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Wisconsin Basketball: 5 things the Badgers need for Christmas in 2018

By Austin Walther

MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 13: Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers dunks the ball in the second half against the Savannah State Tigers at the Kohl Center on December 13, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 13: Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers dunks the ball in the second half against the Savannah State Tigers at the Kohl Center on December 13, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 01: Markell Johnson #11 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack talks with head coach Kevin Keatts against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 01: Markell Johnson #11 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack talks with head coach Kevin Keatts against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

4. Wisconsin needs NC State to finish top-five in the ACC

North Carolina State was the second good team that Wisconsin took down this season. Like Oklahoma, the Wolfpack’s only loss has come to the Badgers. That was a thriller in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It was the game in which Brad Davison took all those charges and the national media picked up on it right away. Regardless, the refs made the call at the end and Wisconsin won.

Before then, NC State did not have that great of a schedule. Sure they were undefeated, but Mercer was their best win who ranks 188 in the KenPom. The Wolfpack didn’t have the same kind of wins like the Sooners up until the other night. They beat Vanderbilt by 15 on a neutral court.

College basketball is funny because now Wisconsin has kind of has to root for the Commodores now. But back to the team they beat. NC State got Western Carolina and Penn State. Then came the big one. NC State hosted No. 7 Auburn and won the game by seven. That was huge. Wisconsin fans should be very pleased. Both the Sooners and Wolfpack have legitimate shots at being ranked next week. That looks great for the Badgers.

If the Wolfpack hadn’t beaten the Tigers, they would’ve been a very overrated two-loss team. That’s assuming they beat South Carolina Upstate and Loyola (MD) who are outside the top-250 in KenPom. Their SOS is still not the greatest, but the Auburn win gives them all the confidence they need going into ACC play.

The scoring is a thing of beauty for Kevin Keatts’ team. They don’t necessarily have household names like a lot of the teams in the ACC, but each night it can be someone different. Markell Johnson exploded for 27 points against Auburn when their leading scorer Torin Dorn was having an off night.

Finishing top-five in the ACC may be pushing it. The league is very top-heavy this season. North Carolina, Duke and Virginia all believe to be in the top-three. Florida State and Virginia Tech are great as well. We though Syracuse was inked in to be the fourth-best, but who knows at this point.

I mean, last season Miami won 11 ACC games and fell into the top-five. But then again Syracuse won 10 two seasons ago and missed the Tournament. But thanks to a nice non-conference schedule and that huge Auburn win, Wisconsin’s opponent in the ACC/Big Ten challenge should be looking at another Tournament bid.

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