Greg Gard, Wisconsin Players React to Late Scuffle vs. UCLA
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Badgers walked away with a much-needed 80-72 victory over UCLA on Tuesday, but not without some tension toward the end of the second half.
The game was physical throughout, and the Badgers managed to play tough defense on UCLA’s guards, specifically Donovan Dent and Trent Perry. It forced forwards such as Eric Dailey Jr. and Tyler Bilodeau to create shots, but Wisconsin went up big and closed it out with 10 turnovers from the Bruins.
However, things would get chippy in the final 15 seconds. After UCLA ran a full-court press, forcing double-teams, Nick Boyd managed to escape for a layup to go up 80-69.
What followed was a bit of a hard foul from Nolan Winter on Dailey. The forward then shoved Winter in the back, which, of course, got Boyd involved. The senior guard had to be pulled away by Jack Janicki.
Boyd and Dailey were assessed dead-ball fouls that offset each other, while Winter was dished a flagrant foul. That led to two UCLA free throws and possession, but it wasn’t enough to get back into the game.
Nolan Winter, Nick Boyd React to Late-Game Scuffle
After the game, Winter, Boyd and head coach Greg Gard commented on the ending. Winter, who notched 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists, stood by his decision to foul Dailey.
“Yeah, it was a hard foul. Obviously, I didn’t mean to get a flagrant,” Winter said. “But I didn’t want to give them any free points, especially at the end of the game. We play to the whistle. I wasn’t just going to let [Dailey] go and get some free points. I was going to still send him to the line.”
Boyd talked about standing up for his teammate in that kind of situation, but noted an overall theme of opponents out-muscling them.
“I feel like over these last couple of weeks we’ve just been getting pushed around too much,” Boyd said. “So I just had to have his back. That’s the mentality, we’re carrying this for the rest of the year. We get pushed, we’re stepping right back up… It’s no more of that.”
The guard-center duo certainly made themselves heard, combining for 38 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists.
Greg Gard Notes Physical, Mental Toughness and Togetherness
Gard was also asked about the situation, being on the opposite side of the floor. The head coach noted that the referees handled it well, but it was the mental and physical toughness that stood out for him.
“You don’t want to see that happen, but they were pressing us until the very end, we’re going to play out the very end,” Gard said. “The thing I like about tonight is that we showed fight and some togetherness and some heart. It wasn’t perfect, but when you have heart and when you have fight, you always have a chance.
“We were physically and emotionally engaged, and after it, regardless of who was going to be the opponent tonight.”
Wisconsin is now 10-5 on the season and 2-2 in the Big Ten, facing No. 2 Michigan on Saturday.
