Basketball season always brings a little transfer-portal déjà vu, and Wisconsin fans already have a few familiar names popping up in box scores across the country. John Blackwell may draw the biggest spotlight, but three other former Badgers have opened their new seasons by making noise fast.
The loudest start belongs to Daniel Freitag, who is already flashing major upside at Oregon State. After leaving Wisconsin over a year ago and breaking out at Buffalo last season, Freitag has taken another step up and wasted no time proving he belongs.
In the Beavers’ opener against Weber State, he started, logged 26 minutes, and piled up 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, and a block. He also went 12-for-12 from the free-throw line, the kind of clean, complete performance that jumps off the page.
Oregon State is back in action tomorrow against Cal Baptist, and Freitag has already put together an excellent opening statement.
Gus Yalden is right there too. The Vermont big man, nicknamed the Gus-Bus, made his mark there last season after a solid role-player year at Seton Hall.
Yalden never played for Wisconsin, though he was once in the Badgers’ orbit before stepping away because of personal issues and time away. At Vermont, he averaged 16.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season, and he picked up right where he left off in the new campaign.
In a loss to Iona, he played 30 minutes and finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal.
Riccardo Greppi’s debut at Sam Houston came with a tougher assignment, but he still made his presence felt. He got one of the first chances off the bench against No.
20 Alabama and played 17 minutes for the BearKats. The scoring line was modest - 2 points - but the rest of his night stood out: 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists.
For a reserve asked to battle Alabama’s bigs, those are strong minutes.
There were a couple more former Badgers in action as well. Aleksas Bieliauskas, who started for Wisconsin last season and entered the portal as a surprise, opened at South Carolina with 20 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. And Blackwell’s Duke debut, as noted, was rough enough that he spent time after the game shooting.
In Other News...
Wisconsins Offensive Line Just Got Thrown Into Another Rutgers Test
Wisconsins offensive line has already spent much of this season in a state of flux, and the latest injury news only adds to the uncertainty. Line coach Eric Mateos has had to navigate a series of lineup changes around key players like Kevin Heywood, Emerson Mandell and Austin Kawecki, leaving the group to keep reshuffling while trying to find some continuity up front.
Now the Badgers head into another Rutgers test with Heywood listed as doubtful, which could force yet another adjustment to the front five. The staff has options to consider, but the bigger issue is how quickly Wisconsin can settle on a configuration that holds up against a Big Ten opponent and gives the offense a chance to build rhythm instead of starting over again. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Bowl Push May Hinge On These Emerging Badgers
With four games left and Wisconsin sitting at 5-3, the stretch run has started to feel like more than just a finish line. The Badgers are still in position to earn a bowl trip, and a few emerging contributors could end up shaping whether that goal gets reached. Jaylon Domingeaux has begun to matter on offense at the right time, giving the group another option as the season tightens.
On the other side of the ball, Sebastian Cheeks and Cooper Catalano have started to leave their mark in ways Wisconsin can use down the stretch. Their defensive impact gives the Badgers a little more stability as the margin for error shrinks. If this team is going to keep itself on a bowl path, it may come down to how much those younger pieces can keep growing over these final weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Might Be Catching Another Timely Break Against Rutgers
Wisconsin has spent much of this season dealing with injuries, especially along the offensive line and among its skill players, so any small edge matters as the Badgers head into Week 10. Rutgers is carrying its own availability concerns into the matchup, with wide receiver KJ Duff listed as doubtful and starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan already out, leaving the Scarlet Knights thinner than they would like on offense.
AJ Surace has not given Rutgers much proven production in Lonergans place, which has made Duff even more important as a target in the passing game. If Duff cannot go, Wisconsin would be facing an offense with even fewer reliable answers, a development that could shape how the Badgers approach a game they badly need to manage cleanly. [Read more 🡒]