Wisconsin Badgers
2018-19 Record / Finish:
- 15-18 (4-14 B1G, 13th in standings)
- Lost to Michigan in quarterfinals of Big Ten Tournament
2018-19 Leaders:
- Marsha Howard (14.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg) – Was a senior, graduated
- Imani Lewis (12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg) – Returns as a sophomore
Key Additions:
- Redshirt Freshman forward Carmen Backes from Minnesota
- Freshman guard Sydney Hilliard from Wisconsin
Despite the fact that the Badgers won the most games last season since the 2010-11, Wisconsin is clearly one of the Big Ten programs in “rebuilding mode.” It finished second-to-last in the 2018-19 conference standings and subsequently lost Marsha Howard, their leading scorer and rebounder, to graduation. Although the Badgers three postseason games in the Big Ten Tournament, they failed to qualify for either the NCAA or WNIT tournaments.
In his fourth year at the helm of the program, Head Coach Jonathan Tsipis will attempt to compensate for the loss of Howard by welcoming four freshmen to Madison in addition to redshirt freshman Carmen Backes. Although none of the newcomers are ranked in the top-100 prospects of the class, Backes was a finalist for the 2018 Miss Minnesota Award, averaging 22.6 points and 13.1 rebounds as a high school senior. Her prior accolades, combined with her versatility as an inside-outside threat will likely earn her significant playing time in her first season of eligibility. Sydney Hilliard arrives as the 2019 WCBA Point Guard of the Year, adding more depth to the position that was typically inhabited by Kendra Van Leeuwen last year.
The primary adjustment that Wisconsin must make this season is improving their shooting. The Badgers ranked 13th in the 14-team Big Ten last year in both 3-point and overall field goal percentage. They also shot free throws at the worst rate in the conference, averaging just 59.1% from the line.
Fortunately, Wisconsin doesn’t match up against any particularly intimidating teams before beginning conference play with a home contest against Rutgers on December 28. This should allow the younger players on the roster ample time to become acclimated with each other, the veterans and Tsipis’ system.