The Wisconsin Badgers closed out their nonconference slate with a comfortable 80-60 win against the UW-Milwaukee Panthers Tuesday night at the Kohl Center. Senior guard Nick Boyd led the Badgers with 16 points.
Thanks to stellar offensive rebounding and efficient ball movement, Wisconsin jumped out to an early 18-2 run. During this run, Wisconsin mixed in jump shots with effectiveness from the paint, including a Nolan Winter slam off an assist from Hayden Jones. Wisconsin played physically, which was much needed from a team that has struggled to find offensive rhythm throughout the season.
On top of their physicality, Wisconsin relied on the speed of Boyd, whose explosive first step gives him an edge in attacking the rim. Boyd has been a great addition to this squad this season and has been a driving force alongside John Blackwell, who scored 8 points, in the backcourt.
Meanwhile, Nolan Winter tallied 14 points on the night after coming into the game questionable with an ankle injury he suffered against Central Michigan on Dec 22. He was able to play against the Panthers and had a rather dominant performance. Winter was aggressive the whole game and was found in the right spots at the right time, even throwing down dunks to get the Badger crowd fired up.
Head coach Greg Gard fit more guys into the rotation than usual against Milwaukee. Sophomore forward Jack Robison and freshman guard Zach Kinziger saw more minutes and combined for 7 points off the bench. Earlier this season, Kinziger considered redshirting, but as the season went on, he proved himself worthy to be in the lineup and has been making an impact in his first couple games.
Freshman forward Will Garlock also received more minutes this game and used them to his advantage. He was a dominating presence in the post, giving the Badgers a nice kick on the boards, contributing five points and four rebounds.
“Whatever the team needs, building my confidence up… I’m ready whenever the coach calls my number,” Garlock said.The Badgers will now get into the meat of their schedule, beginning with a matchup with No. 5 Purdue on Saturday before taking on UCLA on Jan. 6. The Badgers have proven they can easily handle their lower-quality, nonconference opponents, but their upcoming slate against Big Ten teams will be a real test to Wisconsin’s development as a team.
