Takeaways from Wisconsin men’s basketball’s second game in France | Wisconsin Badgers Men’s Basketball

The Badgers beat Lyon Towers 80-68 with four players scoring 10 or more points. Lyon Towers is a French team made up of Lyon All-Stars with an average age of 26.6.

“The competition is more physical here,” UW sophomore Chucky Hepburn said in a post-game interview posted by UW. We love physicality and we will have more lessons for the season so we can face more physical teams.”

Here are three observations from the statistics sheet.

Hepburn, Jordan Davis, Carter Gilmore, Stephen Kroll and Conor Esegian started at the Badgers, the guard said after Wednesday’s game that he was going to tinker with the lineup.

Kamari McGee, Tyler Wall, Max Klezmit, Chris Hodges and Marcus Ilber were included in the second five-man line-up, with Isaac Lindsay rotating in as needed.

“It’s fun to see new people,” said Hepburn. “Some guys who didn’t play last year, like Isaac Lindsay, Chris Hodges and Conor Essegian, are going to be on the field. It’s definitely fun to see them compete at a high level.”

Friday was the second consecutive start in France for Davis, Hepburn and Kroll. Wall, the starter in all but one game last season, was struck on Friday.

Gard worked at Essegian one Wednesday, but freshmen were a core part of the lineup on Friday.

Friday’s stat sheet did not include the minutes played.

Eight Badgers players scored 3-pointers against Lyon Towers. Stats His sheet didn’t include shooting percentage, but his 39 of his 80 points in UW came from beyond the arc.

Essegian scored 11 points and was UW’s second-most scorer, nine of which were 3-pointers. He hit the most shots from deep, with Hepburn, Ilber and Lindsey each getting his two.

“It definitely just does individual work,” Hepburn said. “Late night gym, early morning, it’s all thanks to them. And thank you coaches for giving us the opportunity to practice our shots and create more space for those shots.”

Freshman guard Essegian did not score in the Badgers’ first game in France. He was recruited for his skills as a sniper.

Last season, it was a continuing trend for UW to struggle out of the 3-point range. They averaged 30.6% from a 3-point range and just 6.5 per game. Although the level of competition varies, UW is averaging 12.5 of his 3-pointers per game in France. Badger shot his 44.4% against Paris Towers on Wednesday.

Kroll is one of only two UW players to score 10 or more points in both games this week after scoring 11 points on Friday and 13 in the season opener. Adapting to his role as a starting center and averaging 8.8 points last season, his 7-footer enjoyed at least a two-inch height advantage over all other players on Friday.

Hepburn scored 10 points, including two 3-pointers. It’s his second straight game to hit multiple shots across the arc.

Wall missed the start, but scored eight points against Paris Towers on Friday to record a team-high 12 points. He didn’t attempt a 3-pointer on Wednesday, but against Lyon Towers he made one.

The Badgers will face Lyon Towers on Saturday at noon Madison time.