The Wisconsin Badgers narrowly defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions on Tuesday in an in depth 63-60 win, snapping a three-game shedding streak and bettering their convention file to 4-3.
The Badgers had lately misplaced to the Illinois Combating Illini, Michigan State Spartans, and the Indiana Hoosiers, dropping them out of the AP High 25 after they had been ranked as excessive as No. 14.
As at all times, the sport got here with the “good” and the “unhealthy”, so let’s consider the place Wisconsin impressed and desires enchancment primarily based on their efficiency in opposition to the Nittany Lions.
Steven Crowl
Crowl had a bounce-back efficiency, main the Badgers with 21 factors and 11 rebounds after struggling in opposition to Indiana over the weekend.
The 7’0 ahead has now reached the 15-point mark in six of his previous seven video games, whereas capturing not less than 50% from the sphere in these performances.
With Tyler Wahl struggling an damage, Crowl has been the go-to man within the put up and he has delivered.
Crowl had a robust second half in opposition to the Nittany Lions, scoring 13 of Wisconsin’s 33 factors, which was why it was questionable that the Badgers didn’t present him a contact on their remaining two offensive possessions.
Connor Essegian
The freshman guard earned his first profession begin for the Badgers on Tuesday and delivered when incomes alternatives, tying for second on the staff with 10 factors on 4/7 capturing, together with 50% from three-point vary.
With the quantity of quantity that Wahl, Crowl, and Chucky Hepburn devour, the Badgers haven’t created sufficient photographs for Essegian, however head coach Greg Gard trusted his freshman with an out-of-bounds play late within the recreation, the place the 6’4, 185-pound guard splashed a key three-pointer.
Essegian performed essentially the most first-half minutes of any Badger, and completed the sport with the best plus-minus at +10.
He deserves extra scoring alternatives transferring ahead, particularly with the quantity of motion he has off the ball.
Turnovers
The Badgers continued to be stout in regard to turnovers, giving freely simply six takeaways, whereas forcing ten of their very own.
Wisconsin and Penn State are the groups committing the least quantity of turnovers within the Huge 10, which is why it was very important to win the takeaway battle on Tuesday night time, which the Badgers did.
Moreover, Wisconsin scored 15 factors off turnovers compared to Penn State’s 0, which was a number one issue for his or her win.
Tyler Wahl
Wahl clearly was rusty coming off his ankle damage, because the ahead repeatedly compelled inside photographs, as seen via his 2/9 capturing fee contained in the arc.
Generally known as a robust defender, Wahl struggled in that space on Tuesday too, promoting out for pump fakes, whereas not distributing his common vitality.
The Badgers actually want Wahl, as seen via their three-game slide whereas he was injured, however the ahead was off his recreation on Tuesday.
Fortunately for Wahl, the Badgers might not play this weekend in opposition to the Northwestern Wildcats on account of COVID points, which might present an additional week of relaxation earlier than Wisconsin’s second showdown in opposition to the Maryland Terrapins subsequent week.
Three-point protection
The Badgers had been getting torched from distance early on, permitting 55.6% of Penn State’s threes to attach within the first half, therefore the Nittany Lions’ six-point lead at halftime.
Whereas Penn State shot 40% from distance, it wasn’t an important effort to defend the three by Wisconsin, because the Nittany Lions got here into the sport capturing essentially the most threes within the Huge 10 and connecting on the highest fee: 39.6%.
The Badgers will want higher consistency from the start when defending the three, particularly after permitting Illinois and Michigan State to hit over 50% of their threes in latest losses.
