Gone are the days of “slow and steady wins the race” for the Wisconsin Badgers. During Wisconsin’s 92-71 victory over Michigan State on Feb. 13, Frank Kaminsky, Badger forward from 2011 to 2015 and 2015 Naismith Player of the Year, joined the FOX broadcast.
“It’s weird to watch for me, we played so slow,” Kaminsky said when asked about the pace that this year’s Badger team plays at.
Kaminsky’s not wrong. During the 2014-2015 season, Kaminsky’s final season at Wisconsin, the Badgers ranked 105th in 3-point attempts (3PA) and 345th in adjusted tempo (AdjT) according to KenPom, a year that ended in a national championship appearance.
The 2014-2015 Badger team, under the leadership of head coach Bo Ryan, put Wisconsin on the map as a national basketball powerhouse. Current Badgers head coach Greg Gard served as an assistant under Ryan from 2001-2015 before taking over after Ryan’s retirement in late 2015.
At the beginning of his tenure, Gard continued the legacy of slow, yet effective, basketball that focused on scoring inside the arc. During the 2017-2018 season, the Badgers ranked 334th in AdjT and 265th in 3PA while ranking 33rd in offensive efficiency.
The systematic offense that defined Wisconsin basketball has been starkly contrasted with recent Badger teams. With additions like guard Nick Boyd and forward Austin Rapp in the transfer portal, this year’s Badger team is built with the personnel needed to push the ball up the court quickly and attempt more 3-point shots.
Over the course of the last two seasons in particular, Gard has transformed the identity of the program from a methodic, tempo-controlled offense to a fast-paced, perimeter-oriented one. Last season, Wisconsin ranked 26th in 3PA and 149th in AdjT, while this year’s Badgers rank 9th in 3PA and 73rd in AdjT.
The change has not only been stylistic. It’s been effective. After ranking 13th in offensive efficiency last season, Wisconsin currently ranks 19th — maintaining an elite level offense while simultaneously playing faster than ever.
While guards like Braden Carrington and John Blackwell shoot 42.3% and 37.2%, respectively, from beyond the arc, it has been the ability of Wisconsin’s forwards to shoot 3-pointers at a high percentage that has allowed them to be an offensive threat at all three levels of the floor. Rapp has found his rhythm from deep and is shooting 35.5% from deep this season, including a 4-for-5 performance from 3 in a win against Iowa.
Rapp’s ability to shoot well from deep allows the Badgers to create space in the paint for Boyd to drive to the basket and create contact, putting opponents in foul trouble and the Badgers at the free-throw line.
This high-tempo play style has been a recipe for success so far. Wisconsin has three top-10 wins this season, with victories against then No. 2 Michigan, No. 8 Illinois, and No. 10 Michigan St.
With Selection Sunday fast approaching and expectations high, Gard and company are no doubt confident their fast style and new identity are suited for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The gears for Wisconsin Basketball have shifted, and only time will tell if this new gear is built for March.
