Wisconsin’s exhibition slate ended with a clear message: Owen Foxwell is already the engine, and Greg Gard may still be sorting out everything around him.
The Badgers finished unbeaten in three tune-ups with an 82-65 win over Oklahoma State, a game that was never really in doubt at the Kohl Center. It was a cleaner showing than the shaky first half against UW-Green Bay, and it came with the kind of balance Wisconsin wants to see once the games start counting. Five players reached double figures, and seven Badgers logged at least 15 minutes.
Gard also kept his starting five unchanged, rolling again with Owen Foxwell, Eian Elmer, Jack Janicki, Nolan Winter and Victory Onuetu.
The biggest takeaway, though, came from Foxwell’s role. The Australian guard has made a strong case that he’ll be Gard’s first option this season, and after three exhibitions, that feels a lot less like a debate and a lot more like a conclusion. Foxwell is averaging 16.7 points, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals in only 23.7 minutes per game, while posting a 77.54% true shooting mark.
Those numbers tell the story, but so does the eye test. Foxwell has looked like one of the better guards in the Big Ten, and Wisconsin has clearly found its go-to creator.
What’s less settled is the rest of the offensive hierarchy. Austin Rapp and Winter are still working back after offseason injuries, which could eventually give the Badgers more scoring pop. Beyond Foxwell, though, no one has fully separated himself as a dependable second scoring option.
That leaves Gard with a different kind of puzzle: what happens when Foxwell sits? Injuries, foul trouble and rest will force those minutes, and Wisconsin still needs answers there.
Zach Kinziger and Jackson Ball have had their moments, but neither has shown the kind of consistency that would lock down a bigger role. The same concern applies to Trey Autry, the George Washington transfer who came in with a chance to push for a starting job.
Instead, he has not quite gotten there yet. Braeden Carrington’s ongoing eligibility battle adds another layer of uncertainty to the backup guard picture.
For now, Wisconsin has the most important piece in place. Foxwell looks ready to run the show, and if he keeps playing anywhere near this level, the Badgers will be in solid shape.
The rest of the rotation? That part is still very much up for grabs.
In Other News...
Badgers Showed Real Promise But One Issue Still Stands Out
The Badgers closed the preseason with a convincing 82-65 win over Oklahoma State, a performance that offered a cleaner snapshot of what this group can be when the offense is clicking. Owen Foxwell led the way with 19 points and three assists, and he was especially sharp from deep, going 3-for-3 from three-point range as Wisconsin shot 43.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Even with the strong shooting night and a defense that held the Cowboys to 65 points, there was still a familiar issue sitting in the background. Wisconsin turned the ball over 15 times, and while that did not spoil the result in an exhibition setting, it remains the kind of detail that can undercut a promising night once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Faces Two Iowa Unknowns That Could Decide The Heartland Trophy
Wisconsin heads to Iowa this week with the kind of game that can turn on small details, and the matchup already has a little extra uncertainty baked in. The Badgers, now No. 25, are facing an Iowa team that slipped out of the AP Poll after its loss to Minnesota, but the bigger question is what the Hawkeyes will look like on offense with the quarterback situation still unsettled and Hank Brown set to start.
There is another layer of unpredictability around Iowas backfield, too, with star running back Kamari Moulton out for the season and the workload shifting elsewhere. For Wisconsin, that means preparing for a rivalry game in which the usual scouting report may not hold up for long, and the Heartland Trophy could come down to which side adapts fastest once the ball is kicked off. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Frontcourt Is Already Facing A Tough Early Test
Wisconsins frontcourt is already getting a little thinner in the opening week of the season after sophomore forward Will Garlock was held out of the teams exhibition win over Oklahoma State because of a practice injury. Garlock is listed as day-to-day, which leaves the Badgers with an early question in the paint as they turn from exhibition play to the real thing.
With the season opener against Denver set for November 2, Wisconsin may need to lean on other options sooner than expected if Garlock cannot go. Hofstra transfer Victory Onuetu and freshman Isaac Riddle are among the forwards who could see extra minutes depending on how the week unfolds, giving the Badgers a chance to learn more about their depth before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]