The Swing: A Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Podcast

Connor Essegian is in the transfer portal. Zach and Jesse discuss that news, while also diving into what went wrong against JMU, the uncertainty around AJ Storr, the transfer portal, what success should look like under Greg Gard and more. 

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The Badgers know their opening round opponent in the NCAAs. Zach and Jesse talk about the game against James Madison, but also look back at a great performance by the team in Minneapolis and what it means for them in the Big Dance. They close by answering some of your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin closed out its conference schedule with a loss at Purdue to finish 19-12. Zach and Jesse discuss whether the regular season was a success, takeaways from the Rutgers and Purdue game, the Badgers chances at the Big Ten Tournament and the guys answer some Twitter questions. 

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Former Badgers great Josh Gasser joins the show to talk about his career at Wisconsin, the two runs to the Final Four, his take on this year's team and Greg Gard's job status. Zach and Jesse also talk about where Wisconsin sits in NCAA tourney projections, the importance of a win over Rutgers and Howard Moore's emotional return to the Kohl Center.

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Wisconsin closed the month of February with a loss at Indiana. Zach and Jesse talk about whether it was the worst month for the team, the fire alarm that led to a 25-minute delay in Bloomington, whether the Badgers are in for a short March, Greg Gard's performance and discussion on Bo Ryan's Hall of Fame candidacy. 

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Wisconsin won for just a second time in its last seven games. Zach and Jesse talk about the win over Maryland, some lingering concerns and a change in the rotation. Then the guys are joined by former Badgers All-American Jordan Taylor to talk about his time at Wisconsin, in the professional ranks, a fun recruiting story and what he sees from this year's team. 

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Wisconsin has lost four straight game for the first time in six years. Zach and Jesse discuss whether it's time to hit the panic button, the Badgers struggles with turnovers and whether there are any potential fixes to get Wisconsin back to playing the way it was prior to the last two weeks. 

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It was an 0-2 week for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse discuss the two losses, reasons for concern, whether it's too early to push the panic button, Chucky Hepburn's offense and more. 

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Wisconsin kept its winning ways going last week and is now up to No. 6 in the AP poll. Grant Bilse joins Jesse to talk about the defense bouncing back against the Spartans, certain players excelling in focused roles, Tom Izzo comparing Chucky Hepburn to Mateen Cleaves and a fun story Jesse is writing on the Badgers strength coach. 

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Max Klesmit -- one of the hottest shooters in the country -- joins the show (23:42) to talk about his recent tear, what's working so well offensively for the team, the elbow he took to the face vs Indiana, where things have to be cleaned up defensively and more. 

Zach and Jesse also discuss what Klesmit has done the last couple weeks, the importance of the upcoming 4-game stretch, some questions around the defense and more. 

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The Badgers are 5-0 in Big Ten play for the first time in 16 years. Zach and Jesse are joined by assistant Sharif Chambliss to discuss the great start and what's different from last year. The guys also discuss Max Klesmit's big week and debate whether this is Greg Gard's best team. 

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Wisconsin's offense underwent a transformation in the offseason. Zach and Jesse discuss what has changed, why it's working and why it's sustainable. They also chat about Connor Essegian's return to productivity and where the Badgers stand two months out from Selection Sunday

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Zach and Jesse discuss Wisconsin's win over Iowa, including the excitement that AJ Storr brings, two clutch plays from Chucky Hepburn and the Badgers offensive prowess despite not hitting 3-pointers.

Then BadgerExtra's Jim Polzin joins the show to talk about what he's seen from Wisconsin, where the Badgers stand in the Big Ten and whether they could be a team that makes the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. 

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Yes, a pod about Wisconsin basketball starts with discussion on new quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. Then the guys get into some takeaways from a tough outing at Arizona. They also touch on the alternate uniforms the Badgers will wear, and answer questions on John Blackwell being a potential starter, Steven Crowl not shooting open 3-pointers and Carter Gilmore's role on offense.  

