Photo by: Darren Lee
Lucas: Unsung heroes have Badgers still playing
March 20, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Mike Lucas
Hepburn scored 27 in win over Liberty, but Klesmit and Gilmore deserve shine
BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. – When Carter Gilmore re-entered the game – subbing for Steven Crowl in a defense for offense exchange – he processed the score (Wisconsin led 73-71), the time remaining (24 seconds) and the available Liberty options (all revolving around freeing up guard Darius McGhee).
"Obviously, coach put me in there for defense and we knew that we were going to switch one through five at the end," Gilmore said of the conventional strategy that Greg Gard has frequently employed in late game situations the last two seasons. "My guy set a ball screen right away …"
That meant a defensive switch with the 6-7 Gilmore isolated on the 5-9 McGhee.
"Definitely no 3's," Gilmore was thinking to himself. "I'm going to make him drive."
Easier said than done. Or executed against a skilled playmaker like McGhee who had 31 points.
"He's an old, savvy player," said Max Klesmit who had guarded McGhee most of the game.
It certainly factored into Gilmore's thinking. Among many other things about the 23-year old McGhee who was appearing in his 168th career game for Liberty. During his illustrious career, he had accounted for 2,685 points, including 528 triples. He has been a matchup nightmare for everyone.
"I was waiting for him to do a step-back," Gilmore shared of his thought process. "I know with my length going on him, he was going to try and create a little space. So, I was trying to sit on the step-back. But I could tell that he was a little indecisive on whether he wanted a 3 or a 2 so that helped.
"Eventually, he drove it and went up for a shot and I just had to contest then. I was lucky enough to slide my feet and stay in front of him – wall-up – something we practice. And that's why coach put me in there." In the very next breath, he reiterated, "I was lucky enough to get a stop this time."
Gilmore forced a tough shot that McGhee missed. Klesmit grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled with six seconds left. At the other end, he stepped to the line and knocked down both free throws – the punctuation mark on Wisconsin's 75-71 win over Liberty Sunday at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers will now carry the momentum from winning back-to-back NIT games – the first time they've won two in a row since beating Western Michigan and Minnesota in late December/early January – into the tournament's third round and a Tuesday night encounter with Oregon in Eugene.
"We're still playing basketball in March," enthused Chucky Hepburn who scored a career-high 27 points and was motivated, in part, for a dual because of McGhee's shot-making ability. Call it gamesmanship. "You love to play against players like that because you know it's going to be a battle."
Gilmore couldn't say enough about battling McGhee. Or the pressure he put on a defense.
"That was one of the best players we've played all year for sure," Gilmore said. "It's just how they get him in space with these high ball screens and you've got to guard him all the way to halfcourt. When you've got range like that and you've got that speed and athleticism, it's definitely hard to guard."
But Gard felt like he had the right guy in that potential scenario – to guard McGhee on a switch.
"We wanted to go smaller knowing that was probably going to happen," Gard explained afterwards. "And he (Gilmore) did a terrific job of keeping him in front of him as much as he could and, then, when he got to the rim, he jump-walled him and made him have to come through a body."
Gilmore played 23 minutes. He missed his only shot. But he had a block and five rebounds. "Gilly has been an invaluable piece to our team," Gard said. "He probably doesn't get the credit from the outside world that he deserves because his numbers don't jump off at you on his stat sheet.
"They don't have a stat for that (contesting McGhee). But that was a big play for us."
If anyone can relate to Gilmore's profile – performing in the shadows of others – its Klesmit, the fifth-leading scorer among Wisconsin's starters. There have been just so many different ways that he has been able to impact an outcome with his play on defense or timely baskets on offense.
In addition, Klesmit has regularly been entrusted with guarding the opponent's top scorer. It was no different Sunday with McGhee – until Klesmit got into early foul trouble. He wound up logging just 7:33 in the first half. He took a seat on the bench without having even attempted at least one shot.
