In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates talk Badgers men's basketball. Wisconsin thumped 24th-ranked Virginia by more than 20 points this week. 

“Wisconsin made them look bad, quite frankly. Which is surprising,” said Oates, the former sports columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal. “I thought the Badgers ran some really nice offense … getting inside to Steven Crowl. They attacked the rim. They did things in the paint.” 

The Badgers suffer, however, when guard Max Klesmit is off his game, Lucas said.

“They don’t ask him to score a lot but he’s got to score a little bit,” said Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “You can’t put five guys on the floor and have only three contributing as far as scoring. Klesmit got them off to a good start (against Virginia).” 

And keep an eye on freshman guard John Blackwell, he said. 

“He might have the potential to be the next Michael Flowers.” 

Also on the show, the veteran journalists recapped Wisconsin’s win on the football field against Nebraska and Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love's best game of the season. Finally, Lucas and Oates remembered historic Thanksgiving matchups between Green Bay and Detroit — including when the Lions ruined Vince Lombardi’s perfect season in 1962 and Aaron Rodgers’ game-winning Hail Mary in 2015 that was dubbed the “Miracle in Motown.” Oates witnessed the latter. 

“It was the most amazing pass I’ve ever seen in my life. It looked like a punt,” said Oates. “He threw it like 65 yards in the air and it almost hit the roof.” 

The Wisconsin Sportscast is a Cap Times podcast featuring two of the state's most experienced sports journalists. It’s produced by Dylan Brogan. Find The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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