After the Buzzer: Wisconsin

Quick Hitters

-First time doing an After the Buzzer post in about three weeks. The performance here may reflect that. My apologies. As we saw, a long layoff can impact you in a negative way.

-I am a pretty self-aware person. Nobody wants to relive this game. So let’s power through it and set our sights on Pittsburgh.

-This looked like the team of former college players in the men’s league playing against the guys that get together and play once a month. Crisp passing, cutting, finding open shots. Just very good and veteran basketball from Wisconsin. Louisville had everything going against them in this one. Still no excuse for losing by 37 points. Just the reality of the situation.

-A lot of threes early on for the Badgers were the product of miscommunication from the Cards. One guy switching while the other does not. Going under screens when a shooter has the ball and he just buries the shot. No urgency to fight through screens. A good team takes advantage of those mistakes, and Wisconsin definitely did that.

-Wisconsin shot 16/25 from three, scoring 48 points from behind the arc. Louisville scored 48 points for the game.

-David Johnson tried to jump up instead of just step up with Carlik Jones out. He looked like he was trying to force things and do way too much. The result was seven turnovers and just 5/13 shooting.

-On Wisconsin’s first possession of the game, they made nine passes and it ended with a…you guessed it…made three-pointer. Nine passes, not many dribbles. Scotty Davenport would be proud.

-A lot of younger college players struggle with communicating on the court. It takes time. Wisconsin moves the ball, cuts hard through the lane, sets screens. They do everything well that requires an opponent to talk on defense. With no Carlik Jones and no Malik Williams, it was brutal in that aspect of the game for Louisville. Hopefully this is a major learning experience for the guys.

-Ready to move on? Me too. Go Cards…Beat Pitt!

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