"The biggest thing is trying to stay involved in the game on the bench," said Klesmit, the Neenah native and Wofford transfer. "You try to be a little bit of a coach to keep yourself engaged – obviously while keeping others engaged and helping out other guys on the floor.
"I'm trying to be vocal from the bench … and staying ready to go for the second half."
It didn't take long for McGhee to earn Klesmit's respect. "He was really good at little hand battles," he said. "So when he would get rid of the ball, he'd be able to throw me off in a certain direction without the refs seeing it. As small as he was, he was really fast and pretty quick.
"Almost lightning fast. Kamari (McGee) did a really good job of containing him when he came in the first half and made his life more difficult. Chucky was on him for a few possessions in the second half as well. It was a collective team effort to try and slow him down. You can't stop a guy like that."
McGhee has been held under 10 points only twice this season while averaging 22.6. In early February, he had 43 against Kennesaw State, the fourth 40-point-plus game of his career. During warmups, he was effortless in making shots from the motion-W logo at center court in the Kohl Center.
"His body control is amazing – I know I contested him vertically on one of his shots and he made it – I didn't know what else to do," Hepburn said, shrugging. "I just tried to stick to the game plan. Not get too extended but also get up and pressure him because we know he has unlimited range."
Late in Sunday's game, it was Klesmit who revealed his range. With 2:09 remaining, and the Badgers trailing 67-65, he made a 3-pointer, the first of the day for Wisconsin after 14 misses. "Looking back at it," he said, "it was kind of like, 'Wow, that was the only one we hit?'
"Obviously, I'm glad that went in at that time of the game."
Liberty summarily regained the lead, 69-68, on a McGhee drive and score. Now it was Hepburn's turn to counter punch. Throughout the game, Hepburn had exploited the Flames defense and their undersized guards. Besides the 5-9 McGhee, they started 5-9 Colin Porter, a true freshman.
"I realized they had smaller guards," Hepburn said. "I knew they couldn't stay in front of me."
In an attempt to get the ball out of Hepburn's hands, he was fouled by Blake Preston on a hard hedge with 1:29 remaining. Hepburn made both free throws, his eighth and ninth in 11 attempts. Wisconsin's lead was temporary, though. Zach Cleveland scored at the rim and Liberty led 71-70.
With 48 seconds left, Gard called a timeout and designed a play for Klesmit. It was the same action that the Badgers had run in the closing seconds of a home loss to Rutgers. This time, Klesmit drove into the paint and finished with a left-handed shot high off the glass against Cleveland.
"My biggest thing was to get it above the rim to where maybe it can bounce off on the other side and Steve-oh (Crowl) or Tyler (Wahl) could try tipping it in." Klesmit admitted. "Obviously, I was trying to make the shot as well … but if anything I wanted to miss long in that situation.
"It happened to go in and we got a few stops at the end when it mattered."
There was never any doubt in Hepburn's mind that Klesmit would make something happen.
"I knew the Liberty team was kind of looking for me to go and kind of attack," Hepburn said. "And I knew Max would be able to create some type of shot – just because it's Max. We all have trust in him and the confidence in him … for him to do that … We all believe in him."
The Badgers have had their share of close calls. "We kind of expect them at this point," Hepburn said of yet another game that was determined in the final possessions. "We have to play to the end. That's why I love this team. We were down … but we persevered and believed in each other."
A Kohl Center crowd of 10,436 seemed to believe, too, given the noise level in the venue.
"The energy that they had made it one of the best atmospheres that we've seen all year," Gilmore said. "As a player, it just makes it all the more fun to play in there. Obviously, we're not in the (NCAA) tournament. But we're going to try and do our best to win this (NIT).
"And hopefully next year, we'll give these fans something more to cheer about."
Hepburn was in full agreement with Gilmore on the support. He also cited the importance of making the most out of the NIT opportunity. "Games like this are very important, especially going into next year," Hepburn said, "because I believe this will be a very good team if we can keep our core guys."
