Flash back to Jan. 7. The Wisconsin Badgers were rolling along with a 13-1 record, still undefeated in Big Ten play. Their only loss was to a Duke team that appeared to be the second-best squad in the country.
They had just beaten Purdue and things looked better than ever. Nothing would get in their way of a Big Ten title and a second consecutive run to the Final Four.
Then Frank Kaminsky suffered a concussion and had to sit out the Rutgers game. Without him, Wisconsin played their worst game of the season and lost to what might be the worst team in the conference. To make matters worse, Traevon Jackson fractured his foot, leaving the Badgers without their starting point guard.
Jackson was averaging 9.4 points and 2.9 assists when he went down with the injury. For most teams, this would torpedo their season as the point guard is usually thought of as the catalyst to a team’s offense. Wisconsin appears to be just fine. Especially now that Kaminsky is back from his concussion.
Enter sophomore Bronson Koenig. The 6-foot-3 Wisconsin native has filled in admirably for Jackson since his injury. He’s now had three consecutive games scoring in double figures, including 13 points Tuesday night in a 32-point rout of Iowa.
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Koenig’s season averages are up 5.6 points and 2.1 assists per game on 37 percent shooting from outside. He’s also only turning the ball over a minuscule 0.5 times per game, taking care of the ball is the only mandatory part of being Bo Ryan’s point guard.
Koenig is a solid player, and the fact is this team is too talented to fail with him running the point. At Wisconsin, the point guard is not tasked with being the primary facilitator like with most standard offenses. The point guard in this offense is a caretaker and a three-point shooter ideally, Jackson was much more than that, but Koenig may fit that mold even better.
Once the ball is across half-court, the team works as a unit to create offense. The ball swings around the perimeter constantly, until an open driving lane leads to an opportunity for dribble penetration, or until the defense has been lulled to sleep so Kaminsky or Sam Dekker can sneak in a quick back cut for an easy layup.
The Badgers use that dribble penetration to create open three-point shots for their wide assortment of competent outside shooters, so far this season they are shooting 35.8 percent from behind the arc (they have taken the fifth-most three-pointers in the nation with 116). Creating that penetration will be the area Wisconsin suffers most without Jackson.
Those outside shooting chances are also created out of Frank Kaminsky post-ups.
Kaminsky naturally draws plenty of attention when alone in the post, so quick ball reversals to Josh Gasser, Dekker, or Koenig are also important parts of the offense. After Jackson, one could argue Frank Kaminsky is the primary facilitator; he is currently second on the team 2.4 assists per game after dropping six dimes against Iowa.
Koenig was the recipient of a few of those Kaminsky passes against the Hawkeyes, resulting in a 3-for-6 shooting night from outside for the young point guard.
The game against Iowa was his third game as a starter; Wisconsin would shoot 49.2 percent from the field, score 82 points, and commit only one turnover in a game that featured only 54 possessions. Now that’s efficient offense.
Wisconsin has the fifth-best offensive rating in the nation at 120.3, mostly thanks to having NBA-level talents like Kaminsky and Dekker on the roster. But it is also because of how well the rest of the pieces fit around them. Without Koenig, Gasser, Nigel Hayes, and others performing their roles, this team would not be one of the best teams in the country.
Traevon Jackson is an important part of the puzzle, he has experience and has shown his ability to make big shots, but Wisconsin can still be elite without him. By the end of the season, they may look at this as a blessing in disguise. A little diversity to overcome and the chance for Koenig to gain confidence in a larger role may serve them well in the NCAA tournament.
When Jackson returns, they will be ready to kick into high gear as they make their run at the Big Ten title. At 17-2 overall and 5-1 in conference, Wisconsin is still the favorite to win the Big Ten despite their recent troubles. They won’t want to stop there.
This is an experienced team with their eye on claiming the national championship they thought was theirs last season. They proved last season that they could win in March, but can they win in April?