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BASKETBALL

Happ hits unprecedented jump shot, Badgers coast to victory

By Ben Pickman | Dec. 15, 2016

Ethan Happ spent the entirety of his summer working to improve his jump shot. But it wasn’t until a zero-degree day, with snow lining the Madison sidewalks, that the sophomore forward showed off his work. “It gave me a little bit of a chill feeling,” Happ said of the first basket he’s made outside of the paint while at UW. Happ’s jumper, with just over nine minutes to play in the first half, came in the midst of No. 14 Wisconsin’s (10-2) best offensive stretch of the night.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Badgers overwhelmed by Marquette despite valiant effort from McMorris, Howard

By Cal Larsen | Dec. 11, 2016

In what was arguably Wisconsin’s (4-8) most well-played game of the season, the Badgers could not pull off the upset Sunday and knock off in-state rival Marquette.

Khalil Iverson, Ethan Happ and Zak Showalter

BASKETBALL

Badgers explode in second half, exact revenge on Marquette

By Ben Pickman | Dec. 10, 2016

After less than two minutes of action in No. 17 Wisconsin’s (9-2) victory over Marquette (7-3) Saturday afternoon, sophomore forward Ethan Happ picked up his second foul in as many minutes.

BASKETBALL

Wisconsin stifles Telfair, Showalter shines on both ends

By Thomas Valtin-Erwin | Dec. 7, 2016

At the opening tip-off, the ball hung in the air longer than Ethan Happ expected—just long enough for Novak Topalovic to tap the ball back and steal the first possession for Idaho State.

BASKETBALL

Koenig leads the way as UW downs Idaho State with ease

By Thomas Valtin-Erwin | Dec. 7, 2016

Everything went right for the No. 17 Badgers (8-2) Wednesday night as they dispatched the Idaho State Bengals (1-8) by a score of 78-44 with next to no problems. UW got things started quickly, racing out to a 19-3 lead in the first half of the first period.

BASKETBALL

Happ's paint prowess key as Badgers host Idaho State

By Ben Pickman | Dec. 6, 2016

Six days a week during the summer, sophomore forward Ethan Happ continued practicing until he made 500 jump shots. Every workout Ethan Happ conducted this offseason continued until the sophomore forward made 500 jump shots.

Nigel Hayes and the Badgers may have finally broken out of their slump in the second half against Maryland Sunday.

BASKETBALL

Hayes, strong second half lead Badgers to late blowout of Oklahoma

By Ben Pickman | Dec. 3, 2016

Senior forward Nigel Hayes received some important advice yesterday from an unlikely source hours before his Badgers faced off against Oklahoma. “Play hard, aggressive, find your teammates,” Hayes’ mother told him on a phone call prior to UW’s matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday afternoon.

BASKETBALL

No. 17 Badgers host Sooners, Woodard in rematch

By Thomas Valtin-Erwin | Dec. 3, 2016

Non-conference games at the beginning of a season present a unique challenge—teams face opponents that they don’t know nearly as well as their annual conference foes.

BASKETBALL

Bench rotation up in the air as Badgers approach Big Ten play

By Ben Pickman | Dec. 2, 2016

The No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) might have returned more than 99 percent of their scoring and minutes this season, but stability in their roster construction has not translated to stability in the team’s rotation. While the Badgers’ bench has been incredibly productive early on this season, through eight games, five different Badgers have been the first reserve to enter a game, be it alone or alongside another teammate. Junior guard Jordan Hill and sophomore forward Alex Illikainen were the first Badgers to enter UW’s season opener against Central Arkansas.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Howard provides effort, leadership as Badgers prep for North Carolina, Illinois State

By Cal Larsen | Dec. 1, 2016

Playing mostly a backup role, outside of one start in the game at UW-Milwaukee, sophomore forward Marsha Howard has been a sparkplug for this young Badgers team. Wisconsin (2-5) has been struggling to find its identity all season. After a pair of early losses, a down-to-the-wire loss against Saint Francis and a close victory over Butler University, the Badgers don’t necessarily possess the record they wish they did.

