The Wisconsin men’s basketball team gave its fans an early look at a considerably different roster on Saturday afternoon, opening its exhibition schedule with a 94-71 victory over UW-Parkside at the Kohl Center.
Greg Gard’s team shot 57.1% from the field, placed five players in double figures, and led by as many as 25 points. The Badgers were without junior forward Austin Rapp and freshman guard LaTrevion Fenderson, giving several newcomers an opportunity to make an impression.
Now, there’s only so much you can take away from an exhibition against Division II competition. But with eight new faces and plenty of roles still being sorted out, there were some encouraging signs, along with a few things worth monitoring as the regular season approaches.
With that in mind, here are three observations from Wisconsin’s exhibition win over UW-Parkside.
1. Nolan Winter made the most of his opportunities offensively
If there was one player who looked entirely comfortable in Wisconsin’s new-look offense, it was Nolan Winter.
The senior forward finished with a team-high 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block in just over 22 minutes. He connected on 7-of-9 field-goal attempts, including one 3-pointer.
More importantly, Winter established himself early.
He scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half, helping Wisconsin build a 52-33 halftime advantage. Whether finishing around the basket, running the floor, or stepping outside, Winter looked like someone capable of handling a larger offensive responsibility when games start to count.
That’s important considering how much production Wisconsin lost with Nick Boyd and John Blackwell departing.
Winter isn’t necessarily going to replace their scoring by himself, but he’s positioned to become one of the primary offensive options on this roster.
The competition matters here. Wisconsin won’t enjoy these same physical advantages against Big Ten opponents. Still, the 7-footer from Minnesota did exactly what you’d expect an established high-major player to do against an overmatched opponent. And that’s a positive starting point.
2. Owen Foxwell offered an encouraging first look at Wisconsin’s new backcourt
One of the biggest questions entering this season was how Wisconsin would replace the production and experience it lost in the backcourt.
Owen Foxwell’s first appearance offered some encouragement.
The 6-foot-2 Australian guard finished with 10 points and a team-high six assists in approximately 22 minutes. He shot 3-of-5 from the field, made all three free throws, and helped Wisconsin generate some quality scoring opportunities.
Foxwell’s ability to facilitate was particularly noticeable in the box score.
Wisconsin finished with 17 assists on 36 made baskets, and Foxwell accounted for more than a third of them. But there was a tradeoff.
He also committed four turnovers, contributing to Wisconsin’s 15 giveaways overall. That’s an area to monitor as the competition improves, especially for a team relying on Foxwell to run its offense. But you have to give a team still learning to play together a certain amount of grace.
Eian Elmer also had an encouraging debut, scoring 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting, while Braeden Carrington, who is eligible until further notice, added six points on two made 3-pointers.
There’s clearly some offensive talent here. The question is whether those pieces can function consistently together against better defenses.
3. Wisconsin’s size made a difference, but the execution wasn’t always clean
Gard has talked about wanting a bigger, more physical roster, and Saturday provided an early glimpse of what that could look like.
Wisconsin dominated the paint, outscoring UW-Parkside 56-28, and finished with a 42-28 rebounding advantage.
Victory Onuetu contributed 10 points, seven rebounds (four offensive), and two blocks in approximately 15 minutes. Will Garlock added 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists (four turnovers) off the bench.
Those contributions were especially valuable with Rapp unavailable.
Wisconsin also forced 17 turnovers, converting them into 24 points, while holding Parkside to 39.7% shooting. But the Badgers weren’t particularly sharp throughout.
After shooting 65.5% in the first half, Wisconsin cooled to 50% after halftime. The Badgers also made just three of their 13 second-half 3-point attempts, allowing UW-Parkside to keep pace offensively over the final 20 minutes, with Wisconsin holding a narrow 42-38 scoring edge.
None of that should overshadow a comfortable exhibition victory. It does, however, reinforce that this team is still figuring out its identity. Wisconsin has the pieces to be interesting. How well they fit together will ultimately determine its ceiling.
The Badgers continue their exhibition schedule Thursday, Oct. 15, against UW-Green Bay at the Resch Center, with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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