In one of the most unexpected outcomes of the season, John Blackwell, Nick Boyd and Aleksas Bieliauskas helped Wisconsin take down the previously undefeated No. 2 Michigan Wolverines 91-88 in Ann Arbor on Saturday afternoon.
Wisconsin came into the game as massive 19.5-point underdogs, but the Badgers hung tight with Michigan for the first 12 minutes of action. However, as Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. made it a 14 point game, hope for the Badgers seemed to be diminishing rapidly.
But unlike matchups against Nebraska and Purdue, in which Wisconsin quickly petered out, the Badgers refused to disappear after allowing a run. Blackwell, in particular, led the Badgers out of the dust. The junior guard went on a 7-0 run by himself over the next 1:40, including two threes. Sixteen of Blackwell’s 26 points came in the first half.
Despite Johnson’s continued shooting barrage — going 6-for-6 in the first half — the Badgers continued to fight back. Boyd engineered his own 6-0 run to end the half, and miraculously, Wisconsin trailed by just one.
Out of the break, the Badgers found life from beyond the arc. After shooting just 5-for-16 in the first half, Wisconsin caught fire, going 10-for-17 in the following period. Five of these came within the first three minutes, and Aleksas Bieliauskas, the unlikeliest of heroes, cashed in four of those five.
Entering the game 8-for-27 on the season from 3, the Lithuanian big man nailed four in a row to start the second half, giving the Badgers a five-point lead with 17 minutes remaining.
Michigan’s Elliott Cadeau refused to watch Wisconsin’s hot streak go any longer. Cadeau scored nine straight for the Wolverines, answering Boyd each time he scored on the other end. Down four with 13:50 remaining, Cadeau ignited another game-saving run in just 33 seconds, this one a 5-0 solo eruption to tie the game at 65.
Down the stretch, Wisconsin guard Braeden Carrington made a number of hustle plays off the bench to keep Wisconsin afloat. He went 7-for-9 from the free-throw line, all of which came in the last seven minutes. Carrington also outmuscled Michigan on the boards, grabbing six of his game-high nine rebounds in crunch time, eliminating any chance for Wolverine second-chance points.
After Blackwell’s layup to take an 85-84 lead, Michigan’s Nimari Burnett missed an open 3-pointer, giving the Badgers an opportunity to extend their lead. Chaos then ensued after Blackwell missed a deep ball. With the shot clock running down, Blackwell’s miss fell right into Andrew Rohde’s shooting pocket. Rohde, scoreless until that point, drained a near-impossible corner 3-pointer as he faded into the front row, giving Wisconsin an 88-84 lead with 2:57 left.
Still, Wisconsin wasn’t in the clear. Badger fans held onto their seats as both Carrington and Blackwell missed clutch free throws on 1-and-1 situations, keeping the lead at four. In the final seconds, Carrington went 1-for-2 from the line, opening the door for Michigan to tie with a three. However, like they had all night, the Badgers clamped up and shut the door, escaping Ann Arbor with an incredible 91-88 win.
Aside from Blackwell, Boyd finished with 22 points despite getting into foul trouble early. Bieliauskas and Carrington added 17 and 12, respectively. Nolan Winter (9 pts) also went 3-for-4 from the field, all of which were from beyond the arc.
The upset sent Michigan down two spots to No. 4 in the AP Top 25. The win also brought the Badgers to 11-5 (3-2 Big Ten) on the year. More importantly, Wisconsin showcased its true potential when firing on all cylinders. A victory of this caliber can turn a season around and spark momentum, something the Badgers desperately need.
Wisconsin will travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Tuesday. The 10-6 Gophers are coming off an overtime loss to USC. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
