The Badgers could not be stopped in a major win on Saturday.
The Wisconsin Badgers started off the new year on the right foot, blowing out the Iowa Hawkeyes 116-85 on Friday, breaking a Kohl Center record for the most points scored at home.
After a back-and-forth to begin the game, the Badgers started to pull away at the end of the first half, taking a 54-43 lead before exploding to start the second half, scoring a whopping 62 points in the period for the 31-point blowout victory.
With the win, Wisconsin got their first conference victory of the season, improving to 11-3 on the year.
Here are three quick takeaways from the Badgers 116-85 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday.
Barrage of threes
Wisconsin didn’t only break a Kohl Center scoring record on Friday, but they also broke their own personal record for most threes in a game, as well as the Big Ten’s record for three-point makes in the win over Iowa.
The Badgers shot a fantastic 21/31 from three, raining triples throughout the night, with nine different players hitting a three.
Wisconsin’s previous record was 18 made threes in a game, set against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on January 21st, 2020. Subsequently, the Big Ten’s previous record was 20 made threes, which was set by a number of teams.
However, they broke both of those records with 21 threes, as John Blackwell led the way with six of his own in a major performance.
The Badgers had really struggled from three over the past two games, shooting under 25 percent from deep in both outings, so it was a good sign to see them flip the switch and pour on a barrage of triples in the victory.
The success from deep indicates just how deep and well-rounded this team can be. Blackwell, known for his slashing ability, hit six on the night. Fellow starting guards John Tonje and Max Klesmit each connected on two. Backup point guard Kamari McGee, who has drastically improved his shooting, was 4/5 from deep. Backup forwards Carter Gilmore and Xavier Amos each hit both of their three-pointers.
Head coach Greg Gard openly expressed his desire to add more shooting from last year’s team, especially at the forward position. Well, Gilmore, Amos, and Nolan Winter have all stepped up in that category, which has tremendously helped the offense.
The Badgers are an offensive-minded team in 2024. And their shooting has a lot to do with that.
Assists
When Wisconsin shoots the ball as well as they did on Friday, you have to tip your cap for their ability to hit some tougher looks. But, their success was also due to their offensive structure, which dissected Iowa’s zone defense and led to a bevy of open looks on the night.
Wisconsin had 26 assists on 40 field goals on Friday with stellar ball movement, leading to both open threes and a number of quality looks around the rim for their two-pronged attack.
Without having a certified point guard in the starting lineup, the Badgers have still managed to limit turnovers and keep the ball movement rapid. On Friday, 10 different players recorded an assist, while six had at least two.
Max Klesmit led the way with six assists to just two turnovers. Off the bench, Kamari McGee was a major spark, not only with his four threes, but also the four assists he dished out as opposed to only one turnover.
Additionally, John Blackwell was the focus of the offense, leading the way with a career-high 32 points, but still finding a way to dish out five assists in the win.
Steven Crowl, John Tonje, and Jack Janicki each had multiple assists as well, leading to a highly efficient offensive attack that produced 1.61 points per possession.
Sophomore breakout
The Badgers 2023 recruiting class is really starting to pay off.
Last season, many could see the potential of both John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, as the former was the team’s top bench player with a knack for finding the rim and hitting shots off the catch, while the latter was a stretch-forward that needed time to grow physically.
Well, their breakout seasons have come simultaneously, as Blackwell has now put together a strong sophomore campaign, averaging 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.
Blackwell’s knack as a scorer was clear as a freshman, but he was poised to take on a more significant on-ball role in 2024 as he came into the starting lineup. Well, he’s navigated that path well, while showing he can be a go-to scorer down the stretch in multiple games this season.
Consequently, Winter has been the team’s best big this season, averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while shooting an excellent 61.8 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from deep.
Getting bigger and more consistent with a higher-volume role, Winter has excelled as a stretch-four with a great knack for being a rim-roller, leading to some high-quality looks inside the paint off pick-and-rolls.
Wisconsin needed both players to elevate into bigger roles this season and they both have answered the bell, being the X-Factors for the team’s success this year.