While the 2021-2022 season for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team did not end according to plan, the overall successes of Greg Gard's bunch should not be diminished.
After being projected to finish No. 10 in the Big Ten by the media during the preseason, the Badgers would go on to win 25 games and earn a share of the regular-season conference crown.
Led primarily by their starting five, this year's Wisconsin team was a blast to watch. Each of the starters had their moment, or in some cases moments, to shine with big performances that helped guide the team to victory.
Let's look back at the 2021-2022 season overall for starting point guard Chucky Hepburn and his top games.
Chucky Hepburn
Chucky Hepburn became the first true freshman to earn an opening-game starting nod since Devin Harris did it in 2001.
Well, in short, Hepburn did not disappoint.
Hepburn started all 33 games for the Badgers this past season and put together a tremendous first year, averaging nearly eight points, two rebounds, and over two assists per game. Hepburn led the team with 77 assists and was second with 36 steals as the starting point guard.
The two aspects of Hepburn's game that stood out this past year were his ability to take care of the basketball and provide tough defense.
Hepburn's importance to the Badgers was obvious all season long, but Wisconsin fans have to wonder what could have been if Hepburn had not sprained his ankle against Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The ankle injury appears to be behind him, fortunately. But, this off-season should afford Hepburn time to continue to improve his game. It would not be surprising to see Chucky Hepburn take a big step next year, and in all honesty, the Badgers will need it to make another conference title run in 2023.
Best performance: vs. Purdue on March 1, 2022
- Stat line: 17 points (5-of-13 shooting), two assists, four three-point makes
The Purdue game was an easy choice here. Chucky Hepburn came up with not only the biggest play of his young career against Purdue but of the entire season with his banked three-pointer to win against the Boilermakers. Hepburn recorded career-highs in points with 17 and hit four three-pointers in the contest. In the end, Hepburn's clutch buzzer-beater off the backboard will go down in Wisconsin history, and that was the primary storyline from the game.
Honorable mention: vs. Marquette on December 4, 2021
- Stat line: 15 points (5-of-8 shooting), two rebounds, six assists, three steals
The second-best performance of the year for Chucky Hepburn came against Marquette. Playing in only his eighth college basketball game, Hepburn distributed the ball extremely well and also shot over 62% from the floor for the game. Equally important, Hepburn added three steals in the game and put together an exemplar performance on the defensive end.
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