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How bout those Badgers?!? Wisconsin opens its three-game gauntlet with two wins. Zach and Jesse look back at the victories over Marquette and Michigan State, discuss what's different about the team from last year in tight games, the impressive offensive rebounding and look ahead to No. 1 Arizona. They also get to questions on Connor Essegian, what expectations should be for the rest of the year and what could limit them from reaching those. 

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The Swing is BACK! Zach and Jesse return for the first show of the fall by talking with freshman guard John Blackwell about his upbringing, the transition to college, his impact on this year's team and more. They also give their early season thoughts on where the team is, the tough schedule they face in the next week and they get to your Twitter questions. 

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The Swing is back to talk about the commitment of 4-star guard Daniel Freitag and what it means for coach Greg Gard and the Badgers. They also dive into the recruitment of other 2024 players, along with a look ahead at what is in store for the 2023-2024 season. 

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The Badgers are still playing in March. They beat Bradley and Liberty to advance in the NIT. Zach and Jesse talk about the big efforts from Steven Crowl and Chucky Hepburn, the great play late from Max Klesmit on Sunday, whether making a run in the NIT is better than losing early in the NCAAs and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Badgers are in the NIT. Zach and Jesse talk about the letdown at the Big Ten Tournament, the importance of the NIT for the program, Greg Gard's future and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin came back to beat Minnesota in a must-win game. Zach and Jesse talk about the win over the Gophers, a little bit on what went wrong against Michigan and Purdue, the matchups at the Big Ten Tournament and the Badgers NCAA Tournament odds. They close by answering your Twitter questions. 

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Zach and Jesse talk about the win over Iowa, the rest of the regular season,  Wisconsin's tournament chances and they answer your Twitter questions. 

They are joined by guard Connor Essegian to discuss his freshman season, his development as a shooter and where the team sits with three games left. OpenLocker CEO Brian Klatsky also jumps on to talk about a new NIL venture called Maddy Baddyz that Essegian and several other Badgers are a part of. 

For more more information on the NIL project visit: Maddy Baddyz 

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The Badgers held on for a much-needed win over Michigan. Zach and Jesse talk about the antics of Hunter Dickinson, another outburst from Juwan Howard, Wisconsin not scoring in the final 10:45, the big night from Connor Essegian and the contributions from Kamari McGee and Carter Gilmore. 

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Welcome back, Tyler Wahl. The Badgers get a massive win on the road at Penn State behind a big effort from Wahl and so many others. Zach and Jesse talk about the performance from the senior forward, the continued strong play from Connor Essegian, Chucky Hepburn's 3-point shooting and the Badgers NCAA tournament chances. They finish by answering your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin hung on to beat Ohio State on Thursday night. Zach and Jesse talk about the great first half, the strong offensive effort from Connor Essegian and Steven Crowl, the ugly final 7:18, Tyler Wahl's struggles and they get into your Twitter questions. 

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It was not a great week for the Badgers as they fall at Northwestern and Maryland. Zach and Jesse talk about what's holding Wisconsin back, discuss the impact of not having Max Klesmit, give their take on some fans wanting a football-like change to the basketball program and they close by answering your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin got back on track with a win over Penn State. Zach and Jesse talk about the return of Tyler Wahl, Connor Essegian getting his first start, the continued strong play of Steven Crowl, the crowd at the Kohl Center and an NCAA Tournament update. 

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A tough week for Wisconsin with a couple of losses without Tyler Wahl in the lineup. Zach and Jesse talk about the impact of not having the senior, some of the positive that could come later on from Wahl's absence and the play of Steven Crowl. Evan Flood from 247Sports joins the show to talk the recruitment of Kon Knueppel, Daniel Freitag, Nick Janowski, Davion Hannah, Kai Rogers and more. We close with a few of your Twitter questions

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The Badgers kept their winning ways going with a 63-60 win over Minnesota. Zach and Jesse talk about Tyler Wahl's injury, Chucky Hepburn's hot shooting and where he ranks among Wisconsin point guards, another strong night from Steven Crowl and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Badgers brushed off a rough first half to win going away against Lehigh. Zach and Jesse talk about Connor Essegian's big contribution in the game and this season, the passing ability of Steven Crowl, whether Tyler Wahl might return for another year and the Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin joins the show. 