One of the core contributors is Klesmit who was delighted to finally win back-to-back games. "It has been awhile and it feels good," he said. "We know we have a lot more work to do. We're in it to win this thing. It's a good feeling to have a little momentum now going into this next one …"
That would be Tuesday at Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks are winning but wounded. They beat UC-Irvine and UCF to advance in the NIT. But they did so without their top three scorers: N'Faly Dante (13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds), Jermaine Couisnard (12.8) and Will Richardson (12.2).
Of the three, only Richardson has been ruled out for the rest of the season. Head coach Dana Altman indicted that the 6-11, 255-pound Dante (ankle) and the 6-4, 210-pound Couisnard (shoulder) could be available to play against the Badgers. Both are key veterans and senior pieces for Altman.
In their absence, Nate Biddle, a 7-foot, 215-pound sophomore, has upped his production. He scored what was then a career-high 17 points against UC-Irvine last Wednesday – helping avenge an early season loss to the Anteaters in Eugene – and then added 21 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday.
The Ducks frustrated UCF with their defensive intensity by limiting the Knights to just 19 makes out of 62 shots (.306) from the field, and 5-of-30 from beyond the 3-point arc. Besides Biddle's breakout game, Oregon also got 16 points from Quincy Guerrier and 11 from Kel'el Ware, another 7-footer.
The last time the Ducks and the Badgers met was in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament in San Jose, Calif. As the No. 12 seed, Oregon upset Wisconsin, 72-54, behind Payton Pritchard's 19 points. Prior to that meeting, the UW beat the Ducks in each of its Final Four runs.
"They're a proud program, a lot of tradition," Altman told The Register-Guard.
Some of that pride has emerged this season in an unexpected setting, the NIT.
The caveat? "We're still playing basketball," Hepburn emphasized.
One of only two Big Ten teams, at that, along with Michigan State, still playing in March.
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. – When Carter Gilmore re-entered the game – subbing for Steven Crowl in a defense for offense exchange – he processed the score (Wisconsin led 73-71), the time remaining (24 seconds) and the available Liberty options (all revolving around freeing up guard Darius McGhee).
"Obviously, coach put me in there for defense and we knew that we were going to switch one through five at the end," Gilmore said of the conventional strategy that Greg Gard has frequently employed in late game situations the last two seasons. "My guy set a ball screen right away …"
That meant a defensive switch with the 6-7 Gilmore isolated on the 5-9 McGhee.
"Definitely no 3's," Gilmore was thinking to himself. "I'm going to make him drive."
Easier said than done. Or executed against a skilled playmaker like McGhee who had 31 points.
"He's an old, savvy player," said Max Klesmit who had guarded McGhee most of the game.
It certainly factored into Gilmore's thinking. Among many other things about the 23-year old McGhee who was appearing in his 168th career game for Liberty. During his illustrious career, he had accounted for 2,685 points, including 528 triples. He has been a matchup nightmare for everyone.
"I was waiting for him to do a step-back," Gilmore shared of his thought process. "I know with my length going on him, he was going to try and create a little space. So, I was trying to sit on the step-back. But I could tell that he was a little indecisive on whether he wanted a 3 or a 2 so that helped.
"Eventually, he drove it and went up for a shot and I just had to contest then. I was lucky enough to slide my feet and stay in front of him – wall-up – something we practice. And that's why coach put me in there." In the very next breath, he reiterated, "I was lucky enough to get a stop this time."
Gilmore forced a tough shot that McGhee missed. Klesmit grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled with six seconds left. At the other end, he stepped to the line and knocked down both free throws – the punctuation mark on Wisconsin's 75-71 win over Liberty Sunday at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers will now carry the momentum from winning back-to-back NIT games – the first time they've won two in a row since beating Western Michigan and Minnesota in late December/early January – into the tournament's third round and a Tuesday night encounter with Oregon in Eugene.
On, Wisconsin to the quarterfinals
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 20, 2023
Road test up next on Tuesday#OnWisconsin x #NIT2023 pic.twitter.com/uqzTzgMnPP
"We're still playing basketball in March," enthused Chucky Hepburn who scored a career-high 27 points and was motivated, in part, for a dual because of McGhee's shot-making ability. Call it gamesmanship. "You love to play against players like that because you know it's going to be a battle."
