CHICAGO – In the postgame press conference following Wisconsin’s 85-82 win over Washington on Thursday, Huskies head coach Danny Sprinkler had high praise for the scoring abilities of both John Blackwell and Nick Boyd.
“When they're knocking down shots like that, whether it's man or whether it's zone or just making tough shots, there's not much you can do,” Sprinkle said.
He would go one step further, recognizing the Badger pair’s place among the rest of the nation’s elite backcourt duos.
“That's why I think they might be the best backcourt in America. Like they really might be. When they get going like that, and playing off each other, and some of those other guys start making 3s, they're really hard to guard,” Sprinkle said.
A little over 24 hours later, the pair backed up Sprinkle's word. Wisconsin pulled out a gutsy 91-88 overtime win against Illinois, leaning on a combined 69 points between Blackwell and Boyd. It’s the first time since 1968 that two Badgers have scored 30+ points in the same game.
In scoring the most points by a Badger in Big Ten Tournament history, a record that Blackwell set the day before, Boyd once again proved how valuable his experience has been for Wisconsin this season. His 38 points, a career-high, helped the Badgers overcome a 15-point deficit with 11:34 remaining in the contest.
Shooting 2-for-8 from 3-point range on a day where the entire Wisconsin rotation struggled from beyond the arc (24.4%), Boyd relied on his prowess inside the paint. He shot 10-for-12 inside the arc, keeping the Badgers within reach of Illinois. His ability to draw fouls became vital knowing that time wasn’t on Wisconsin’s side, as he knocked down 12 of his 13 free throw attempts.
Going into overtime, Boyd was determined to close out the game for good. He scored Wisconsin’s first four points of the period and assisted on an Austin Rapp 3-pointer, giving the Badgers a five point edge with 2:33 to go. Once the overtime buzzer sounded, Boyd ended with seven points, leading Wisconsin to the victory.
Blackwell scored 31 points in his fifth 30-point showing of the season. Immediately following Zvonimir Ivisic’s layup that gave Illinois their biggest lead of the night, Blackwell willed the Badgers back into the game. A personal 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer, a driving layup and two free throws gave Wisconsin life and brought the Badger fans inside the United Center to their feet. Boyd picked the pocket of Big Ten Freshman of the Year Keaton Wagler on the following possession, scoring on the other end and forcing Illinois head coach Brad Underwood to call a timeout.
Blackwell scored seven points in the final seven minutes of the second period and added two free throws in overtime, maintaining composure for Wisconsin when they needed it the most.
Outside of their lethal scoring, the pair dished out a combined seven assists and snagged 11 crucial rebounds in Nolan Winter’s absence. After the game, Underwood acknowledged how difficult it was to guard both players.
“They're both two of the top guys, so you've got to try to guard them without fouling them. Then they're both guys that are very adept at 3-point shooters.” Underwood told The Daily Cardinal in the postgame press conference.
Underwood also praised freshman Aleksus Bieliauskas’s ability to create space for the two.
“They do a great job of their bigs. Bieliauskas especially, Bieliauskas is a hidden gem for them. He's very smart and sets ball screens, and he sets them at angles that force it that it's hard to go under,” Underwood said. “When they get in those middle ball screens, both of those guys are very effective — very difficult to guard, both great finishers.”
In order for a guard pairing to be successful in March, feeding off one another’s abilities is a necessity. In the eyes of Blackwell, Boyd’s aggressiveness allows him to get his game going.
“He just opens up the floor for everybody. He sees the game. If their bodies are there, he's constantly kicking it out. Whether he has zero points and there's a minute left or he has 30, he's constantly staying aggressive trying to get to the paint,” Blackwell said.
Boyd lauded Blackwell’s presence of mind each game.
“Like he said, my aggressiveness, and I'm emotional out there, but I just love his poise in a situation. He just stays poised and is very focused, and that rubs off on me,” Boyd said.
Wisconsin will take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal, another team the Badgers defeated on the road in the regular season. It hasn’t been an easy season by any means, but for Boyd, the best is yet to come from Wisconsin’s high-octane backcourt.
“I don't know, man, it took us some time — now I know where [Blackwell’s] going to be at, at all times. As we keep growing together and get more and more games together, God willing, it's just going to keep being special,” Boyd said.
