Wisconsin Badgers head basketball coach Greg Gard and his staff will roll out the red carpet this week for a priority transfer portal target.
Joe Tipton of On3 reported that UMass transfer forward Matt Cross will take an official visit to Madison and check out the Badgers on Thursday, followed by a visit with Iowa and head coach Fran McCaffery on Friday.
It was previously conveyed that the Wisconsin basketball team, TCU, USC, and the Hawkeyes were all heavily pursuing Cross in the portal.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound stretch forward averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game for the Minutemen last season en route to First Team Atlantic 10 honors. Cross maintained a solid shooting percentage of 54% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc.
According to Synergy, Cross averaged 1.027 points per possession, placing him in the 82nd percentile. Further, he averaged 1.436 PPP in transition, putting him in the 94th percentile.
Originally from Massachusetts and once a highly touted four-star prospect, Cross spent two years at UMass following previous stints at Louisville and Miami. Over his career, Cross has appeared in 95 games, starting 68. In the 2023-24 season, Cross showcased his versatility by leading the Minutemen in rebounds, assists, and steals.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Coach Gard and the Wisconsin basketball team face the daunting task of filling numerous spots in their rotation. With only two starters, Max Klesmit and Steven Crowl, expected to return following the crushing losses of Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr, the Badgers have some serious work to do to fill holes on their roster heading into 2024-25.
Multi-year starter Tyler Wahl graduated, but there are no internal candidates who are poised to step up into a larger role at the power forward spot. Acquiring an experienced player from the transfer portal is a logical move. Cross stands out as a fitting choice, given his ability to stretch the floor and provide a much-needed scoring threat.
Wisconsin basketball missed on their top frontcourt transfer target, Brandon Angel, who committed to Oregon. This leaves Cross as the next man up on their respective board. There’s plenty to like about Cross’s game, and he’d seamlessly slot into the Badgers’ starting lineup.
More must-reads: