Gard Expecting More from Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter
MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard routinely tells reporters he wants to study the tape before fully diving into certain topics on postgame Zoom calls. It’s a fair response, considering the sixth-year head coach tries to be forthright in his assessment of how events unfolded.
However, Gard didn’t need to review film to know that his two senior forwards – Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter – have to be much tougher if the Badgers are going to salvage their season and make a postseason run.
In front of a national television audience Sunday, Reuvers and Potter wilted down the stretch by securing zero rebounds in a 67-59 defeat to No.3 Michigan that effectively ended the Badgers’ conference title hopes.
There are many reasons why Wisconsin – which remained at No.21 in Monday’s AP poll – is falling well short of its preseason goals. The Badgers (15-7, 9-6 Big Ten) have alternated wins and losses over the last eight games, victimized by inconsistent 3-point shooting, sporadic post defense and waning energy from the bench, all issues that contributed to them losing a 14-point lead over the weekend.
However, having Reuvers and Potter deliver a statistical anomaly in a combined 40 minutes on the floor didn’t help matters. Not having one starter get a rebound is an oddity for Wisconsin, let alone a team’s two primary post players. The Badgers have had all five starters get at least one rebound in 27 of the last 29 games. The last time two starters didn’t get a rebound was in February 2019, a span of 65 games.
The last time a starting forward didn’t get a rebound? Reuvers – then a sophomore - didn’t grab a rebound in the second game of the 2018 season, a streak of 85 straight games that broke Sunday. Asked if Reuvers and Potter need to do a better job protecting the glass, Gard was blunt.
“Yes,” he said. “Absolutely. We need multiple rebounds from each of them.”
The inability for Reuvers, Potter or their teammates to grab one away from Michigan freshman forward Hunter Dickinson down the stretch was a gut punch.
The Badgers were up 53-50 with 6 minutes, 45 seconds remaining when Dickinson collected a miss, extending the possession to allow Isaiah Livers to drive past Potter for an easy basket. Two possessions later, Dickinson secured a miss and converted two free throws to give the Wolverines their first lead since early in the first half.
Three possessions after that, Dickinson grabbed an offensive board and fed Livers for a 3-pointer from the left wing that put the Wolverines in front 59-57 with 2:46 left. On the next offensive possession, Dickinson’s putback with 1:52 left gave Michigan the lead for good.
“Those are big times of the game where we did a good job forcing a miss, but we have to finish the possession,” forward Aleem Ford said, who was averaging 4.2 rebounds but only had two against Michigan. “Obviously they were very important possessions.”
Potter and Reuvers combined for only two points on nine shots in the second half, as Wisconsin shot 25.0 percent from the field and averaged 0.59 points per possession.
Dickinson on the other hand finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds, and Michigan turned his four offensive boards into nine second-chance points over the final 6:28.
“He’s a load,” Gard said of him. “He’s skilled, he’s got great footwork, great balance, he’s big and strong and he’s got a nose for the ball. He plays how you want your post players to play.”
It was a subtle, yet deserved dig by Gard. Considering what is upcoming, the uncharacteristic response from him was warranted.
No.11 Iowa (15-6, 9-5) enters Thursday's game at the Kohl Center as the top rebounding team in the conference (40.9 per game) and second-best offensive rebounding team (12.3) largely due to reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza. Returning for his senior season after averaging 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds as a junior, Garza is averaging 24.5 points and 8.4 rebounds this season with nine double-doubles and 14 20-point games.
However, the Hawkeyes are more than a one-man wrecking crew. Garza had a season-low eight points Saturday, but Iowa hit 13 3-pointers in an 88-58 blowout at Michigan State. Sophomore forward Joe Lunge – who had a combined six points his previous two games – had 18 points and 11 rebounds. On Monday, junior Joe Wieskamp was named Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last week.
After finishing fifth nationally last year in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom, the Hawkeyes are No.1 in the country in that category by averaging 127.6 points per 100 possessions.
“You got to play a full 40 minutes against really good teams,” Gard said. “We’re not at the point where we’re doing that. So, we’ve got to continue to look at those things that prevent us from completing games, improve upon it and then get ready for the next one.”
Author's Note: This story has been updated after a stats error was pointed out in the fifth paragraph.