The Wisconsin Badgers take on the Penn State Nittany Lions today in the Kohl Center at noon CT. Before the game begins, there will be Senior Day festivities in which all the seniors will be honored before the arriving crowd. For players who have poured their hearts into Wisconsin basketball, like Carter Gilmore and Max Klesmit, it's a big deal, but even for others who have only been in Madison a short time, like John Tonje, it's important.
However, for Max Klesmit, it's a bit more frustrating. He can take part in the celebration and be honored, but he is unable to play due to injury. This update is bad news for both Max and Wisconsin.
Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit will miss the game today against Penn State, per a spokesman. He is expected to be cleared and play in the Big Ten Tournament. pic.twitter.com/2llGgTKByA
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 8, 2025
Max Klesmit will miss the Penn State game due to injury and his timeline is still uncertain
Klesmit will certainly miss today's game against Penn State, but his timeline remains a bit uncertain. There are hopes that he can use this final game of rest and then be good to go for any Big Ten and NCAA tournament run. However, nothing definitive has come from head coach Greg Gard or Wisconsin athletics about his upcoming availability.
This isn't good news. While the Badger should still be able to cruise to victory against the Nittany Lions, he is a glue player that provides a ton of run on both the defensive and offensive ends of the floor. His inability to go during the Michigan State game was what many pointed to as one of the major reasons the Badgers couldn't pull it off.
It's also a bummer for Max as his last game in Kohl Center won't be senior night. It was a frustrating win over Washington, in which Klesmit was dealing with the injury he is now being held out for. Klesmit misses that final curtain call for a guy who deserves it. The good news is that Wisconsin fans will travel and ensure he is well loved in the NCAA tournament games.