Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin will face Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament

Wisconsin has its opponent for the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

With Penn State storming back from 14 down at the half to beat Nebraska Wednesday night, the Nittany Lions will move on to face the Badgers on Thursday night in Indianapolis.

Wisconsin split its two games against Penn State this year, losing on the road before winning the rematch days later in Madison. The two teams haven’t played in the Big Ten Tournament since 2011 when the Nittany Lions came out with a win in one of the ugliest games in tournament history where the final score was 36-33. The Badgers took the only other matchup in postseason play with a 52-51 win in 1998.

Penn State is led by junior guard Myreon Jones, who averages 15.5 points per game and had 20 when the Nittany Lions beat Wisconsin in late January. The Badgers will also have their hands full with guard Izaiah Brockington and John Harrar, along with guard Jamari Wheeler, who had 19 points in the win over Nebraska.

The Badgers enter the tournament having lost three straight games and five of their last six with their struggles on offense playing a big role. But shots did finally start dropping in the second half of a loss to Iowa last Sunday, and it has the players feeling confident and hoping to get another shot at the third-seeded Hawkeyes, who would be waiting for them in the quarterfinals.

“I think that we’re right there and we’re clicking at the right time,” guard D’Mitrik Trice said. “I’m excited to first handle whoever we have on Thursday but that potential matchup is definitely there and we’re definitely looking forward to them.

by Zach Heilprin

CB Rachad Wildgoose stars at Wisconsin's Pro Day

An injury cut Rachad Wildgoose’s 2020 season short, not allowing the former Wisconsin cornerback to show what kind of play he had become. But Wildgoose was the star of the Badgers Pro Day Wednesday posting some of the best marks of the 10 players that worked out.

Wildgoose ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, a number that would have been topped by just four cornerbacks at last year’s NFL Combine. His 3-cone shuttle time of 7.0 seconds and his vertical of 36.0” would have both been in the top-10. Wildgoose felt he also killed it in the positional drills that NFL teams put him through. But it was the 40-yard dash that had him beaming when he spoke with reporters afterwards.

“The other stuff is just repetition,” Wildgoose said. “But the forty is something that can change based on how you’re feeling. If you’re nervous, if you’re having an anxiety attack. I feel like the forty is one that could waver depending on what you’ve got going on in your personal life. That’s the one I’m proud of today.”

A shoulder injury suffered against Northwestern ended Wildgoose’s season in November. It meant that he ended up playing in less than 1 ½ games this year. He declared for the NFL Draft anyway, largely due to the support he got from defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

“After (fall) camp he was telling me, ‘Bro, if you can keep this up, the whole world is going to know what I know,’” Wildgoose said. “I talked with my parents about it and just me also believing in my skills and watching myself develop and feeling ready enough physically and mentally, so when I got coach Leonhard’s support, I was all in.”

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk watched Wildgoose over the last three seasons and sees him as a guy that can make it in the NFL.

“I think Goose is a great player,” Loudermilk said Wednesday. “Young, too. He’s still someone who is going to be able to learn a lot, he’s going to grow a lot. I think any team would be lucky to have him. The kind of athlete he is, the kind of person and teammate. I think no matter who gets him is going to be excited with the person they get.”

During his 24 games at Wisconsin, Wildgoose was used in a variety of ways as he collected 57 tackles, 14 passes defended and one interception. Leonhard felt he was one of his biggest weapons on defense, adaptable enough to play inside and outside. The 5-foot-11 Wildgoose believes that experience will come in handy at the next level.

“To an NFL defense, I’m going to bring confidence, energy and I feel like I’m versatile,” Wildgoose said. “I can play nickel, corner, safety. They can move me around and get big plays all around the field from me.”

Full workout numbers

https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1369730414072463368

by Zach Heilprin

CB Rachad Wildgoose stars at Wisconsin's Pro Day

An injury cut Rachad Wildgoose’s 2020 season short, not allowing the former Wisconsin cornerback to show what kind of play he had become. But Wildgoose was the star of the Badgers Pro Day Wednesday posting some of the best marks of the 10 players that worked out.

Wildgoose ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, a number that would have been topped by just four cornerbacks at last year’s NFL Combine. His 3-cone shuttle time of 7.0 seconds and his vertical of 36.0” would have both been in the top-10. Wildgoose felt he also killed it in the positional drills that NFL teams put him through. But it was the 40-yard dash that had him beaming when he spoke with reporters afterwards.

