Latest news with #StevenCrowl
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin basketball center adds to his list of NBA workouts
Former Wisconsin basketball center adds to his list of NBA workouts Former Wisconsin Badgers center Steven Crowl is compiling a long list of NBA workouts. Crowl, whose Badgers tenure concluded with an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss to BYU in late March, has reportedly worked out with the Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets over the past few weeks. The 7-foot center's most recent workout came with the Pelicans on Thursday, per The Athletic's Will Guillory. Crowl worked out alongside North Carolina's R.J. Davis, Arkansas' Johnell Davis and Kansas' Hunter Dickinson. Earlier this week, the Hornets worked out former Badger Chucky Hepburn alongside Crowl, per Hornets beat writer Rod Boone. The two spent three seasons in Madison together from 2021-24. Crowl isn't the only former Badger to dip his toes into NBA waters this offseason. Star guard John Blackwell worked out with the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers and Philadelphia 76ers before withdrawing from the 2025 NBA draft in late May. The Minnesota native started 141 of his 153 career appearances in five seasons from 2020-25. In those contests, the veteran averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists off a 52.5% shooting rate from the field, 36.3% mark from 3 and 82% clip from the charity stripe. During Wisconsin's 27-10 output this past season, Crowl started all 37 games and logged per-game averages of 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He did so while shooting 54% from the field, a strong 41% from 3 and 82% from the free-throw line. At his size, Crowl's shooting ability is an unquestionable commodity in the NBA. Given modern spacing and skill at the center position, the former Badger's progression as a shooter, especially from the top of the key, headlines his potential professional portfolio. Nonetheless, Crowl's odds of being picked in the 2025 NBA draft or signing with an NBA franchise are slim. The workouts will expose him to some NBA personnel, but his most likely route revolves around a career oversees. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
26-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tracking Wisconsin basketball's reported transfer portal interests, activity, top targets
Tracking Wisconsin basketball's reported transfer portal interests, activity, top targets Wisconsin basketball got an early start on its offseason, as the team fell to BYU in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 on Saturday. The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, immediately following the conclusion of March Madness' first weekend. While 16 teams are still left playing for a national title, the rest of the sport has full focus turned toward bolstering their roster for 2025-26 and beyond. The current transfer window spans until April 22. As is the case in football, players who enter during that period have no set date to commit by. The transfer window only works to restrict the time when players can depart. Wisconsin enters the transfer window with major needs across the lineup. A stellar senior class of John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore and Markus Ilver is gone to graduation. That group accounted for 62% of the team's minutes in 2024-25, 67% of its points, 50% of its rebounds, 67.5% of its assists and 67.4% of its 3-point makes. The class' departure leaves available minutes at starting point guard, starting wing, starting center and several key bench roles. Many of those needs are sure to be addressed during this transfer cycle. While Wisconsin has yet to see any official incoming or outgoing transfer movement, here is an updated look at the team's reported targets and interests. (Note: Bookmark this tracker for an up-to-date look at Wisconsin's portal activity. It will be updated throughout the cycle, as the Badgers' top targets become clear. Last update: March 26) INTEREST: Pittsburgh guard Amsal Delalic Measurables: 6 feet, 8 inches, 210 pounds 2024-25 Stats: Freshman season. 13.4 minutes, 3.8 points, two rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.4 steals. 46% shooting and 35% from three. Delalic played well during Wisconsin's early-season win over Pittsburgh. He showed flashes during his freshman season at Pittsburgh, often providing an offensive spark off the bench. The 6'8" shooting guard is an intriguing prospect, one that appears to have a high offensive ceiling. He may not be the center of Wisconsin's offseason plans, but the program would do well to add the rising sophomore to the rotation. He has the chance to emerge as a key rotation piece over his three remaining seasons of eligibility. Here's more on the former Pittsburgh guard. INTEREST: Milwaukee forward Jamichael Stillwell Measurables: 6 feet, 8 inches, 225 pounds 2024-25 Stats: Junior season. 28 minutes, 13.