MADISON, Wis. – Needing to replace a host of seniors, starters, and rotational players, Wisconsin basketball shocked the Big Ten by shunning a predicted 10th-place finish to win a share of the 2021-22 conference title. A year later, in a virtually similar predicament, what will the Badgers do for an encore?

While the departure of All-American Johnny Davis and super seniors Brad Davison and Chris Vogt leaves large shoes to fill, the Badgers have three veteran starters to build around with a host of young talent, not to mention adding two guards with starting experience from the transfer portal. It leads many to believe the Badgers will surpass their projected ninth-place finish in the same preseason poll that massively undervalued them a year ago.

In advance of Sunday’s exhibition game against UW-Eau Claire and the season opener against South Dakota on November 7, BadgerBlitz.com takes a three-part look at the Badgers’ 2022-23 roster. We start our analysis with the projected point guards.

Stepping into the starting role vacated by D’Mitrik Trice, Chucky Hepburn handled the point guard position with a poise and confidence that drew high praise from head coach Greg Gard, his coaches, and his teammates. Starting all 33 games, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener for Wisconsin since 2001, Hepburn averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 assists per game, and 31.0 minutes per game, earning 2022 Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Putting his numbers in perspective, Hepburn’s assist-per-game average was the second-highest for a UW freshman since 2000 (trailing only Davison's 2.5 in 2018) and only four UW true freshmen averaged more points per game than him since 2000: Devin Harris (12.3 in 2002), Davison (12.1 in 2018), Alando Tucker (12.0 in 2003), and Sam Dekker (9.6 in 2013). His finest performance was his career-high 17 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to clinch the Big Ten regular season title for Wisconsin against No. 8 Purdue.

One of Hepburn’s primary backups will be senior Jahcobi Neath. Battling through a patella tendon tear through most of last season, Neath’s health and limited availability held him to 9.7 minutes, 1.6 points, and 1.5 rebounds in 23 games. He has successful surgery to repair the injury in April and was fully cleared to workouts in September.

While likely to see more time at the two guard, sophomore Kamari McGee brings depth to the position after a lack thereof contributed to Wisconsin’s downfall in the NCAA Tournament. Transferring from Green Bay after being named to the 2021-22 Horizon League All-Freshman Team last season, McGee played in 30 games (20 starts) for the Phoenix and was the team’s leading scorer with 11.6 points per game.

For as solid of a tear Davis was on last season, the sophomore All-American made it hard at times for others to get shots consistently. Davis had 492 attempts last season, 130 more than Davison in second place. Considering both of those players are playing professionally, there are 854 shots available for the taking.

Hepburn filled a lot of gaps for Wisconsin last season with his ability to be a tenacious defender on the perimeter (36 steals) and possess a steady presence with the ball in his hands (team-high 77 assists to only 39 turnovers). The one thing he wasn’t asked to do was to carry the scoring burden, something he did in high school on his way to being Nebraska Player of the Year.

“To take the keys like he did last year, be a starter as a true freshman, specifically at the point guard position, I thought he was so even-keeled and so calm, yet competed at a high level,” Gard said. “He's in a much different role this year with Brad and Johnny moving on. So now he's more -- not only in terms of what happens on the court but the voice in the locker room, he has a bigger piece of that.”

“He’s very comfortable and I think he’s gotten better from a vocal standpoint of really approaching guys, by how he’s changed his body and how he’s worked and done a good job of leading by example … I’ve always felt that leadership has to be organic. I can’t force it and they have to find their voice. He’s done a better job of learning and growing into that as time has gone on.”

One noticeable difference last year with Hepburn on the floor was the Badgers played with a quicker pace than the patient/lumbering style of past years. With Hepburn running the offense, according to KenPom, the Badgers finished the season ranked 215th in adjusted tempo. It was the first time in the last 15 seasons the Badgers didn’t rank in the 300s in that category. UW’s roster makeup (only five listed forwards) allows them to have a similar makeup this season.

Building muscle and strength in the offseason, Hepburn gave a snippet of what he can do offensively during this month’s Red-White Scrimmage, scoring 12 points by utilizing his step-back jump shot, a willingness to attack the rim, and tap into his post up. He finished 6-for-9 from the floor and put up that point total without hitting a 3-pointer, a spot where he finished 34.8 percent last year.

“Chucky is great,” senior Tyler Wahl said. “I’m excited for what he has to bring this season. I know he has a great summer, great fall. He works really hard. He’s a great kid, and I’m really excited (because) he has an opportunity with Johnny, Brad, and Chris leaving (with) a lot more points, a lot more minutes to be spread around.”

When I asked Gard about his confidence with the position outside Hepburn, he responded with McGee’s name, adding that the Badgers recruited the six-foot sophomore transfer from Green Bay for that reason.

Named to the Horizon League's All-Freshman Team, McGee started the final 20 games for the Phoenix. He was the team's leading scorer (11.6 points and 1.9 assists per game), averaged 17.6 points (50.7% FG) in his final five games of the season, and recorded four 20+ points performances. In Tuesday’s practice, McGee was the point guard for one of UW’s two scout teams and was clearly the vocal leader of the group.

During Sunday’s closed scrimmage, Gard said McGee played better as the game wore on, being more instinctual in the second half by diving on the floor for loose balls, fighting through ball screens, and getting into players defensively.

McGee told me that he hasn’t thought about his role or his on-court position with the roster, only that he’s focused on getting himself and his teammates better, but there’s no debate that he’s blended in naturally.

“I definitely got comfortable quickly,” McGee said. “That France trip was a big part of it, too, being with the guys every day. We had extra practices over the summer because of the trip, so that definitely helped with the chemistry and me being comfortable with the new program.”

Outside of McGee, junior Max Klesmit – transferring this offseason from Wofford - has the potential to help at the point because, as Gard said, he’s “tough, smart, and makes good decisions.” Sophomore guard Isaac Lindsey – who transferred last season from UNLV - could also be used in a pinch, as he handled point guard duties at times during the offseason and on the team’s foreign trip to France in August.

Even with Hepburn on the floor, McGee could see time at the two guard if Wisconsin wants to attempt to lock down a team defensively.

“If we want to eat some teams up, put us at the one and two,” McGee said. “I don’t care if I’m off-ball (or) on-ball, I’ll do whatever it takes to win. Wherever Coach has me, if me and Chuck are in together, let’s do it. We can eat teams up. We can speed teams up, whatever the case may be. If you want the best defenders out there, I’m down for it.”

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