Is Indiana Men’s Basketball Better Than Wisconsin?

In this series, Hoosiers On SI examines where Indiana basketball stands against its Big Ten foes. Today, we look at how the Hoosiers stack up against the Badgers.

Wisconsin Badgers guard Max Klesmit (11) works around Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli (2) during the second half at Target Center. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story is part of a series that will continue through October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?

Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.

The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.

The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.

Wisconsin’s men are next. The Badgers lost leading scorer AJ Storr (16.8 ppg) to Kansas, point guard Chucky Hepburn (9.2 ppg, 3.9 apg) to Louisville and forward Tyler Wahl (10.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) to exhausted eligibility. Conventional wisdom dictates a fall for the Badgers.

However, the cupboard wasn’t left bare in Madison for coach Greg Gard. Two starters return (Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl) as well as Big Ten All-Freshman talent John Blackwell.

Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and Badgers shakes out.

• Point guard play – Hepburn started all 103 games he played at Wisconsin, so he leaves a sizable void. Into the breach comes transfer Camren Hunter from Central Arkansas.

Hunter (16.9 ppg, 3.9 apg) started every game he played at UCA, 60 in all. None of them occurred in 2024, however, as he sat out the season with a foot injury. Also expected to compete for playing time is freshman Daniel Freitag.

This is an untested group. That’s in contrast to Indiana’s Myles Rice, Trey Galloway and Gabe Cupps, all of whom have at least one season of starting experience at the Big Ten level. Edge: Indiana.

• Free throw shooting – Not usually a category Indiana is going to win, and this is no exception. Just in returning players, Wisconsin has the edge with Klesmit (82.4%), Blackwell (82.1%) and Crowl (74.2%).

Add Hunter, who converted 78.6% in his last healthy season, and new guard John Tonje, who converted 81.5% in his last healthy season, and the Badgers have this covered against the Hoosiers’ lone pair of plus-70% free throw shooters. Edge: Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl (22) rebounds the ball against Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ty Rodgers (20) during the first half at the Kohl Center. / Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

• Inside scoring – Wisconsin will hold their own in the paint. Crowl, a 7-footer, will be one of the few Big Ten centers that Oumar Ballo will find challenging to move around. Crowl’s issue is scoring consistency. Blackwell isn’t a post player, but he’s a good finisher at the rim. Wisconsin also hopes 6-11 Nolan Winter becomes more of a presence and that Missouri transfer Tonje, who missed nearly all of the 2024 season with a foot injury, does as well.

Wisconsin won’t be bad, but they can’t match what Reneau (15.4 ppg) and Ballo (12.9 ppg) bring to the game for the Hoosiers. Edge: Indiana.

• Perimeter shooting – With Blackwell (45.5%), Crowl (44.8%) and Klesmit (39.8%), the Badgers retained their best 3-point shooting options from 2024. Indiana knows all about Klesmit after he made 5 of 7 from long range in a 26-point effort in a 91-79 Wisconsin win in Madison last season. Hunter and Tonje are passable 3-point shooters, too. Indiana should be better than it was in 2024 on the arc, but the Badgers have a bit more in the tank. Edge: Wisconsin.

• Rebounding – Crowl (7.3 rpg) is an established standout on the glass, but Wisconsin doesn’t have much proven rebounding production from anyone else. Winter should fill the role, and Blackwell will likely increase his average with more playing time, but Ballo (10.1 rpg at Arizona) and Reneau (6 rpg) have more of a track record. Edge: Indiana.

• Perimeter defense – The loss of Hepburn hurts as he averaged 2.1 steals for the Badgers. Wisconsin retained guard Kamari McGee, who played in a reserve role but was the Badgers’ best defender in advanced metrics. Overall, Wisconsin finished last in Big Ten 3-point defense in conference games in 2024. Indiana was third, with most of the components back for more in 2024. Edge: Indiana.

• Defense at the rim – Crowl is big but not really a shot blocker as he averaged just a half-block per game. Ballo, on the other hand, swatted 1.2 per game at Arizona, and his bulk will make him tough to get around. Edge: Indiana.

• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.

Indiana’s six-pack of Ballo, Carlyle, Galloway, Mgbako, Reneau and Rice are hard to top. Wisconsin won’t overcome them with Crowl and Klesmit being their only plus-25-minute Power Five players. Edge: Indiana.

Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) talks to Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during the second half at McKale Center. / Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images

• Intangibles – Both teams are working in new players, but even where Indiana has new players it has experienced players behind them or proven production from others playing similar roles  – such as Reneau’s scoring prowess in the paint if Ballo isn’t on his game. Wisconsin can’t claim the same in all of the same places. Whether the Badgers enhance their production level depends on the return to health of Hunter and Tonje. Edge: Indiana.

• Verdict – Indiana’s 7-2 edge reflects the quality of players Mike Woodson has added to the Hoosiers. Indiana should be able to match up well with Wisconsin nearly everywhere on the floor. That’s how it looks on paper. Whether it works that way in practice – Indiana has famously struggled against the Badgers in the 21st Century – remains to be seen.

Previous Is Indiana Better Than Men's Basketball Results

Oregon – Indiana 7-2.

Rutgers – Indiana 7-2.

Maryland – Indiana 6-3.

USC – Indiana 6-3.

Penn State - Indiana 5-4.

Minnesota - Indiana 6-3.

Michigan - Indiana 6-3.

UCLA - UCLA 5-4.

Ohio State - Indiana 7-2.

Iowa - Indiana 5-4.

Michigan State - Indiana 5-4.

Washington - Indiana 8-1.

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