Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball 2022-23 season preview: Roster projections and things to watch in the Big Ten

Badgers at a glance

Coach: Greg Gard (144-78, eighth season overall).

2021-22 record: 25-8 overall, 15-5 Big Ten.

2021-22 postseason: Defeated Colgate in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Iowa State in the second round.

Starters

5 Tyler Wahl (6-9 Sr. F): As Wahl has matured over time he has also become much more of a vocal leader. He is one of the more versatile players in the league. The only blemish on his game is shaky three-point shooting.

23 Chucky Hepburn (6-2 Soph. G): Look for Hepburn to become a more consistent scorer this season with Johnny Davis and Brad Davison gone. Hepburn averaged 7.9 points per game as a freshman. He can shoot from deep, get to the rim or score from the mid-range.

22 Steven Crowl (7-0 Jr. F): Crowl added about 10 pounds and is up to 245. That added bulk should allow him to withstand physical play better.

1 Max Klesmit (6-3 Jr. G): Klesmit, who transferred from Wofford, possesses a game similar to that of former UW players Josh Gasser and Zak Showalter. He is physical, mentally tough, confident and skilled. His three-point shooting should help space the floor.

2 Jordan Davis (6-4 Jr. G): Davis wants to be a defensive stopper who can rebound and provide scoring when needed. With more consistent playing time this season, Davis should improve his three-point shooting from last season (8 of 28).

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Reserves

0 Jahcobi Neath (6-4 Sr. G): Neath played last season with a partially torn tendon in his knee and underwent surgery in the off-season. Once healthy, he should provide defense, rebounding and the ability to post up.

14 Carter Gilmore (6-7 Jr. F): Gilmore contributed early last season but saw his playing time diminish. He appears stronger and more confident. He should help at forward and perhaps as a reserve center against smaller teams.

35 Markus Ilver (6-8 Soph. F): Ilver performed well in practice early but tailed off and played in only eight games. Can he provide rebounding and occasional scoring this season?

4 Kamari McGee (6-0 Soph. G): The transfer from UW-Green Bay should be the primary backup for Hepburn. McGee is a tenacious defender who is also more physical than his size suggests.

3 Connor Essegian (6-4 Fr. G): He won’t be confused with a defensive stopper but he is a tremendous shooter and can score in a variety of ways. He will play.

21 Chris Hodges (6-6 Fr. F): Hodges skipped his senior season of high school because of concerns over COVID-19 and redshirted last year. He is raw but will need to provide rebounding and defense against teams with bigger post players.

10 Isaac Lindsey (6-4 Soph. G): Lindsey, who played in six games last season, could provide three-point shooting or fill in at point guard in a pinch.

12 Luke Haertle (6-3 Fr. G): A walk-on from Lake Country Lutheran High School, Haertle should be a valuable member of the scout team.

13 Justin Taphorn (6-5 Jr G): Taphorn played in four games last year. The walk-on is set to be on the scout team again this season.

30 Ross Candelino (6-5 Fr. G): Turned down a scholarship offer from American University to walk on at UW. The son of former Marquette player Anthony Candelino.

15 Isaac Gard (6-2 Fr. G) : The son of head coach Greg Gard. Isaac played at Oregon High School and joined the program as a walk-on.

Reason to believe

Reporters who cover the Big Ten picked UW ninth in the preseason poll. Remember, however, that the Badgers were picked 10th last season and won a share of the league title with a 15-5 mark. UW has a solid trio in Wahl, Hepburn and Crowl. Transfers Klesmit and McGee have made a seamless transition. If players such as Jordan Davis, Gilmore, Hodges and Ilver improve, UW will surprise again. One young player who will surprise is the freshman Essegian, a terrific shooter and versatile scorer.

Reason to doubt

When Crowl got into foul trouble last season, the veteran Vogt came off the bench and provided quality minutes. UW doesn’t have a reserve with Vogt’s size and experience this season. Can Hodges play well against bulky big men – such as Purdue’s Zach Edey – in the Big Ten? Can UW win with a smaller lineup against teams that don’t have a dominant big man? Can UW get enough scoring to make up for the departures of Johnny Davis (19.7 ppg) and Davison (14.1 ppg)? If several younger players don’t develop as anticipated, Wahl, Hepburn and Crowl might not be able to carry the team.

Five things to watch in the Big Ten

Can Indiana win its first title since 2016? The Hoosiers return several key players from last season, including preseason player of the year Trayce Jackson-Davis. However, their inability to consistently score from the perimeter could be an issue again this season. Point guard Xavier Johnson is physically gifted but at times allows his emotions to affect his play. Perhaps the biggest obstacle the Hoosiers will have to overcome is their schedule. Of the Hoosiers’ last nine games, they play Purdue twice, Michigan twice and Illinois and Michigan State one time each.

Illinois moves on without Kofi Cockburn: The Illini last season were built around Cockburn, who averaged 20.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game and caused mismatches for many teams. But Cockburn was only one of six key players who departed after helping the Illini win a share of the regular-season title. Head coach Brad Underwood hopes to make another run thanks to talented freshmen, led by guard Skyy Clark, and several transfers, led by guard Terrence Shannon from Texas Tech. Look for the Illini to be more free-flowing this season as Underwood has plenty of versatile pieces to play without a center.

Michigan State is in a two-year rut: The Spartans shared the 2019-20 Big Ten regular-season title with Wisconsin and Maryland with a 14-6 mark. In the last two seasons, Tom Izzo’s team is a combined 20-20 in league play. The Spartans lost four key players after last season and Izzo didn’t use the transfer portal in an attempt to bolster the roster. He has said he likes the makeup of his team, particularly a backcourt led by A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins. But can Malik Hall and Joey Hauser lead a thin frontcourt?

Purdue looks to reload after losing several key players: Purdue finished one game out of first place last season with a 14-6 mark and then reached the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling. Head coach Matt Painter had to work to replace five key players, led by lottery pick Jaden Ivey. Edey (14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds) is a presence near the basket but he averaged only 18.9 minutes per game last season. Can he play more and maintain his efficiency? Will the guard play suffer after the departures of Ivey and three other experienced backcourt players? Painter has plenty of questions to answer this season.

Michigan looks to avoid another disappointing season: With a talent-laden roster last season, the Wolverines were picked to win the regular-season title. They received 13 first-place votes cast by reporters, edging Purdue by one vote. The Wolverines finished just 11-9 in the league, behind six teams and four games off the lead. Coach Juwan Howard has center Hunter Dickinson (18.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and a lot of question marks.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin men's basketball roster projections for 2022-23 season