Gilmore couldn't say enough about battling McGhee. Or the pressure he put on a defense.
"That was one of the best players we've played all year for sure," Gilmore said. "It's just how they get him in space with these high ball screens and you've got to guard him all the way to halfcourt. When you've got range like that and you've got that speed and athleticism, it's definitely hard to guard."
But Gard felt like he had the right guy in that potential scenario – to guard McGhee on a switch.
"We wanted to go smaller knowing that was probably going to happen," Gard explained afterwards. "And he (Gilmore) did a terrific job of keeping him in front of him as much as he could and, then, when he got to the rim, he jump-walled him and made him have to come through a body."
Gilmore played 23 minutes. He missed his only shot. But he had a block and five rebounds. "Gilly has been an invaluable piece to our team," Gard said. "He probably doesn't get the credit from the outside world that he deserves because his numbers don't jump off at you on his stat sheet.
"They don't have a stat for that (contesting McGhee). But that was a big play for us."
If anyone can relate to Gilmore's profile – performing in the shadows of others – its Klesmit, the fifth-leading scorer among Wisconsin's starters. There have been just so many different ways that he has been able to impact an outcome with his play on defense or timely baskets on offense.
In addition, Klesmit has regularly been entrusted with guarding the opponent's top scorer. It was no different Sunday with McGhee – until Klesmit got into early foul trouble. He wound up logging just 7:33 in the first half. He took a seat on the bench without having even attempted at least one shot.
"The biggest thing is trying to stay involved in the game on the bench," said Klesmit, the Neenah native and Wofford transfer. "You try to be a little bit of a coach to keep yourself engaged – obviously while keeping others engaged and helping out other guys on the floor.
"I'm trying to be vocal from the bench … and staying ready to go for the second half."
It didn't take long for McGhee to earn Klesmit's respect. "He was really good at little hand battles," he said. "So when he would get rid of the ball, he'd be able to throw me off in a certain direction without the refs seeing it. As small as he was, he was really fast and pretty quick.
"Almost lightning fast. Kamari (McGee) did a really good job of containing him when he came in the first half and made his life more difficult. Chucky was on him for a few possessions in the second half as well. It was a collective team effort to try and slow him down. You can't stop a guy like that."
McGhee has been held under 10 points only twice this season while averaging 22.6. In early February, he had 43 against Kennesaw State, the fourth 40-point-plus game of his career. During warmups, he was effortless in making shots from the motion-W logo at center court in the Kohl Center.
"His body control is amazing – I know I contested him vertically on one of his shots and he made it – I didn't know what else to do," Hepburn said, shrugging. "I just tried to stick to the game plan. Not get too extended but also get up and pressure him because we know he has unlimited range."
Late in Sunday's game, it was Klesmit who revealed his range. With 2:09 remaining, and the Badgers trailing 67-65, he made a 3-pointer, the first of the day for Wisconsin after 14 misses. "Looking back at it," he said, "it was kind of like, 'Wow, that was the only one we hit?'
Seven points for @maxkle2 yesterday
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 20, 2023
All 7 in the final 2:09 of the game
Klutch Klesmit ™ pic.twitter.com/md5j8QYTWY
"Obviously, I'm glad that went in at that time of the game."
Liberty summarily regained the lead, 69-68, on a McGhee drive and score. Now it was Hepburn's turn to counter punch. Throughout the game, Hepburn had exploited the Flames defense and their undersized guards. Besides the 5-9 McGhee, they started 5-9 Colin Porter, a true freshman.
"I realized they had smaller guards," Hepburn said. "I knew they couldn't stay in front of me."
In an attempt to get the ball out of Hepburn's hands, he was fouled by Blake Preston on a hard hedge with 1:29 remaining. Hepburn made both free throws, his eighth and ninth in 11 attempts. Wisconsin's lead was temporary, though. Zach Cleveland scored at the rim and Liberty led 71-70.
