The Wisconsin Badgers had an exhibition game against UW-Platteville that was very similar to their exhibition game against UW-River Falls last season. In the sense that many Badger fans are nervous now heading into the season. Yet, two weeks later, that Badger team went on to beat Arizona. This is why you have exhibitions: to knock the dust off, get your playing legs under you again, and, of course, develop the chemistry a team needs to succeed.
Knocking the dust off is exactly what this year's exhibition win over UW-Platteville looked like. Especially shooting the basketball. The Badgers went 27-57 from the field and a terrible 9-19 from the free-throw line.
Nolan Winter was the best Badger from the floor with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Yet, he was miserable from the stripe, going 0-4. He may have been able to knock them down around the rim and hit one from deep, but it was rough at the line. He addressed this and the team's struggle shooting in a post-game interview.
"It happens, I guess. You just have to move on; we can't get into our own heads. We've made those a million times, so it's more muscle memory than getting in your own head and overthinking it. I'm not too worried about it; it is what it is, and we will all move on as a team. "Nolan Winter
Wisconsin is now done with the exhibitions and the real season starts next week
Related: Last year's strength for Wisconsin basketball is this year's biggest question mark
The Badgers won 69-53, but it was pretty forgettable, and, as Winter said, they will look to move on. For now, the games count. The two exhibitions were warmups, helpful scrimmages against real opponents, but now the games matter.
The good news is that the new teammates and starting five for the Badgers continue to sync up and learn each other. They have four opponents to start the season that will help them get fully ready for the brutal stretch at the end of November.
The first real game of the season is against Campbell at the Kohl Center on November 3 at 7pm on Big Ten+.