Wisconsin Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Badgers

Wisconsin basketball has been an elite program for the past several years. What does the 2019-20 campaign look like for the Badgers?

Wisconsin basketball has been widely recognized as one of the best programs in the entire nation over the course of the 21st century. The Badgers have simply been the epitome of consistency over the past 20 years with a few Final Four appearances also mixed in. They might not be regarded as a “blueblood,” but the Badgers have more than made a name for themselves this century.

Looking ahead to this 2019-20 season, though, there are plenty of questions facing the team. For the first time in four years, Ethan Happ will not be dominating the paint for Wisconsin. The All-American graduated after this past campaign and he is leaving a ton of production behind. Wisconsin’s entire offense seemed to run through the big man over the past couple of years and he was also one of the nation’s most disruptive defenders.

Additionally, the program also had to wave goodbye to full-time starter Khalil Iverson and role player Charlie Thomas. These three frontcourt departures will not be easy to replace and that is the core reason for concern this season. Wisconsin’s returning backcourt is quite solid and should be able to carry the team to at least a decent season. It will be the development of their frontcourt, though, that will determine how successful they are.

Head coach Greg Gard has shown considerable chops on the recruiting trail since taking over in Madison but the jury is still out on his in-season coaching. This will be a great campaign to gauge the direction of the program moving forward. So, without further ado, let’s dive in Wisconsin’s projected starters and the rest of this season preview.