Wisconsin men’s basketball is a completely different team from when it started this season.
The Badgers (20-11 overall, 12-6 Big Ten) have transformed from disjointed and lacking experience into a cohesive unit. And with the recent announcement that Greg Gard will be retained as head coach Monday, even more stability was added to the program.
But for as far as they’ve come, one issue still lingers: aside from a limited few, Wisconsin lacks postseason experience as a whole.
Only two Badgers have seen meaningful playing time in the Big Ten Tournament during their careers — Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. A day away from tip-off of the Badgers’ second round matchup, whether the Badgers can earn that experience as quickly as they did during the regular season is yet to be seen.
Here’s how current members of the 2015-16 squad fared in previous Big Ten Tournaments.
2015 – Big Ten Tournament Champions
Nigel Hayes
Hayes was a focal point to a trio of forwards that included Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker during his sophomore season.
He played significant minutes in the tournament, averaging 37 per game, and was named to the 2015 Big Ten All-Tournament team alongside Kaminsky.
While averaging 17 points, 6.67 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.67 steals in the three games that tournament, his most significant contribution came in the championship game against Michigan State, an 80-69 overtime victory.
That game, Hayes dropped 25 points to lead the team, shot 45 percent from the field and 75 percent from behind the arc, knocked down all 12 of his free throws and hauled in five defensive rebounds alongside two steals and an assist in 39 minutes of play.
Bronson Koenig
Filling in for an injured Traevon Jackson did not phase Koenig, a sophomore that season.
Koenig was called on to play 38.67 minutes per game during the Badgers’ tournament run and was instrumental to victory over Michigan State in the championship game.
Against the Spartans, Koenig dropped a team third-best 18 points, one shy of Kaminsky’s total, and shot 50 percent from the field, 4-8 from behind the arc and netted four of six free throws. He hauled in four rebounds as well, and dished out a team-high nine assists during 42 minutes of play.
Teammates and pundits alike thought Koenig was deserving of tournament Most Outstanding Player that tournament, and they had reason.
Koenig, through the three games, averaged 16.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, four assists and shot 50 percent from the field.
2014 – Semifinals
Hayes
At the time a true freshman, Hayes played a significant role for the Badgers that season during his Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year campaign.
His time in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament, however, showed traces of his rookie background.
During the semifinal loss to the Spartans, Hayes did not show up. He recorded only two points, shot 0-5 from the field and tallied one in three other statistical categories, rebounds, assists and steals.
But Hayes still impressed during Wisconsin’s opening game against Minnesota.
In 23 minutes of play during the 83-57 romp of the Gophers, Hayes netted 15 points, shot 67 percent from the field, wrangled in six rebounds and recorded two assists and one block. He did, however, shoot only 50 percent from the free throw line, a facet of his game he has improved greatly in since that time.
Koenig
Just as fellow true freshman Hayes played a significant role that season, so too did Koenig. Though he had a tournament eerily similar to Hayes.’
Koenig averaged 22 minutes in Wisconsin’s two games and impressed against Minnesota, but fell flat against Michigan State.
Against the Gophers, Koenig dropped 14 points, which included four 3-pointers, shot 100 percent from the field and recorded three rebounds, three assists and one block during 23 minutes.
But much like Hayes, he was a non-factor against the Spartans and shot 0-2, recorded one point off a free throw and hauled in four rebounds alongside four assists in 21 minutes.
The rest
Zak Showalter is the only other current player to see real time on the court during a Big Ten Tournament game.
The junior averaged six minutes of play time during the Badgers’ championship run and played a meaningful defensive role in his limited minutes. His time, however, on the court was not enough to assume a large role in Wisconsin’s victory.
No other current Badger has played more than one minute in a Big Ten Tournament game.
Undoubtedly, this will be a learning experience for Gard and his young team.
