Wisconsin Basketball Shares Injury Update on Starting Point Guard

Originally posted on Badger Notes | By Dillon Graff | Last updated Mar 16, 2024 1:29 AM ET

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin basketball program didn’t know until roughly 30 minutes before tipoff against Northwestern that Badgers starting point guard Chucky Hepburn wouldn’t be available.

“I was told Chucky tried to get it to go a little bit and tried to warm up,” Gard told reporters. “Then I was told about 30 minutes before the game that he said he couldn’t go. Obviously, the health of our guys is always first and foremost, so I completely leave that up to our trainers and our medical people.”

It was the first time that Hepburn missed a game during his Badgers career after making 100 consecutive starts for Wisconsin basketball.

His status remains uncertain heading into the semifinal matchup against the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday afternoon.

Wisconsin Basketball Took Care of Business Without Chucky Hepburn

Wisconsin Badgers guard Chucky Hepburn (23) drives to the basket during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Purdue Boilermakers, Sunday, March 10, 2024, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

Without Hepburn in the starting lineup, shooting guard Max Klesmit handled the primary ball-handling responsibilities for the Wisconsin Badgers alongside true freshman John Blackwell.

Klesmit, in particular, did everything Coach Gard could have asked in the 70-61 win over Northwestern. The junior guard scored 10 points and dished out seven assists in 35 minutes.

“Yeah, we’ve had to use him at point before, and he does a good job,” Gard told reporters. “It’s a little different pace that we play with, but he does a good job of finding people… Max, he’s a warrior. He’s got a huge heart, and he’s gutty, and he’s a competitor. That showed today.”

For Wisconsin basketball to pull off the upset against Purdue, they’ll need all hands on deck. Hopefully, Hepburn will be healthy enough to return to the starting lineup. But, if the injury lingers and he can’t play, expect a heavy dose of Klesmit, Blackwell, and Kamari McGee off the bench, sharing the point guard duties. Connor Essegian could also be counted on for spot minutes in the backcourt.

This article first appeared on Badger Notes and was syndicated with permission.

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