With 48 seconds left, Gard called a timeout and designed a play for Klesmit. It was the same action that the Badgers had run in the closing seconds of a home loss to Rutgers. This time, Klesmit drove into the paint and finished with a left-handed shot high off the glass against Cleveland.
"My biggest thing was to get it above the rim to where maybe it can bounce off on the other side and Steve-oh (Crowl) or Tyler (Wahl) could try tipping it in." Klesmit admitted. "Obviously, I was trying to make the shot as well … but if anything I wanted to miss long in that situation.
"It happened to go in and we got a few stops at the end when it mattered."
There was never any doubt in Hepburn's mind that Klesmit would make something happen.
"I knew the Liberty team was kind of looking for me to go and kind of attack," Hepburn said. "And I knew Max would be able to create some type of shot – just because it's Max. We all have trust in him and the confidence in him … for him to do that … We all believe in him."
The Badgers have had their share of close calls. "We kind of expect them at this point," Hepburn said of yet another game that was determined in the final possessions. "We have to play to the end. That's why I love this team. We were down … but we persevered and believed in each other."
A Kohl Center crowd of 10,436 seemed to believe, too, given the noise level in the venue.
"The energy that they had made it one of the best atmospheres that we've seen all year," Gilmore said. "As a player, it just makes it all the more fun to play in there. Obviously, we're not in the (NCAA) tournament. But we're going to try and do our best to win this (NIT).
"And hopefully next year, we'll give these fans something more to cheer about."
Hepburn was in full agreement with Gilmore on the support. He also cited the importance of making the most out of the NIT opportunity. "Games like this are very important, especially going into next year," Hepburn said, "because I believe this will be a very good team if we can keep our core guys."
One of the core contributors is Klesmit who was delighted to finally win back-to-back games. "It has been awhile and it feels good," he said. "We know we have a lot more work to do. We're in it to win this thing. It's a good feeling to have a little momentum now going into this next one …"
That would be Tuesday at Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks are winning but wounded. They beat UC-Irvine and UCF to advance in the NIT. But they did so without their top three scorers: N'Faly Dante (13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds), Jermaine Couisnard (12.8) and Will Richardson (12.2).
Of the three, only Richardson has been ruled out for the rest of the season. Head coach Dana Altman indicted that the 6-11, 255-pound Dante (ankle) and the 6-4, 210-pound Couisnard (shoulder) could be available to play against the Badgers. Both are key veterans and senior pieces for Altman.
In their absence, Nate Biddle, a 7-foot, 215-pound sophomore, has upped his production. He scored what was then a career-high 17 points against UC-Irvine last Wednesday – helping avenge an early season loss to the Anteaters in Eugene – and then added 21 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday.
The Ducks frustrated UCF with their defensive intensity by limiting the Knights to just 19 makes out of 62 shots (.306) from the field, and 5-of-30 from beyond the 3-point arc. Besides Biddle's breakout game, Oregon also got 16 points from Quincy Guerrier and 11 from Kel'el Ware, another 7-footer.
The last time the Ducks and the Badgers met was in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament in San Jose, Calif. As the No. 12 seed, Oregon upset Wisconsin, 72-54, behind Payton Pritchard's 19 points. Prior to that meeting, the UW beat the Ducks in each of its Final Four runs.
"They're a proud program, a lot of tradition," Altman told The Register-Guard.
Some of that pride has emerged this season in an unexpected setting, the NIT.
The caveat? "We're still playing basketball," Hepburn emphasized.
One of only two Big Ten teams, at that, along with Michigan State, still playing in March.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballPostgame Media Conference vs Campbell || Wisconsin Basketball || Nov. 3, 2025
Monday, November 03
Highlights vs Campbell || Wisconsin Basketball || Nov. 3, 2025
Monday, November 03
Postgame Media Conference vs UW-Platteville || Wisconsin Basketball || Oct. 29, 2025
Wednesday, October 29
Wisconsin Men's Basketball || All Access || Episode 2
Friday, October 24
