Wisconsin Flexes High Potential in Final Eight Minutes vs. Campbell

MADISON, Wis. — It’s just one game, and head coach Greg Gard will tell you firsthand that No. 24 Wisconsin (1-0) is far away from its ceiling, but Campbell (0-) head coach John Andrzejek couldn’t help but notice something during Monday’s 96-64 season-opening win for the Badgers. Andrzejek knows a thing or two about championship culture. Last season, he was an assistant coach at Florida, which won the NCAA title.

In the waning moments of Monday’s game, Andrzejek recalled seeing UW players demanding more from themselves, even though the game was already over.

“I heard one of their players, with about 1:20 left in the game, say ‘Nine turnovers. Take care of the ball,” Andrzejek said. “That’s culture. That’s program. It was important for them not to turn the ball over again…and they didn’t. They do the right things.

“I would be very optimistic if I were a Badger fan.”

Campbell hung around for about 32 minutes on Monday. Defensively, the Badgers had some bad lapses, allowing the Camels to make 20 of their first 34 shots from the field, 11 of which were layups. UW also committed six of their nine turnovers after halftime as Campbell found themselves trailing 67-62 with 8:39 remaining.

As lackluster as most of the game was for Gard’s bunch, in a 3-4 minute spurt, Wisconsin flipped a switch, finishing the game on a 29-2 run.

“‘Andy’ was part of Florida’s run last year, so he understands and knows what championship-level teams look like,” said Gard. “He mentioned to me in the handshake line, just (we) got a lot of really good pieces and we’re a really good team. As I’ve said before, everyone on the outside is excited about what this team is. I’m excited about what this team isn’t.

“Meaning, there’s a lot of things we can get better at. We do that, it gives us a chance to have a big year.”

In his 11th season at the helm, Gard understands glowing comments from the opposition can sometimes become rat poison. The best thing to do in November is tune it all out and get back to work.

“At times, we have water in our gas tank,” Gard stated. “We sputter, we catch fire, and then we sputter. And that’s on both ends of the court. I think how we closed the game, I saw more consistency. I think this group is continuing to try and find out who they are.”

Campbell was just 15-17 a year ago, and like most teams in Division 1 these days, is trying to gel together a completely new roster in November. That includes Wisconsin, which has three transfers in its starting lineup and three true freshmen and another transfer in its regular rotation.

After the Camels closed within, the Badgers punched back with 15 consecutive points. During that spurt, UW was 5-of-7 shooting with assists on all five made baskets. Following a pair of free throws from Campbell, the Badgers would then close things out with another 14-0 run.

Those free throws were the only points Campbell would get in the final 8:38. In fact, the Camels went the final 10:34 without a made field goal. Gard, who’s been very bullish about his team’s offense throughout the preseason, now got a glimpse of what his squad could be defensively as well, as UW forced seven turnovers in the last 7:00.

“They do what good teams do. That’s why I would be very optimistic if I were a Badger fan,” Andrzejek. “We were able to chip away, and it was kind of a big moment. ‘What is this game going to become?’ Is it going to be this tight, nervy game that goes back and forth? And, it didn’t become that.

“They put their foot on the gas. If I’m a Badger coach, I’m pleased with how they responded to that.”

Junior guard John Blackwell led the way with 31 points (10-19), one shy of his career high. Senior guard Nick Boyd, a San Diego State transfer, added 21 points (7-15), the second-most by a Wisconsin player in a debut since at least 2000. Junior forward Nolan Winter (17 points) and sophomore forward Austin Rapp (13 points) were also in double figures for the Badgers, who shot 50.7 percent from the field, averaged 1.37 points per possession, and scored on 60 percent of their offensive trips.

We won’t fully know if Andrzejek is on-target with his comments until mid-November/December when Wisconsin takes on the likes of No. 8 BYU, Marquette, Villanova, Providence, and perhaps even Andrzejek’s former school, Florida, at the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego. But after just one showing, Andrzejek is ready to push his chips in the pot.

“Wisconsin is a very good basketball team. They are a team that can advance far in the NCAA Tournament. I firmly believe that. Today showed that even more,” said Andrzejek.