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Four things Wisconsin Badgers must do to avoid an upset against Campbell in opener

The Wisconsin Badgers will open the season against a low-major foe, and they need to clean some things up to avoid an upset against the Campbell Fighting Camels.
Cam Wilhorn|
Mar 5, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Mar 5, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball season will officially begin Monday night when the Campbell Fighting Camels come to the Kohl Center.

The No. 24 Badgers will enter the contest as significant favorites against a Fighting Camels team that was picked to finish fifth in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) and has a first-year head coach at the helm.

And while Wisconsin had some impressive stretches during their pair of preseason exhibitions, they're far from a finished product at this point.

As such, the Badgers could be more vulnerable to an upset, but they can start the new campaign on the right foot if they can succeed in a few specific facets of the game.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers basketball depth gives Greg Gard more flexibility with rotations

Dominate the glass, from the start

Campbell has just one player listed above 6-foot-9, and that player is a true freshman. Even those listed at exactly 6-foot-9, Israel Yaw and Dovydas Butka, weigh fewer than 215 pounds. For comparison, each of Wisconsin's four rotational bigs is at least 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds.

Despite the team's lack of size, Campbell head coach John Andrzejek said this offseason that he takes pride in the way his team rebounds and that it is a part of its identity.

Campbell could build some momentum by pulling down rebounds early on, either by parlaying a defensive rebound into transition points or using offensive rebounds for second chance opportunities.

Either outcome could force the Badgers to dig themselves out of a hole, which is exactly what happened against UW-Platteville.

Be aggressive downhill

John Blackwell and Nick Boyd should be the two most talented guards on the floor by a wide margin. And with Campbell's undersized frontcourt, the duo shouldn't have many difficulties getting to, and scoring at, the rim.

Each has already had success attacking the basket off the dribble, as Blackwell picked Oklahoma apart in the mid-range and Boyd drew a total of 10 fouls across the two exhibitions.

During the first half against Platteville, Wisconsin's perimeter players seemed tentative to attack the basket. Instead, they spent too much time swinging the ball around for most of the shot clock.

Even if it doesn't result in points, the Badgers have to put consistent pressure on the rim to open up kickouts or collapse the defense for cuts and dump-offs.

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Communicate defensively

The Badgers are still navigating the on-court challenges of major roster turnover. With the group having limited game experience together, they're more apt to defensive breakdowns. Consistent defensive communications should help prevent some of those lapses.

As the superior team, Wisconsin should strive to make Campbell earn all of their points and avoid giving the team any easy baskets.

Of course, that's easier said than done. But as the Badgers continue to figure things out defensively, being vocal at all times should limit growing pains.

Bench production

Wisconsin's second unit scored 12 and 11 points in the two exhibition games, respectively.

The Badgers could cruise to a win based on talent disparity in the first unit alone, but if they can avoid a significant offensive drop off when two or more reserves are on the court, they should be able to put Cambell away early.

While it would be encouraging, bench production doesn't necessarily have to come on the offensive end.

If players like Jack Janicki, Braeden Carrington and Aleksas Bieliauskas can provide a positive impact on defense, that would also be a significant boost to Wisconsin's victory chances.

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Cam Wilhorn
CAM WILHORN

Cam Wilhorn is a University of Wisconsin School of Journalism Graduate and Wisconsin native. He's been covering Wisconsin sports since 2023 for outlets like BadgerBlitz.com, Badger of Honor and The Badger Herald.

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