The Wisconsin Badgers basketball team is currently enjoying a five-game winning streak, following their 80-59 victory over Minnesota, largely due to the impressive performance of Steven Crowl.
During this period, the 7-foot tall player from Minnesota has been averaging 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while maintaining an impressive shooting accuracy of 76.2% from the field and 54.5% from three-point range. Additionally, Crowl has been flawless from the free-throw line, going 13-for-13.
Wisconsin’s head coach, Greg Gard, attributes Crowl’s revival to years of mutual trust, open communication, and a shared objective to maximize his potential.
“I’m just thrilled for Steve because he has dedicated a lot of time and effort to this team,” Gard stated to the media. “As I always say, an aggressive Steve is a good Steve, and we need to maintain that.”
Gard’s public critique of Crowl following a subpar game against Illinois surprised some, but it was a deliberate strategy. After five seasons together, Gard understood that Crowl could manage such feedback, regardless of how harsh it might appear to outsiders.
“I’m straightforward with them. They know I care about them and will support them for life. I always say, ‘As long as I’m around, I’ve got your back,’ and he knows that. I strive to convey honest insights, and they value that.
“Coaches often claim that players have changed, but that’s not true. The truly exceptional ones want to be mentored.”
In addition to giving tough feedback, Coach Gard has also met Crowl halfway, making in-game adjustments and being more strategic with the minutes of both him and starting forward Nolan Winter to conserve their energy.
Senior Carter Gilmore has taken on more responsibilities and consistently makes contributions off the bench. Additionally, Xavier Amos has begun to showcase his potential, while Markus Ilver has, according to Gard, “earned the chance” to play more often. These developments have provided the Badgers with a deeper frontcourt rotation than they’ve experienced in a while.
With Gard’s support and firm coaching style, Crowl is emerging as the vital frontcourt player that Wisconsin men’s basketball needs to balance its backcourt duo of John Blackwell and John Tonje as they compete in Big Ten games.
“We’ve been tough with him and set high expectations because we want him to reach his peak performance as a senior… I’m pleased for him since I know we’ve challenged him, and he’s pushed himself as well,” said Gard.
The Badgers (13-3, 3-2) will be back on the court on January 14 when they take on Ohio State (10-6, 2-3) at the Kohl Center.
