Steven Crowl's 'aggressive' side is showing in the Wisconsin basketball team's NIT run and Greg Gard likes it

MADISON – Steven Crowl’s momentary lack of composure proved costly against Liberty.

Wisconsin’s junior center, angry over what he thought was a missed foul call against Shiloh Robinson, got up and slammed Robinson to the floor in the final minute of the first half. Crowl was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul and then a technical after he bumped into Liberty’s Isiah Warfield.

The fouls were Crowl’s second and third of the game. He picked up his fourth with 10 minutes 35 seconds left in the game and missed his only field-goal attempt of the second half.

“Obviously, getting Steve in foul trouble took us away from playing through him as much as we typically would,” UW coach Greg Gard said after the Badgers’ 75-71 victory in the second round of the NIT on Sunday. “But other guys stepped up.”

Chucky Hepburn (27 points) and Tyler Wahl (16 points) carried the load after Crowl (14 points) didn’t score in the second half. Max Klesmit scored all seven of his points in the final 2 minutes 11 seconds.

That set up a quarterfinal meeting between second-seeded UW (19-14) and top-seeded Oregon (21-14) at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Eugene. The game is on ESPN.

Steven Crowl has scored 50 points in two NIT games for Wisconsin, showing his 'aggressive' side

Although Gard didn’t like seeing Crowl lose his cool, he acknowledged he didn’t mind seeing the unusual fire.

“I like that he is aggressive,” Gard said. “I’d rather have him that way. Because when he came here two years ago? He wanted not a whole lot to do with that. He has added that part and he likes it, too.”

The possibility of Crowl working to become more of a bully around the basket has to be enticing to Gard and the staff.

Crowl hit 5 three-pointers and contributed 36 points and nine rebounds in the first round against Bradley. He hit 7 of 8 shots and had 14 points before losing his composure in the final minute of the first half against Liberty.

He enters the Oregon game leading UW in scoring (12.3 ppg) and rebounds (6.8 per game) and is second in assists (81). He has improved his three-point shooting to 31.4% and is shooting 51.3% overall.

Greg Gard says Crowl is the 'best trash-talker' on the team

Crowl has appeared to grow more comfortable absorbing contact on post-up moves as the season has progressed.

“I get asked: Who is the best trash-talker on the team?” Gard said. “It’s Steve Crowl. He is the one who tells everybody how good he is.

“I like that mentality even though he looks very meek and mild and proper. He’s got a little edge to him, which is good…

“I’d rather have him that way than for me having to fan his flames, so to speak.”

Wisconsin heads to Oregon looking to extend its season

Crowl’s play could be critical against an Oregon team that held Central Florida to 30.6% shooting in a 68-54 second-round victory Sunday night.

“We’re just grateful to still be playing basketball in March,” said Crowl, who apologized for the lack of composure. “We’re taking this opportunity to grow and get better.”

A loss to Oregon would end what has been a disappointing season for UW. A victory would send the Badgers into the NIT semifinals on March 28 in Las Vegas.

“I’ve had buy-in all year,” Gard said. “These guys have busted their butts for us. We didn’t get the results always like we wanted. But I’ve never had to coach effort and that’s a big thing for a coach to be able to do that.

“We can work on basketball, being better at some of the technical things. If this group didn’t have buy-in we wouldn’t be here.”

NIT BRACKET:Quarterfinal matchups for the tournament

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin basketball's Steven Crowl displays more aggression in NIT