The Badgers are inching into the top five in efficiency in college basketball.
The Wisconsin Badgers had a major 88-62 victory over the Washington Huskies on Tuesday, bouncing back in the win column after a disappointing loss to the Oregon Ducks over the weekend.
Wisconsin needed to respond well after their finish against the Ducks, and they came along strong against Washington, leading for the final 36:55 after a slow start.
John Blackwell was the answer on Tuesday, scoring 19 first-half points and finishing the game with 24 to lead a Badgers offense that shot over 50 percent from the field and had an efficient 1.44 points per possession.
When it comes to efficiency, the Badgers have been among the top teams in the country this season, and that only improved after the win over Washington. But, to what extent?
Wisconsin is currently the No. 7 team in KenPom, jumping up two spots as the top Big Ten team in the rankings. Despite a tempo that ranks 190th in the country, Wisconsin is seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency, which spearheads their elite rankings, measuring them with top teams such as Florida (No. 4), Tennessee (No. 5), and Alabama (No. 6).
The Badgers will have a big opportunity to expand on that this weekend when they travel to Michigan State to face the Spartans, who currently lead the Big Ten with a 13-3 conference record.
While earning the Big Ten regular season title seems unlikely currently, the Badgers could continue to move up the ranks and solidify their spot in the top four with a win over Michigan State.
More importantly, that victory would be huge for the team’s resume as they push for a No. 2 seed and the chance to play the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
Despite their loss over the weekend, the Badgers are trending in the right way near the end of the season following their blowout of Washington, and the rankings are showing that.