21. Wisconsin (2-0)
Time has definitely passed since we considered Wisconsin a national title threat, as these Badgers haven’t even reached the Sweet Sixteen since 2016. However, Greg Gard has another talented group in Madison with some notable additions joining a talented core and there’s certainly reason for excitement in the weeks and months to come.
They handled opening night with relative ease, winning 96-64 over Campbell in a solid team performance. John Blackwell showed why he can be one of the sport’s best players this season with a 31-point performance while Nolan Winter added 17 points and 12 rebounds. Wisconsin took care of business Friday night as well, outlasting Northern Illinois 97-72. Newcomer Nick Boyd was the star of the show this time with 25 points to lead the charge.
There’s a very strong starting five with these Badgers and we’ve seen it on display in these early outings. This offense showed plenty of signs of resilience and strength; this should be one of the best offenses in the Big Ten all year long. The Badgers weren’t necessarily tested in the opening week and you’ll have to wait a bit longer to see that opportunity, with Ball State the only game on next week’s docket.