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals per game. 46.8% shooting, 28.6% from three. Wisconsin has a major need at forward with Steven Crowl and Carter Gilmore gone to graduation. Stillwell played well in his one season at UW-Milwaukee, averaging 13 points and a conference-best 10.7 rebounds. However, the veteran forward doesn't shoot well from long range, which limits his potential impact. INTEREST: UMass Lowell forward Quinton Mincey Measurables: 6 feet, 6 inches, 205 pounds 2024-25 Stats: Senior season. 35.9 minutes, 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game. 48.6% shooting, 39.4% from 3. Mincey projects as a wing in Wisconsin's current offensive approach. He checks the boxes of what the program should be looking for -- experience and success at the college level, versatile scoring ability and strong three-point shooting. INTEREST: Drexel guard Kobe Magee Measurables: 6 feet, 6 inches, 180 pounds 2024-25 Stats: Junior season. 33.7 minutes, 14.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists per game. 47.2% shooting, 43.9% from 3. Magee was one of the best shooters in the CAA this past season, making three-pointers at nearly a 44% clip. He would fit well in Wisconsin's new-look offense. The Badgers may not look for a true point guard with John Blackwell set to lead the offense. If Blackwell is the primary ball-handler, Magee would provide a strong complement. Of course, there is always the question of how production and performance will translate from a lower level up to the Big Ten. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Social media reacts to Wisconsin's crushing loss to BYU, early NCAA Tournament exit
Social media reacts to Wisconsin's crushing loss to BYU, early NCAA Tournament exit Wisconsin dropped a heartbreaker to BYU, 91-89, in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Saturday night. With that, the Badgers' 2024-25 season comes to a close. Wisconsin was far from its best throughout the contest, starting from the opening tip. A high-powered BYU Cougars team captured early momentum, building a double-digit lead with 7:53 left in the first half thanks to relentless shotmaking and dominance on the offensive glass. BYU grabbed 26 rebounds (nine offensive) to Wisconsin's 14 in the first half. To make matters worse, the Badgers, the nation's best free-throw-shooting team, shot just 63% from the foul line in the frame. Still, Wisconsin had plenty of chances to battle back, both in the first half and down the stretch. However, all of those chances seemed to fall in BYU's direction. The first notable swing came with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. Wisconsin trailed by eight and held the ball with the shot clock unplugged. Steven Crowl, however, attempted an ill-advised jump shot with 13 seconds left. His shot missed, allowing BYU a chance to run down the court and steal three points before the break. That preventable five-point swing became significant in the game's closing moments. Fast-forward 18 minutes of game time, the Badgers trailed by nine points with under two minutes to play. They then began what appeared to be a vintage March Madness comeback. Carter Gilmore converted an and-one layup to cut the deficit to six (89-83), BYU made two at the free-throw line (91-83), John Tonje nailed a three-pointer (91-86), BYU turned ball over, Tonje converted an and-one layup of his own (91-89) and Gilmore grabbed the ensuing BYU miss. Wisconsin trailed by two with the basketball and 13 seconds left. Out of a timeout, John Tonje charged the length of the court, passed up a chance at a go-ahead three, drove to the baseline and missed a contested jump shot. With the miss, the Badgers' comeback hopes were eliminated. It marked an end to the team's season, a familiar feeling of postseason disappointment. As we begin to unpack the loss, here first are some of the notable reactions from Wisconsin fans, and both local and national media: Wisconsin didn't play well, but it needed that win Big Cat reacts: J.J. Watt: Even in the loss, John Tonje was fantastic Wisconsin made critical mistakes in important moments Wisconsin's postseason drought A lot of 'What-Ifs' More reaction Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
21-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tip time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament game vs. BYU
