Greg Gard’s middling Badger squad crept into Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor on Jan. 10, frightened by what the then-No. 2 Wolverines might have had in store. Their fear was justified, as Wisconsin entered the game winless against ranked teams this season, having lost by an average of 24.7 points against BYU, Nebraska and Purdue. But instead of rolling over, the Badgers stole the most important game of this season, and maybe of the last few years.
Wisconsin’s first 15 games saw domination over subpar competition, yet shaky performances against ranked and Big Ten opponents. Against Central Michigan, Campbell and Ball State, the Badgers tallied their highest field goal percentages of the year. Still, the trend was clear —Wisconsin only played well against weaker teams. Three of their four worst 3-point shooting percentages came against Purdue (.160), Nebraska (.219) and BYU (.241).
It wasn’t just the play. It was the demeanor. Each time the Badgers faced adversity against highly touted opponents their response was flat. After jumping out to an early seven-point lead against Purdue, the Boilermakers chipped it down to a tie game with 8:54 remaining in the first half. Instead of a response, Wisconsin took the lead back just once (40 seconds later) and failed to regain control as Purdue extended their advantage with each possession. You just felt it coming.
Miraculously, against the No. 2 team in the country and arguably the best Michigan team we’ve seen in the past decade, a sinking ship regained its buoyancy. Yes, Wisconsin’s current four-game win streak includes their 80-72 victory over UCLA, a good team no doubt but one the Badgers fully expected to beat. But the Badgers have proved they can defy expectations with their victory over Michigan.
Down as much as 14 points in the first half against the Wolverines, every Badger fan had that feeling once again. Past trends and common sense gave us no reason to believe that Wisconsin would spark any sort of comeback.
We were wrong. At last, resilience.
Led by John Blackwell (26 points) and Nick Boyd (22 points), the Badgers stormed back to trail by just one going into the break. In the second half, unsung hero Aleksas Bieliauskas (17 points) drained four of his five 3s, three of which came in a row, giving the Badgers a 52-47 lead.
Michigan continued to answer, but unlike previous performances, Wisconsin matched them. Down the stretch, clutch shooting and rebounding led to a pulse-pounding finish, and the highest-ranked regular-season opponent Wisconsin has defeated since a win over No. 2 Michigan in 2019.
The effects of this victory immediately showed in a trap game against Minnesota. Riding high, the Badgers struggled mightily, trailing by 11 points with 18:23 to go. Thankfully, the Badgers’ comeback experience against Michigan provided a sense of calm within the chaos. Just as they did three days prior, Wisconsin unleashed a raging barrage of 3s. Blackwell (27 points) and Braeden Carrington (21 points) combined for 12 of them, nine of which came in the second half.
Even after regaining a nine-point lead, Wisconsin yet again had to overcome adversity. After Nolan Winter missed two free throws, Minnesota tied the game at 75 with a deep 3-pointer. Unfortunately for the Golden Gophers, “Johnuary” struck from the left wing, beating the buzzer with a deep 3, his fifth of the night, giving Wisconsin another conference win.
Returning home with confidence, the Badgers stuck it to Rutgers this past Saturday. Leading by as much as 26 in the second half, a late Scarlet Knight flurry provided a scare, but it wasn’t enough. The win moved Wisconsin to 13-5 (5-2) and sixth place in the Big Ten standings.
Since the upset in Ann Arbor, the Badgers are balling. In their first 15 games, Wisconsin shot just 33% from beyond the arc. Over the last three, they’re up to 43%. They are also turning the ball over two fewer times per game (8.0), while ball movement has improved by two assists per game in this span.
Contributing more than anything, however, is the culture. Beating Michigan in their own backyard has lit a fire in this team. Each Badger experienced how to trail in a game, adjust, come back, maintain a lead and win over the past week and a half. They didn’t just celebrate the upset; they are applying it to the succeeding games.
The Badgers are still inconsistent, as all 13 of their wins have been their 13 highest scoring games of the season. When they score 73 or less, they do not win. With all remaining games in the regular season being conference play, half of which are on the road, the fight the Badgers have shown recently must continue. Right now, the Badgers are just 3-4 in away/neutral site games.
Wisconsin will travel to Happy Valley on Friday to take on a Penn State team that lost to Michigan by just two points. They will then be greeted by the previously No. 24 USC Trojans at home. Both games will test the Badgers, but now, Wisconsin knows how to win. It’s a small sample size, but their upset of No. 2 Michigan has turned a lost season around and offers a glimmer of hope down the road.