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Wisconsin opened the Big Ten season with a pair of impressive wins. Zach and Jesse talk about the fight the team has shown, whether winning games like the Badgers have is sustainable, if expectations have changed after a hot start and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Badgers are off to a nice start to the season. Zach and Jesse get together to talk about Chucky Hepburn's hot shooting, the importance of Steven Crowl, the excitement around Connor Essegian and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Swing is back! Zach and Jesse are joined by Wisconsin coach Greg Gard to preview the season. Among the topics are replacing Johnny Davis and Brad Davison, the emergence of Tyler Wahl and Chucky Hepburn as leaders, the additions of Max Klesmit and Kamari McGee from the transfer portal, the excitement around freshman Connor Essegian and more. The guys also talk about where they see Wisconsin finishing in the Big Ten and whether another trip to the NCAA Tournament is possible. 

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It's time to talk Badgers recruiting. Evan Flood from 247Sports joins to talk Gus Yalden, other potential 2023 commits, where Wisconsin stands with a couple in-state kids in the 2024 class and how NIL is impacting UW's recruiting. 

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Wisconsin's season came to an end on Saturday. The guys recap what went wrong against Iowa State, reflect on what was a successful season and look ahead to what the future holds for the program. 

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It's NCAA Tournament time! The guys talk about Wisconsin's matchup with Colgate, discuss Johnny Davis' struggling against Michigan State, preview the Midwest Region, pick some tournament upsets and give you their Final Fours. 

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A tough afternoon against Nebraska forces the Badgers to settle for a co-Big Ten title. The guys talk about the loss, discuss the impact Johnny Davis' injury, preview the Big Ten Tournament and debate whether the Nebraska game could change Wisconsin's seeding in the NCAA Tournament. 

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Wisconsin claimed at least a share of the Big Ten title. The guys talk about the win over Purdue, the performance from Chucky Hepburn, what it means for the NCAA Tournament, where this title ranks among the more improbable in Badgers history and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin is in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. The guys talk about a pair of impressive road wins, preview Purdue, discuss if this is Greg Gard's best coaching job and more. 

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Wisconsin beats Michigan but it's overshadowed by Juwan Howard's post-game antics. The guys talk about what happened at the end of the game, where the blame sits and potential punishments. They also get into what was a great second half by the Badgers and discuss the NCAA bracket preview. 

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Wisconsin bounced back from an ugly loss to Rutgers with a gritty win at Indiana. The guys talk about the latest outstanding effort from Johnny Davis, the soft flagrant foul on Brad Davison, the lack of bench production and answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Badgers are back in a tie for first place after beating Michigan State. The guys talk about the win at the Breslin Center, Johnny Davis performing like a Player of the Year candidate, are joined by Bart Torvik of T-Rank to discuss why the computers aren't as high on Wisconsin as humans are and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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The Badgers are 17-3. The guys talk about the latest wins over Nebraska and Minnesota, debate whether Johnny Davis is the player of the year in the country, some concerns about the bench, Brad Davison's place in UW history and more. 

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Wisconsin earned two more wins in the last week.

-- Wins over Ohio State and Northwestern

-- Most important player outside of Johnny Davis? (3:14 - 8:01)

-- Northwestern's Chris Collins the latest opponent to take issued with the officiating in a game against the Badgers. (17:22 - 23:35)

-- Would a Big Ten title this year be the most surprising of the Ryan/Gard era? (25:07 - 28:57)

-- Your Twitter questions (30:50 - end of show)

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Wisconsin finished off a 3-0 week in Big Ten play. The guys talk about how whiny Iowa was after the game, Tyler Wahl's huge effort against Maryland, where the Badgers sit two months out from the NCAA Tournament and Lee Sports Wisconsin's Jim Polzin joins the show. 

