Behind a dynamic performance from guards John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, and an incredible first half hot streak from forward Austin Rapp, Wisconsin took down Ohio State 92-82 on Saturday afternoon, pickup up their second straight win.
Blackwell led the way with 22 points, while Boyd added 21. The win is Wisconsin’s seventh in their last eight games.
Wisconsin continued their recent trend of falling behind early, quickly trailing 15-4 at the [time] mark. But despite a double-digit deficit, and starting two for their first 11 from the field, forward Austin Rapp’s stellar 3-point shooting performance quickly led a Wisconsin comeback. Rapp, who had hit only four of his last 21 3-pointers, shot with blazing confidence, tying the game at 21 with back-to-back 3s.
Rapp rattled in three more deep balls in the first half, tying a season high of five and igniting the home crowd. Rapp outscored the Buckeyes 19-14 himself over an eight and a half minute span, which surged Wisconsin to a 49-43 halftime lead.
Fueled by the rowdy home crowd, the Badgers refused to let Ohio State back into the game. Wisconsin’s lead never dropped below eight points in the second half and reached as much as 16 with just under three minutes to go. Boyd and Blackwell controlled the pace of the game masterfully, trading buckets and going a perfect 13-for-13 from the line.
Nolan Winter also contributed to the winning effort, tallying his tenth double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds. While overshadowed by other standout performances, his interior dominance helped the Badgers outscore OSU 42-30 in the paint. Aleksas Bieliauskas, who did not return to the Minnesota game with a foot injury, added 10 points and seven rebounds as well.
Teams can’t seem to outduel the Badgers in high scoring affairs. Wisconsin has now scored 90+ points nine times this season, and they have won each time. The Badgers also shot 52% from the field, their second highest this season (54% vs. Central Michigan), despite going just 9-for-26 from 3-point range.
The win gives Wisconsin their fourth in a row against the Buckeyes dating back to the 2023-24 season. The Badgers now sit at fifth in the Big Ten (16-6, 8-3), surpassing No. 12 Purdue who had lost three straight. Still, the Badgers cannot afford to get comfortable, with their toughest stretch of the season coming up. They’ll take on Indiana Feb. 7 and No. 9 Illinois Feb. 10 on the road before returning home to face No. 7 Michigan State on Feb. 13.
