Full notebook, nuggets, and (a)nalysis, from the Greenbrier Tip-Off

Granular takeaways from Wisconsin basketball's third MTE victory in four seasons

The Wisconsin Badgers did it again. Champs at a loaded 2021 Maui Invitational behind breakout sensation and tournament MVP Johnny Davis. Third-place after falling to Kansas by the slimmest of margins in the 2022 Battle for Atlantis semifinal. Champions of a competitive (albeit underwhelming) 2023 Fort Myers Tip-Off.

And now, in arguably the most impressive MTE showing since that Maui Invitational, the Badgers left White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, champions of the inaugural Greenbrier Tip-Off.

Was the field at the Greenbrier as loaded as that Maui tournament? Of course not. However, this was a season where Badgers head coach Greg Gard was put in the pressure cooker. The longtime Bo Ryan assistant turned head honcho was challenged to rebuild his roster after shocking departures, modernize Wisconsin’s scheme, and overhaul his staff. God knows what else happened behind closed doors.

Because of the low expectations placed on his team, the Badgers were free to play loosely. In the preseason, some mentioned having a chip on their shoulder. Others, like reserve guard Kamari McGee, claimed not to pay attention to those November rankings, plainly understanding his role and the media’s: “We are here to play basketball and they are here to do their job."

It’s still early. Big Ten play has yet to tip off when Wisconsin hosts Michigan. Heck, Thanksgiving has not yet come! We still don’t know if the Badgers will continue the third-longest bowl streak in the country—well, maybe that’s a lousy example…

Nonetheless, Gard, premier transfer portal addition John Tonje, sophomore breakout candidates John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, longtime Wisconsin (prep, UW-Green Bay, and Badgers) hoops staple McGee, and plenty of others have put this unassuming 2024-25 Wisconsin basketball team firmly in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid come selection Sunday.

For more thoughts, analysis, stream of consciousness, you name it, upgrade your subscription and get my full notebook below from UW’s weekend in West Virginia. Additionally, you’ll be set for some one-on-one interviews this week with some of your Wisconsin hoops (and football) favorites.