Tip time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament game vs. BYU The No. 3-seed Wisconsin Badgers will continue their 2025 NCAA Tournament on Saturday with a second-round matchup against the No. 6-seed BYU Cougars. Wisconsin, first, advanced with a decisive 85-66 win over No. 14-seed Montana in the opening round. The Badgers shot more than 70% from inside the three-point line in the winning effort, led by efficient offensive performances from John Blackwell (19 points on 7-of-10 from two), Steven Crowl (18 points on 6-of-7 from two), John Tonje (15 points on 1-of-1 from two, 9-of-9 from the free-throw line) and Xavier Amos (11 points on 4-of-5 from two). BYU, meanwhile, punched the ticket opposite Wisconsin with an 80-71 win over No. 11-seed VCU on Thursday afternoon. The Cougars looked as dangerous as advertised in the triumph, with stars Richie Saunders (16 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals) and Egor Demin (15 points, four rebounds, two assists) leading the way. Eight BYU players scored at least six points, including 26 total bench points from the trio of Fousseyni Traore (13 points, nine rebounds), Dawson Baker (seven points, two rebounds) and Dallin Hall (six points, four assists). As announced on Thursday night, Wisconsin and BYU will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday evening. CBS will carry the game as one of the marquee matchups of the day's action Watch Wisconsin vs. BYU live on Paramount+ The Badgers and Cougars create one of the NCAA Tournament's most exciting matchups to date. The teams boast KenPom's No. 13 and No. 10-ranked offenses, respectively. Wisconsin is the metric's No. 13 overall team in the sport, while BYU is right there at No. 24, with 11 wins in its last 12 games. Most projections see the matchup as a fast-paced, high-scoring showdown between two explosive teams, each with a real chance for a deep tournament run. Wisconsin will take the court in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday night looking to make its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2017. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
21-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Key stats that defined Wisconsin's NCAA Tournament win over Montana
Key stats that defined Wisconsin's NCAA Tournament win over Montana The Wisconsin Badgers silenced all doubters Thursday afternoon, defeating the Montana Grizzlies 85-66 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After a competitive first half, the Badgers pulled away in the frame thanks to strong performances from John Blackwell and Steven Crowl, as well as key reserve minutes from forward Xavier Amos. Five Wisconsin players scored in the double figures, demonstrating the team's depth of talent. Wisconsin will now meet No. 6-seed BYU in the second round, a team that is red-hot with 10 wins in its last 11 games. BYU defeated a strong VCU Rams team that many had highlighted as a potential sleeper in the round of 64. The Badgers' front-court matches up well against the Cougars, just as it did against Montana. Wisconsin's primary key to victory is a strong defensive performance against one nation's best offensive units. If it does, the Badgers should move onto the Sweet 16. Before the focus shifts to the BYU matchup, here are three stats that defined Wisconsin's first-round victory over Montana: Xavier Amos' 11 points, four rebounds, and two blocks Xavier Amos delivered a season-best performance against Montana, totaling 11 points, four rebounds and two key blocks in 13 minutes off the bench. Those tallies are all far above his season-long averages of 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.3 blocks, hopefully marking the start of a hot stretch in tournament play. The forward's best play came at the 9:55-minute mark of the second half, where he hit a huge three to extend Wisconsin's lead to 16. If Amos can keep this level of play up, Wisconsin has a real chance at making a deep run, potentially all the way to the Final Four. Wisconsin's 24 two-point makes One of Wisconsin's keys to victory against Montana was attacking the basket consistently, especially against a smaller Grizzlies lineup. Both Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl did just that, each finding success in the painted area throughout the contest. Another player who excelled down low was John Blackwell, who connected on seven of his 10 two-point attempts. Blackwell led the Badgers in scoring and played a key role in the victory. This area of the game will again be key against the BYU Cougars, who aren't as tall as the Badgers in the front-court. Wisconsin shooting 16-of-20 from the free throw line Wisconsin has been exceptional at the free-throw line throughout the season. It was a good sign to see that strong shooting continue into the NCAA Tournament, as the team shot a solid 80% from the charity stripe, helping to clinch the comfortable victory. John Tonje led the way in the area, connecting on all nine of his free throw attempts. The star wing only needed to attempt five shots from the field. He still made a strong contribution with those terrific foul-shooting numbers. BYU sometimes struggles at the line, so winning that area could be key to Wisconsin finding a win on Saturday. Overall, Wisconsin played a strong opening-round game. The team will now look to triumph over BYU and reach its first Sweet Sixteen since 2017. If Wisconsin extends Thursday's high level of play into Saturday, that goal might become a reality. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
