3 fast takeaways from the Badgers 72-61 loss to James Madison

The Wisconsin Badgers misplaced to the James Madison Dukes 72-61 within the first spherical of the NCAA Match, ending their season on a disappointing word after incomes a No. 5 seed within the South Area.

It was an unpleasant sport from the start for the Badgers, who handled turnover points as they couldn’t take care of James Madison’s physicality.

A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn, who had been the heroes for the staff through the Huge Ten Match, struggled, and the Badgers may by no means actually get a rhythm through the loss.

The defeat to James Madison sends Wisconsin house through the first weekend as soon as once more, as they’ve now didn’t make the Candy Sixteen since 2017.

Though they ended the season with promise getting into the event, they’re now heading house because the second Huge Ten staff to lose within the first spherical, becoming a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Listed below are three fast takeaways from the Badgers’ 72-61 loss to James Madison.

Gradual begin

Wisconsin had one of many ugliest halves of their season, placing up simply 20 factors within the first half, whereas taking pictures 6/23 within the interval and 1/6 from three.

From the leap, Wisconsin appeared sluggish and was no match for James Madison’s physicality, resulting in quite a lot of early turnovers.

That, added to the depth of a crowd that favored James Madison, led to Wisconsin beginning extraordinarily sluggish and unprepared.

A.J. Storr actually struggled within the first half, taking pictures simply 2/9 and forcing quite a lot of pictures on the rim that did not go his manner.

Add in a scoreless half from Chucky Hepburn and the Badgers received minimal contributions from their high two gamers to start the sport.

Total, Wisconsin did not appear to match the toughness that James Madison offered, coughing up the ball persistently as they tried to penetrate the lane and failing to transform contained in the paint.

Steven Crowl was the lone participant who noticed success early, however the Badgers didn’t present him with many touches.

After scoring eight factors on 3/4 from the sphere over the primary 11 minutes of the primary half, Crowl didn’t get a shot for the following 8:50. When that chance got here, it was on a three-pointer, which missed.

Regardless of having the dimensions benefit in that matchup, Wisconsin didn’t go to it early, whereas the Dukes did a great job of enjoying bodily to disclaim entry passes.

Now, James Madison didn’t have a stellar first half by any means, as they shot simply 37.5 % from the sphere within the interval and solely 25 % from deep.

However, they discovered a option to battle for six offensive rebounds and took benefit when alternatives had been there, particularly off turnovers (extra on that in a minute).

That led them to have a 33-20 lead going into halftime, with the Badgers being fortunate that it wasn’t extra, given their struggles.

Turnovers

Turnovers had been the distinction on this sport.

After averaging simply 9.7 turnovers a sport getting into March Insanity, the Badgers coughed up the ball seven occasions within the first eight minutes of the sport.

They in the end turned the ball over 13 occasions within the first half, and James Madison scored 20 of their 33 first-half factors straight off turnovers.

A.J. Storr had three turnovers himself within the first half as he tried to pressure the problem by attacking the paint, the place he was met with quite a lot of prying palms.

The turnover considerations associated to the physicality points, as Wisconsin coughed up the ball as they had been met by James Madison’s stifling protection, which killed their vitality early on.

When the Dukes had been struggling offensively, the Badgers fueled their opponent’s offense with the variety of turnovers resulting in factors for James Madison.

Wisconsin turned the ball over six extra occasions within the second half, marking considered one of their worst video games of the season in regard to takeaways.

James Madison themselves had been sound sufficient with the basketball, turning it over 12 occasions general, with solely 5 coming within the first half.

If the Badgers don’t flip the ball over 13 occasions within the first half, they’re in all probability proper within the midst of the sport, even with their ugly taking pictures numbers. However, their giveaway woes had been an important consider them shedding the sport.

Prime gamers battle

Within the Huge Ten Match, Wisconsin relied on A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn, who delivered time and time once more, with the previous averaging 22.5 factors over the 4 video games, whereas the latter put collectively back-to-back 20-point performances within the remaining two video games.

Nonetheless, the duo significantly struggled towards James Madison.

Storr by no means received right into a rhythm early as he did within the earlier video games. He completed the primary half taking pictures simply 2/9 from the sphere, whereas taking two questionable three-pointers and forcing the problem on the rim.

Then, he was primarily a non-factor within the second half, ending with 13 factors on 5/14 from the sphere, though 4 of these got here through the remaining two minutes with Wisconsin down double-figures.

Hepburn, then again, was scoreless within the first half, and scored a majority of his factors late within the sport with Wisconsin down practically double digits.

The Badgers wanted each of these gamers to indicate out, however they in the end struggled in Wisconsin’s lone NCAA Match sport.

Tyler Wahl’s struggles from the sphere continued on Friday, because the ahead completed with 5 factors on 1/5 taking pictures.

Wahl missed quite a lot of layups within the paint, whereas hitting just one/5 of his free throws within the loss.

Steven Crowl had issues going early, however in the end didn’t get many alternatives general. After scoring eight factors within the first half on 3/4 taking pictures, which all got here within the first 11 minutes, the Badgers middle did not get a contact over practically a nine-minute stretch to finish the half.

Then, within the second half, Crowl took only one shot, ending the sport with 10 factors on 4/6 taking pictures.

Down the stretch, the Badgers elected to put up up Tyler Wahl on quite a lot of events over Crowl, which I believed was an intriguing alternative given the middle’s success early within the sport.

In the end, he wanted to get extra touches and didn’t with the Badgers needing factors.

Max Klesmit was the one who stored Wisconsin within the sport through the second half, scoring 18 factors over the ultimate 20 minutes, whereas flattening 5 three-pointers within the interval.

However, his efforts weren’t sufficient to chop the lead, because the Badgers persistently contemplated between being down eight to 13 factors over the ultimate quarter-hour of the sport.

In the long run, Wisconsin wanted extra from their starters, however fell quick in a disappointing first-round end.