Charles Thomas IV made all five of his field goal attempts, but the Badgers were overpowered in their 19-point loss to Iowa.

BASKETBALL

Thomas making a difference in sophomore year

By Ben Pickman | Nov. 30, 2016

Growing up in suburban Maryland, sophomore forward Charles Thomas IV went by many different names.

Koenig scored nine points in his return and keyed a Badger run in the second half.

BASKETBALL

Hayes' dimes carry Badgers over No. 22 Syracuse

By Thomas Valtin-Erwin | Nov. 29, 2016

Everything was falling the way of the No. 17 Badgers (6-2) Tuesday night as they downed No. 22 Syracuse, 77-60.

BASKETBALL

Badgers' experience should help against Orange's stingy zone defense

By Ben Pickman | Nov. 29, 2016

For a long stretch of No. 17 Wisconsin’s (5-2) practice Monday afternoon, members of the UW scout team sported pinnies specifically in preparation for tomorrow’s game against the No. 22 Syracuse (4-1). The mesh jerseys were appropriately orange as the Badgers worked on attacking the Orange’s infamous 2-3 zone. Monday was the first time the Badgers took out the orange pinnies, but after an overtime win against the Orange last season, a nearly identical Wisconsin team feels confident and prepared going up against the unique Syracuse defense. “I think we are a lot more confident this year than last year,” sophomore forward Charles Thomas said.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Badgers record first win in Jonathan Tsipis’ era behind Howard and Gregory

By Isaiah De los Santos | Nov. 21, 2016

After suffering a plague of closeout mishaps and blowout losses to open the season, the Wisconsin Badgers scratched and clawed their way to a win Sunday evening.

BASKETBALL

Badgers to play Tennessee Monday, might play No. 4 Oregon and No. 5 North Carolina

By Thomas Valtin-Erwin | Nov. 21, 2016

The Badgers have a long history of scheduling brutal matchups in the early-goings of their seasons, and 2016 is no exception as they have a potentially hellacious slew of opponents waiting in the wings out west at the Maui Invitational. No. 9 Wisconsin’s (2-1) first matchup should be a relative cakewalk Monday against the Tennessee Volunteers (1-1), which is in just its second season under head coach Rick Barnes.

BASKETBALL

No. 9 Badgers suffer first loss at hands of Creighton

By Ben Pickman | Nov. 16, 2016

With just over four minutes to go in the second half, senior guard Bronson Koenig dribbled toward his right, off a screen set by senior forward Ethan Happ.

BASKETBALL

No. 9 Wisconsin faces early test against No. 22 Creighton

By Ben Pickman | Nov. 15, 2016

The No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) are undefeated. That’s something that UW couldn’t say after its opening home game last season.

BASKETBALL

Wisconsin squanders late lead, remains winless under Tsipis

By Isaiah De los Santos | Nov. 15, 2016

Coach Jonathan Tsipis’ young Badger squad got their first taste of late-game disappointment Sunday night, as their execution down the stretch against the Saint Francis Red Flash ended up costing them the game.

BASKETBALL

Trice, bench propel Badgers to season-opening blowout of Central Arkansas

By Ben Pickman | Nov. 11, 2016

The No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) might have returned 99.7 percent of their scoring from last season, but in a 79-47 victory Friday night it was youth, not experience, that helped jump start UW’s offense and overpower Central Arkansas (0-1). Leading by just two points with a little over seven minutes to go in the first half, sophomore forward Charles Thomas spun baseline off the right block and found senior guard Bronson Koenig wide open for a 3-pointer in the left corner.

PODCAST

Cardinal Zone Podcast: Basketball opens season, football hosts Illinois

Nov. 11, 2016

Host Bobby Ehrlich talks with football beat writer Lorin Cox about what to expect this weekend as the Badgers take on Illinois.