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The Wisconsin Badgers won the opening game of their Big Ten Tournament quest on Thursday afternoon, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 70-63.
The Badgers leaned on strong performances from Nolan Winter and John Tonje, plus an impressive game from Max Klesmit in his return from injury. Importantly, Wisconsin limited Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli's explosiveness, controlling the game for the entire second half. Wisconsin struggled to guard three-point attempts early in the contest, then vastly improved in the second frame, forcing the Wildcats to shoot just 3-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Wisconsin will now play No. 4-seed UCLA Friday afternoon in what will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the day. The Badgers struggled against the Bruins and center Aday Mara earlier this season. They will now have an opportunity to avenge that loss with a trip to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal on the line.
Before that game tips off, here are three stats that defined Wisconsin's win over Northwestern:
Nolan Winter left Wisconsin's loss to Penn State due to injury. He was importantly cleared prior to Thursday's tipoff. By no surprise, he was crucial for the Badgers, scoring 18 points on good efficiency from both the field and the free throw line. Winter is an x-factor for this Wisconsin team. Today's big performance shows how important he is for its chances in the NCAA Tournament.
The sophomore forward will look to continue his strong play tomorrow against UCLA's talented frontcourt.
While the volume wasn't as high as head coach Greg Gard may have liked, Wisconsin shot much better from three-point range than it did in previous games. The Badgers, specifically John Tonje, connected on some important looks late in the game to eliminate Northwestern's hopes. The ball movement was also better than in previous contests, finding better looks for players including Kamari McGee and Steven Crowl early in the first half. Overall, the mark is a good sign for a team that had been cold in recent contests.
Max Klesmit hasn't had the season he hoped for, partially due to lingering lower body injuries. The veteran missed the past three games due to this injury. Importantly, he played extremely well in his first game back, connecting on a huge step-back three over Nick Martinelli late in the second half. That step-back showed physical movement he hadn't displayed much this season, giving fans and coaches a sign of hope that he is getting healthy at the right time. Klesmit's impact was clear in this game. His return to top form is critical to the team's chances.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball Northwestern game recap key stats
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The Badgers leaned on strong performances from Nolan Winter and John Tonje, plus an impressive game from Max Klesmit in his return from injury. Importantly, Wisconsin limited Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli's explosiveness, controlling the game for the entire second half. Wisconsin struggled to guard three-point attempts early in the contest, then vastly improved in the second frame, forcing the Wildcats to shoot just 3-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Wisconsin will now play No. 4-seed UCLA Friday afternoon in what will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the day. The Badgers struggled against the Bruins and center Aday Mara earlier this season. They will now have an opportunity to avenge that loss with a trip to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal on the line.
Before that game tips off, here are three stats that defined Wisconsin's win over Northwestern:
Nolan Winter's plus-22
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Nolan Winter left Wisconsin's loss to Penn State due to injury. He was importantly cleared prior to Thursday's tipoff. By no surprise, he was crucial for the Badgers, scoring 18 points on good efficiency from both the field and the free throw line. Winter is an x-factor for this Wisconsin team. Today's big performance shows how important he is for its chances in the NCAA Tournament.
The sophomore forward will look to continue his strong play tomorrow against UCLA's talented frontcourt.
Wisconsin's 8/25 (32%) shooting rate from three
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While the volume wasn't as high as head coach Greg Gard may have liked, Wisconsin shot much better from three-point range than it did in previous games. The Badgers, specifically John Tonje, connected on some important looks late in the game to eliminate Northwestern's hopes. The ball movement was also better than in previous contests, finding better looks for players including Kamari McGee and Steven Crowl early in the first half. Overall, the mark is a good sign for a team that had been cold in recent contests.
Max Klesmit's nine points
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Max Klesmit hasn't had the season he hoped for, partially due to lingering lower body injuries. The veteran missed the past three games due to this injury. Importantly, he played extremely well in his first game back, connecting on a huge step-back three over Nick Martinelli late in the second half. That step-back showed physical movement he hadn't displayed much this season, giving fans and coaches a sign of hope that he is getting healthy at the right time. Klesmit's impact was clear in this game. His return to top form is critical to the team's chances.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball Northwestern game recap key stats
Continue reading...
