Wisconsin basketball overpowered Illinois 95-74 Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.
There is something brewing in Madison. The Badgers, who jumped to 11th in the AP Rankings after defeating Purdue last week, avenged their early season loss against Illinois.
Illinois ultimately ran out of responses offensively for Wisconsin. The Badgers locked down Illinois’ main threats, holding Kasparas Jakucionis and Kylan Boswell to a combined 13 points. Wisconsin’s offense never showed signs of slowing, as they followed up a 94-point performance against Purdue with 95 points against Illinois.
Takeaway #1: The Badgers followed their formula
There are three things Wisconsin needs to happen for them to play well: John Tonje puts up points (which usually happens), one other guard supplements Tonje’s scoring, and either Steven Crowl or Nolan Winter play well. Tonje had 31 points (check), John Blackwell scored 16 points (check), and Crowl did it all. Crowl had 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists (check).
What differentiates this Badgers’ team from past seasons is that they have other players that can fill the roles that Blackwell and Crowl executed tonight. Nolan Winter has been excellent, averaging 10 points per game. Winter played well against Illinois, as he had eight boards, four of which came on the offensive glass. Winter was not even a starter for Wisconsin last year.
While John Blackwell has been the secondary option to John Tonje, he has not always been the guy to step up. Against Purdue, it was Max Klesmit who had the strong supporting performance to Tonje. To string together wins in March, a team has to have depth. And Wisconsin has depth in spades.
Takeaway #2: Wisconsin dominated every facet of this game
This was not just a revenge win for Wisconsin, it was a dominant win. Wisconsin won the rebounding battle 37-29. The Badgers were much more efficient offensively, made seven more free throws than Illinois, and committed four less turnovers than Illinois.
For the Badgers to dismantle a team that had beaten them earlier in the season shows the strides that they have made with head coach Greg Gard. In December, Wisconsin looked lost defensively. Now, everyone is confident in their role on the floor, and they have forced their opponents into tough shots throughout the game.
Takeaway #3: Where does Illinois stand? Are they a tournament lock?
Okay, so I know that a question might be the opposite of a takeaway but stay with me here. Illinois was listed as a #6 seed in the NCAA Tournament in Matty Brackets, and that was before their loss to Wisconsin. Three of Illinois’ final four games are against #3 Duke, #12 Michigan, and #13 Purdue. Say, for instance, that they lose out. Does a 17-14 (9-11 in conference) Illinois team make the NCAA Tournament?
Nonetheless, there is work for Illinois to do. They play Iowa at home in the middle of that stretch, which may be a must-win game. The Big Ten Tournament will also be a deciding factor. For a team that was near the top of many Big Ten power rankings mid-season, this has been a long fall from grace.
Next up for Wisconsin (21-5, 11-4):Â vs. Oregon (19-8, 8-8) – Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. CST
Next up for Illinois (17-10, 9-8):Â at #3 Duke (23-3, 15-1) – Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. EST