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Wisconsin earned its biggest win of the year over No. 3 Purdue. The guys talk about the remarkable night from Johnny Davis, his place among the school's best players, whether the win changes their expectations for the season and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin split its two games this week. The guys talk about the improbable comeback against Indiana and the blowout in Columbus. They also talk about Johnny Davis' postgame comments, the Badgers shooting issues and who can benefit most from the three non-conference games coming up. 

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The Badgers are rolling. They've won five straight, including a beatdown of Marquette. The guys talk about everything they've seen in the first month of the season, especially the play of Johnny Davis. They are also joined by senior guard Brad Davison to get his take on what has transpired so far. They close by answering your Twitter questions. 

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The Swing is back for Season 5! The guys talk Chucky Hepburn/Lorne Bowman, what the front court could look like with Chris Vogt, Steven Crowl and Ben Carlson, and whether Johnny Davis is ready to make the Badgers his team. They also chat with Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse talk about Wisconsin landing transfer PG Jahcobi Neath, what the return of Brad Davison means, what kind of impact the incoming freshmen can have next season and what the rotation may look like. 

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On a special March Madness episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse are joined by the Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin and college basketball analytics expert Bart Torvik to help breakdown the bracket, what's gone wrong for Wisconsin this year and what we can expect against North Carolina on Friday. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse breakdown the ridiculous final minute of the Iowa game, discuss Greg Gard calling out the officiating, talk Bo Borowski and Brad Davison, and look ahead to the Big Ten Tournament. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse dissect the good and bad from the last three games, talk about a couple seniors playing better and a couple others that are struggling, where the Badgers stand a couple weeks out from Selection Sunday and discuss the biggest "what if" moments in Wisconsin basketball history. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse talk about the good and bad from a win over Nebraska, Wisconsin's struggles to shoot from the outside, how the Badgers will fare in the final six games of the regular season and more. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse look back at an up and down week for the Badgers, the struggles for consistency on defense, the resurgence of Nate Reuvers and whether Wisconsin can break out of its shooting slump. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse talk about Tyler Wahl's move into the starting lineup and what kind of an impact it has on Nate Reuvers. They discuss Wisconsin's place in the Big Ten and what kind of seed the Badgers could be looking at in the NCAA Tournament. The two also dive into the update on Lorne Bowman's situation and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple are joined by Wisconsin assistant Alando Tucker to discuss his work with D'Mitrik Trice and Tyler Wahl, what his intense conversation with Micah Potter during the Indiana game was about and the progress of freshman Jonathan Davis. 

Zach and Jesse also look back at the Indiana game, talk about the Big Ten race and more. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple discuss what went wrong against Maryland, talk about what went right against Michigan State, look at the Big Ten race and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple recap Wisconsin's blowout of Louisville, discuss whether the Badgers can keep shooting this well from long range, debate whether UW is the most complete team in the Big Ten and they predict what team will win the conference. 

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On our first episode of The Swing this season, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple breakdown what they've seen through the first three games, talk expectations for the rest of the year, are joined by the Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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Wisconsin assistant coach Alando Tucker joins the show to talk about what's going on in society and his role in changing it, his thoughts on pay-for-play and its impact on recruiting, how they plan to deal with sky-high expectations this upcoming season and he recounts some of his favorite moments as a player. 

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On this special episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin looks back at Wisconsin's epic 2015 Final Four win over a 38-0 Kentucky team. 

