Wisconsin Routs Northwestern 85-73 in Big Ten Opener
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin basketball picked up its first Big Ten win of the season on Wednesday night, notching an 85-73 victory over Northwestern.
At home, the Badgers bounced back after falling short in the Rady Children’s Invitational last week, suffering a championship loss to TCU. They moved to 6-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
Badgers Start Hot on Both Ends
The Badgers started hot, rebounding from a poor shooting performance in San Diego. Quick ball movement and attacking the middle of the paint allowed for easy threes, as they put up 50-43-92 shooting splits in the first half.
Andrew Rhode was a major playmaker, dishing out seven assists in 13 minutes. Ball security was the most impressive part of the first half, as the team recorded 15 assists and zero turnovers.
John Blackwell and Nolan Winter were instrumental in getting Wisconsin going, combining for 16 of the team’s 27 points in the first 10 minutes. Blackwell, specifically, was lights out from deep in the first half, shooting 5-for-8 from three in that stretch.
Head coach Greg Gard decided to change the starting lineup, replacing Austin Rapp with Aleksas Bieliauskas. It paid dividends; his presence provided great energy for the group. The Lithuanian freshman got active in the paint and allowed the guards to get open off screens.
Off the bench, Rapp was even more impactful, recording 10 points, two rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes. With Nick Boyd struggling to get going, the frontcourt stepped up to start, up 55-32 at the break.
First-Half Insurance Proved to Be Crucial
Northwestern would actually outscore Wisconsin 41-30 in the second period, but the first-half insurance proved to be crucial. The Badgers got sloppy, committing seven turnovers and 10 fouls.
Boyd finally got it going in the final 20 minutes, keeping the team afloat. He put up 18 of his 20 total points in that stretch, attacking the basket in impressive fashion.
The Wildcats would cut into the lead due to 21 total points from Arrinten Page, as well as seven second-half rebounds from Tre Singleton. They provided an impressive interior presence, out-rebounding Wisconsin 22-15 in the final stretch.
Nick Martinelli would struggle to make a major impact against the defense, despite shooting 4-for-8 from the field. The star forward would only end up with 14 points, getting nearly half of them from the free-throw line (6-for-8).
Overall, the Badgers held on despite coming back down to Earth. Blackwell got a bit cold in the second half but finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Rapp also took a step back on offense, but managed 13 points, while Rohde’s playmaking flourished with nine assists.
Wisconsin will take on rival Marquette in its next game on Saturday. At the Kohl Center, the Badgers will face a struggling Golden Eagles squad at 5-4 on the season.
