Wisconsin Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Badgers

Season Outlook

Does Wisconsin have enough talent to reach the NCAA Tournament this season? Yes, but there are very valid questions that need to be answered in order to reach that goal. Even though the Badgers were one of the top 25 teams in the nation last year and return 69.7% of their total minutes, they lost two huge pieces. Ethan Happ was the engine that pushed that team to greatness and Khalil Iverson’s athleticism and defensive versatility will be hard to replace.

Without those two leading the frontcourt, Wisconsin will likely lean on their returning starting guards in Trice and Davison to lead the way. As a result, the Badgers will be far more perimeter-oriented this season. Wisconsin was not a great offensive team last season so the bar is not exceptionally high with regards to their scoring. They did, though, finish No. 4 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.

The return of Nate Reuvers as their shot-blocking anchor will certainly help but losing Happ/Iverson could have a crippling effect on Wisconsin’s defense. That definitely needs to be noted as the team could significantly slip on that end. If the Badgers are just a good defensive team instead of a great one, that is when the offense will need to show much more firepower.

There are definitely enough pieces for Wisconsin to reach the NCAA Tournament but they have a tough schedule ahead and they will need to finish around .500 in Big Ten play. That is easier said than done considering the number of talented teams in the conference.

Wisconsin can almost always be counted on to reach the Big Dance every single year but there are some major concerns regarding the team this year. Their defense will likely take a step back this year and their offense will need to pick up that slack. The Badgers will look much different this year and they need to learn how to play without Happ very quickly.