A number of guests join him to look at it from three different perspectives: 

Those that covered it: The Athletic's Jesse Temple, Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin 

Those that coached in it: Former UW assistant Gary Close 

Those that played in it: Former UW guard Josh Gasser 

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On the season-ending episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple talk about the cancelation of the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament, the potential for next year's team and are joined by now former Wisconsin guard Brevin Pritzl. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple talk about Wisconsin's Big Ten title-clinching victory at Indiana, Greg Gard haters eating crow and how deep the Badgers could go in the NCAA Tournament. 

The guys are also joined by three guests:

Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft

Former Wisconsin guard Josh Gasser 

Former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple talk about the pair of big wins for the Badgers, their chances at a Big Ten title, the various players raising their games to new levels and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple chat with former UW forward Brian Butch, breakdown the win over Rutgers and project where the Badgers will finish in the Big Ten. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple talk about Aleem Ford's big night against Purdue, the remarkable free throw shooting down the stretch, the outlook for the Badgers in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament and also discuss the crowd issues at the Kohl Center. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple look back at another up and down week for the Badgers, discuss the importance of Brevin Pritzl, breakdown where Wisconsin sits in the NCAA tournament picture and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple recap the Badgers win over Michigan State, talk about the Kobe King and Brad Davison situations, and are joined by the Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple discuss Wisconsin's shooting against Nebraska, Micah Potter's defensive issues, predict the number of games the Badgers will win in the regular season and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple look at the positives and negatives from a 1-1 week, talk about what Micah Potter's big game could mean for the starting lineup, discuss Wisconsin's Big Ten and NCAA tournament chances and answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple talk about what's changed for Wisconsin in its four-game winning streak, the impact of Micah Potter, the continued maturation of Tyler Wahl and they answer your Twitter questions. 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple address Wisconsin's issues on the road, talk about whether Micah Potter will start right away and give their Wisconsin All-Decade picks. 

1:15 -- Was the effort and energy an issue vs Rutgers? 

11:28 -- Some have called Wisconsin a bad team -- that's not true.

14:56 -- Sold or not sold 

1) Wisconsin will win two or more games on the road this season. 

2) Kobe King is the best player on the roster 

3) Tyler Wahl should be in the starting 5. 

4) Micah Potter will start against UW-Milwaukee 

26:48 -- All-Decade picks 

1) All-Decade starting 5

2) Best game

3) Worst moments

4) Best moments 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple look back a disappointing three-game stretch for the Badgers, discuss the struggles on 3-pointers and answer your Twitter questions. 

2:41 -- Wisconsin is ranked 289th in the country from beyond the arc 

7:20 -- The Badgers and Nate Reuvers really need Micah Potter 

14:12 -- Sold or not sold

1) Wisconsin will finish the season shooting 35.9% or better from 3

2) Micah Potter will be as big of an addition to the basketball team as Quintez Cephus was to the football team

3) ESPN went over the top with their coverage of Brad Davison.

4) I still believe Wisconsin is a tournament team

26:24 -- Twitter questions 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple breakdown the win over Marquette, discuss the importance of Brevin Pritzl's performance, talk about a more aggressive Aleem Ford and answer your Twitter questions. 

3:55 -- The defensive effort to put the clamps on Markus Howard was overwhelming 

11:26 -- Sold or not sold

13:26 -- Wisconsin is much more difficult to guard this year

20:51 -- Will the NCAA do the right thing and make Micah Potter eligible at some point before the first semester ends? 

25:03 -- Twitter questions 

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On this week's episode of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple look back at Wisconsin's two wins, talk about the latest recruiting haul, discuss Badgers/Marquette and answer your Twitter questions. 

:57 -- Walt Frickin McGrory 

5:00 -- That second half shooting effort has to be encouraging 

9:51 -- Sold or not sold

20:24 -- Which is the better team? Marquette or Wisconsin? Which program has the brighter future? 

31:48 -- Twitter questions 

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On the season premiere of The Swing, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple look back at the loss to St. Mary's, talk about the Micah Potter situation and give their predictions for the season. 

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The Swing is back starting on Wednesday! 

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