Where did Wisconsin stumble against High Point? While we could chalk it up to High Point's lucky shots and aggressive play, the game exposed a glaring issue in the Badgers' lineup that fans were wary of before the season even started: the absence of a true rim protector and elite rebounder.
Despite boasting one of the tallest rosters in college basketball, Wisconsin lacks a big man who can consistently block shots and dominate the boards. High Point, without a single player over 6'8", highlighted this weakness. Wisconsin, with five players over that height, struggled to make their presence felt in the paint.
High Point managed to snag 40 rebounds, including 13 on the offensive end, while Wisconsin secured 37 rebounds with just six offensively. It’s telling that the Badgers' leading rebounder was John Blackwell, standing at 6'4" in shoes, who pulled down 10 boards.
The offensive rebounding numbers were equally concerning. Aleksas Bieliauskas led the team with three offensive rebounds, and no other player managed more than one. That's a tough pill to swallow.
Facing a shorter team, you might expect Wisconsin to rack up blocks, but they only managed four, with two from Nolan Winter. Meanwhile, High Point tallied five blocks, outdoing the taller Badgers in both rebounds and blocks. This shouldn't be happening.
Wisconsin needs to explore the transfer portal for a rim protector, someone who can be a force in the paint. The challenge here is that head coach Greg Gard prefers a five-out offense, which doesn't typically mesh well with traditional rim protectors. Those who can adapt often sacrifice some rebounding prowess by playing further from the basket.
It's a tricky situation, but finding a player who can bolster the offense in this way is crucial. The Badgers shouldn't be out-rebounded and out-blocked by a shorter team playing a similar style.