On March 8, the Wisconsin Badgers closed out regular season play with a rather frustrating loss of 86-75 to Penn State at the Kohl Center. Despite having a good start, where they drained six of their first seven three-pointers and held a 40-35 halftime lead, the Badgers could not hold off the Nittany Lions’ second-half charge.
One of the main reasons for the loss against PSU was the absence of guard Max Klesmit. But now that the regular season is over and Wisconsin is moving into Big Ten Tournament play, one question remains unanswered: Will the Wisconsin Badgers have their senior guard, Max Klesmit, back in action?
Will Max Klesmit Return For the Big Ten Tournament?
The Badgers have been feeling Max Klesmit’s absence big time. The senior guard suffered a lower-body injury during their win over Washington in late February.
Since then, there has been an evident struggle with Wisconsin, going 1-2 without him. But with the conference tournament right around the corner, not all hope is lost just yet.
Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit (lower body) returned to practice this week and is expected to be available for Thursday’s Big Ten Tournament game, per a school spokesman.
DNP in last three games
Averages 9.7 PPG.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 12, 2025
CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein recently took to X, writing, “Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit (lower body) returned to practice this week and is expected to be available for Thursday’s Big Ten Tournament game, per a school spokesman.”
After missing three games, it appears Klesmit is back.
This is great news for the Badgers. In the three games they played without Klesmit, Wisconsin’s offense looked out of sync.
Against Michigan State, the Badgers were neck and neck with the Spartans, but in the final minutes, they lost 71-62. Then came the Minnesota game.
Against the Gophers, John Blackwell came to the Badgers’ rescue with a 25-point, 11-rebound performance. Yet, without Klesmit’s defensive presence, his shooting consistency was not the best.
Finally, against Penn State, their defensive struggles really showed as they allowed D’Marco Dunn to drop 25 points!
So, going into the Big Ten Tournament, Klesmit’s presence is needed if they plan on getting ahead. Head coach Greg Gard has also revealed that Klesmit’s injury had been lingering for a while, but thanks to weeks of rehab, the guard is back in full force.
TAKE A FULL LOOK: Big Ten Tournament Schedule
They’re set to face either the winner of Northwestern-Minnesota in their opening game, and having Klesmit back could be the way to bring back the winning streak. All eyes will be on Thursday’s matchup to see if Klesmit’s return can put Wisconsin back on track.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
