Wisconsin Basketball: Why Badgers will be better than Iowa in 2020-21

Wisconsin Basketball will sit atop the Big Ten in 2020-21, which includes other top team, Iowa Basketball. Here’s why the Badgers will be better than Iowa.

Recently, fellow Busting Brackets contributor, Ben Dickson, wrote an article on why Iowa Basketball will be better than Wisconsin Basketball in 2020-21. Now, even admittedly as a Badger fan, Ben provided some very convincing points. But, it just wouldn’t be in my inner-fandom’s nature to not come up with a counter article.

Because I believe, with confessed bias, that the Badgers will be better than the Hawkeyes next season. That’s not to say I think Iowa is not up to par with Wisconsin; again, I agree with all of the points that Ben made. In fact, I think that both teams will be sitting near the top of the Big Ten conference when the 2020-21 season does finally come to a close.

Both teams return all five starters on their rosters and both teams play within proven systems that have turned out positive results for years on end. Both teams will also be flooded with deep bench production and veteran contributions.

The presence of Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State should not be ignored; but ultimately, at the end of the day, I think the above characteristics of Iowa and Wisconsin separate them from that pack; but what separates those two from each other? Ben argued the following points in his article, for those who haven’t read it (but really, if you haven’t read it yet, you should just go and do that now. It’s an excellent article).

Ben’s case for Iowa over Wisconsin

1. Luka Garza’s return
2. Jordan Bohannon’s return
3. Backcourt production

Again, all fair points indeed. Garza should return and once again head the charge of the National Player of the Year race. Plus, a (more-than likely) healthy Bohannon helps boost what is already an exceptional Hawkeye backcourt. That being said, I still think the points for the Badgers are stronger, and they are as followed:

The case for Wisconsin over Iowa

1. Garza-proof frontcourt
2. More efficient shooting
3. Better defense

Both teams are going to be great, and it should remain an open discussion on who the better team is until a banner is hung in the rafters (and again, it might not even be one of these two teams; the Big Ten conference is very stacked, after all).

But without further ado, here is an elaboration on those three points; here’s a (hopefully) convincing breakdown on why the Badgers will be better than the Hawkeyes in 2020-21.