“The other stuff is just repetition,” Wildgoose said. “But the forty is something that can change based on how you’re feeling. If you’re nervous, if you’re having an anxiety attack. I feel like the forty is one that could waver depending on what you’ve got going on in your personal life. That’s the one I’m proud of today.”

A shoulder injury suffered against Northwestern ended Wildgoose’s season in November. It meant that he ended up playing in less than 1 ½ games this year. He declared for the NFL Draft anyway, largely due to the support he got from defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

“After (fall) camp he was telling me, ‘Bro, if you can keep this up, the whole world is going to know what I know,’” Wildgoose said. “I talked with my parents about it and just me also believing in my skills and watching myself develop and feeling ready enough physically and mentally, so when I got coach Leonhard’s support, I was all in.”

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk watched Wildgoose over the last three seasons and sees him as a guy that can make it in the NFL.

“I think Goose is a great player,” Loudermilk said Wednesday. “Young, too. He’s still someone who is going to be able to learn a lot, he’s going to grow a lot. I think any team would be lucky to have him. The kind of athlete he is, the kind of person and teammate. I think no matter who gets him is going to be excited with the person they get.”

During his 24 games at Wisconsin, Wildgoose was used in a variety of ways as he collected 57 tackles, 14 passes defended and one interception. Leonhard felt he was one of his biggest weapons on defense, adaptable enough to play inside and outside. The 5-foot-11 Wildgoose believes that experience will come in handy at the next level.

“To an NFL defense, I’m going to bring confidence, energy and I feel like I’m versatile,” Wildgoose said. “I can play nickel, corner, safety. They can move me around and get big plays all around the field from me.”

Full workout numbers

https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1369730414072463368

by Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin parts ways with women's basketball coach Jonathan Tsipis

Wisconsin is in the market for a new women’s basketball coach.

UW athletic director Barry Alvarez announced Tuesday night that the Badgers were parting ways with Jonathan Tsipis after five seasons.

"I appreciated coach Tsipis’s efforts during his five years with us, but we feel it is time for a new director for our women’s basketball program,” Alvarez said in a statement posted to Twitter. “I wish Jonathan the best as he moves forward.”

The move came just hours after Wisconsin’s season ended with a thud, falling 67-42 to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers finished the season 5-19 overall and just 2-18 in Big Ten play. Under Tsipis, Wisconsin averaged just 2.8 wins in conference play and never won more than four games. The Badgers highest finish in the Big Ten was 11th in 2016-17 when UW was 3-13.

The program has fallen on hard times over the last 10 years. After watching Jane Albright and Lisa Stone combine to win nearly 56% of their games and go to the postseason 11 times in 17 seasons, Wisconsin is 97-140 under Tsipis and former coach Bobbie Kelsey with zero postseason appearances.

by Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin parts ways with women's basketball coach Jonathan Tsipis

Wisconsin is in the market for a new women’s basketball coach.

UW athletic director Barry Alvarez announced Tuesday night that the Badgers were parting ways with Jonathan Tsipis after five seasons.

"I appreciated coach Tsipis’s efforts during his five years with us, but we feel it is time for a new director for our women’s basketball program,” Alvarez said in a statement posted to Twitter. “I wish Jonathan the best as he moves forward.”

The move came just hours after Wisconsin’s season ended with a thud, falling 67-42 to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers finished the season 5-19 overall and just 2-18 in Big Ten play. Under Tsipis, Wisconsin averaged just 2.8 wins in conference play and never won more than four games. The Badgers highest finish in the Big Ten was 11th in 2016-17 when UW was 3-13.

The program has fallen on hard times over the last 10 years. After watching Jane Albright and Lisa Stone combine to win nearly 56% of their games and go to the postseason 11 times in 17 seasons, Wisconsin is 97-140 under Tsipis and former coach Bobbie Kelsey with zero postseason appearances.

by Zach Heilprin

D'Mitrik Trice named third-team All-Big Ten

Wisconsin guard D'Mitrik Trice put together the best season of his career and was awarded for it Tuesday morning.

The Big Ten announced its all-conference teams and the Badgers senior was named to the third team by the coaches and the media.

https://twitter.com/BadgerMBB/status/1369335328604102659

Trice led Wisconsin in scoring at a career-best 13.7 points per game, while shooting 41.2% from the field, also the best of his time in Madison. The Ohio native shot 80% from the free throw line, the fifth-best mark in the Big Ten, while also hitting 38.4% of his 3-pointers.

The 6-foot Trice was a third-team All-Big Ten pick a season ago and was an honorable mention pick in 2019.

Trice was the lone Wisconsin player to earn all-conference recognition this season.

by Zach Heilprin