place,” he said.

The image shows Ziaire Ham, arrested in Roy on March 3, after an Ogden officer spotted him in Ogden. He’s suspected in the killings of two people in Nevada. (Photo: Ogden police)

Waushara County, Wisconsin, law enforcement officials found a dead woman on Sunday at a Mount Morris home. Jenks “admitted to multiple family members” that he had stabbed the woman in the neck and killed her, and then drove to Ogden, according to court papers filed in Ogden. Wisconsin authorities alerted Ogden officials, who were also alerted on Sunday by the man’s family here that he was in their home.

“Randy Jenks was located and taken into custody and officers noted the presence of blood on Randy’s person and clothing,” court documents state. Police body camera footage posted to the Ogden Police Department Facebook page shows Jenks surrendering to officers.

According to WLUK, a Green Bay, Wisconsin TV station, Jenks faces a count in Wisconsin of first-degree intentional homicide. The court papers filed in Ogden say Jenks confessed to killing his grandma, complaining that the woman “pushed him too far.” A bloody folding knife found in the Ogden home where Jenks had fled to is the weapon he used to kill the woman, with whom he lived, the charges allege.

In the Ham case, an Ogden officer on March 3 spotted a car that had been reported stolen out of Phoenix, Arizona, with Ham inside, driving. The officer attempted to pull him over, but Ham fled, eventually making it to Roy and abandoning his car. Authorities arrested him nearby.

Ham is charged in 2nd District Court with theft by receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony; failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony; and reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor. According to court papers filed Tuesday, he has waived extradition to Las Vegas. Sube’s statement on Tuesday said Ham confessed to the killings in Nevada when interviewed by Ogden detectives.

Authorities said they thought Ham had discarded a gun somewhere between Ogden and Roy. Ogden police said Saturday that the gun had been located.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Source link