Wisconsin Preview Capsule

Wisconsin Preview Capsule

By The Associated Press=

Wisconsin

Last season: 22-13, lost in regional semifinals of NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Badgers.

Coach: Greg Gard.

Conference: Big Ten.

Who's gone: Little-used reserve G Jordan Smith.

Who's back: Almost everyone else, including top nine scorers. F Nigel Hayes (15.7 points) is the preseason player of year in the Big Ten; G Bronson Koenig (13.1 points) can hit clutch shots; and F Ethan Happ (12.4 points) worked on his jumper to complement a strong inside game.

Who's new: G Brevin Pritzl is healthy after redshirting his freshman season with a foot injury. He was thought to be Wisconsin's best outside shooter. An eligibility issue sidelined Belgian native Andy Van Vliet last year. The 7-footer adds size and a shooter's touch behind the 6-10 Happ.

The Skinny: A Big Ten favorite, Wisconsin is a contender to make the Final Four for a third time in four seasons. Badgers have a mix of star power, experience and depth to go with the meticulous Gard, entering his first full year as head coach.