Wisconsin finally got the kind of frontcourt jolt it has been waiting for, and Victory Onuetu delivered it in a way that looked nothing like the stretch-big mold Badger fans have grown used to.
The Hofstra transfer isn’t built to space the floor with a pile of 3s or dance off the dribble. What he does bring is a different kind of presence inside, one Greg Gard hasn’t really had in this frontcourt. That alone makes him worth watching, especially as Wisconsin looks for more answers against bigger teams.
Onuetu’s first game in a Badger uniform on Monday was a brief one. Foul trouble cut him down to 11 minutes, and he finished with six points and four rebounds.
Friday against Delaware was a much cleaner, louder version of the same player. He logged 12 minutes in the first half alone, then wrapped up the night with 11 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and no fouls.
“How about that?” Gard said postgame.
“Apparently sitting on the bench is a great motivator because he plays without any fouls. And he had been in foul trouble every single game until I decided to make him another assistant coach.”
The most obvious thing about Onuetu is the size and frame, but the rest of his game showed up once he stayed on the floor. He ran hard in transition, and that motor showed immediately when he outraced Delaware for an easy dunk. He had another chance in transition soon after and wedgied that one, but the effort was never in doubt.
One of the night’s best sequences came when he rotated from the weak side to swat a shot against the backboard, then followed it by tracking down an offensive rebound. With the fouls under control, he was able to stay on the floor for more than six straight minutes to open the game and show exactly why Wisconsin wanted him.
“He’s a very emotional, energetic person anyways but then you get the ball rolling a little bit and it snowballs for him in a good way,” Gard said. “I was happy to see that because we’ve coached him pretty hard and I know it’s been an adjustment for him, but it just shows what he can do.”
Onuetu also flashed more than just hustle. He had a spectacular block at the rim in the first half and converted an and-one off a post touch.
The second half offered a reminder of what still needs cleaning up if he’s going to handle bigger minutes in the Big Ten. Early in the period, he missed a layup, gave up a soft contest at the rim and allowed an offensive rebound. It was a small rough patch, but it was also the clearest look at the next step in his development.
He answered those miscues with a spin and finish out of the dunker’s spot, a hard post-up that drew a foul, an alley-oop layup and another offensive board to finish off his night.
Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby noticed the difference too.
“He’s a big dude,” Delaware head coach Martin Ingelsby said. “I think his physicality around the basket, he’s only going to get better in their system and how they play. We were really trying to limit him from an offensive standpoint but him getting a double-double, I think was kind of a big separator for them.”
For Wisconsin, the formula is simple. Onuetu has shown he can be a force in short bursts, but consistency will decide how much he matters.
He gave the Badgers 20 strong minutes against Delaware, and with Nolan Winter, Austin Rapp and Will Garlock still working their way back from injuries, the chances are there. Now it’s on Onuetu to keep earning them.
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Wisconsins 2-0 Start Comes With One Early Concern
Wisconsins 73-64 win over Delaware gave the Badgers a 2-0 start, and for most of the final seven minutes they looked in control enough to keep the Blue Hens at arms length. It was another sign that this group can defend, stay organized and find enough scoring to put a game away, even while the roster continues to take shape early in the season.
Still, the first two games have also shown where the polish is missing. The Badgers are still settling into a new mix of players, and there were reminders against Delaware that the offense can be more aggressive and the bench can give more. Owen Foxwell, Eian Elmer, Jack Janicki and Jackson Ball all had their moments, but Wisconsin is still searching for the kind of consistent depth that will matter once the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Gard Sees One Growing Wisconsin Concern Before Big Ten Play
The early-season offense has not looked quite as smooth as Greg Gard would like, and the Wisconsin coach pointed to a few familiar trouble spots after the loss of top scorers Nick Boyd and John Blackwell. Against Delaware, Gard said the Badgers were off on ball screen timing, had trouble finishing through contact and did not get enough production from the bench, all of which added up to a night where the attack never fully settled in.
Gard still sounded confident the rhythm will come, but the timing of the slump makes it worth watching with Big Ten play approaching. Wisconsin has enough structure to expect cleaner possessions as the schedule stiffens, yet the Badgers also know they need more reliable scoring support beyond the top end if they want the offense to hold up when the games start to matter more. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Is Winning With Defense While One Problem Still Lingers
Wisconsins second win of the season came with a familiar look in one area and a much better one in another. The Badgers beat Delaware 73-64 and, after a shakier opener, showed the kind of team defense that can keep them in games while the offense sorts itself out. Jack Janicki, Braeden Carrington, Owen Foxwell and Victory Onuetu all had a hand in that effort, giving Wisconsin the kind of collective lift it needed on both ends.
The lingering issue is still on the front line, where injuries to some forwards have slowed the Badgers offensive rhythm and limited what they can do inside. Even with the defense trending up, Wisconsin is still working through those absences and the ripple effect they have on scoring balance. For now, the formula is clear enough: defend well, find enough production from the rotation, and keep waiting for the roster to get closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]