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Wisconsin basketball rode a three-point barrage to an 86-70 victory over UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal on Friday.
The Badgers' shooting numbers effectively tell the story of the game. Wisconsin made 19 of 32 (59.4%) three-point attempts, tying a Big Ten Tournament record. John Tonje led that effort with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 9-of-10 shooting and 6-of-6 from three. The star wing was not alone, as John Blackwell pitched in 18 points on 4-of-8 from three, Steven Crowl added 13 points and Kamari McGee finished with 14 tallies on 3-of-3 shooting from deep.
The Badgers shot 51.7% from the field overall, with 22 assists on 30 made field goals. They also held UCLA to just 32.4% from the floor. It was an all-around effort, one that made an emphatic statement after the team lost on the road at UCLA earlier this season.
The Bruins did hang in the game with 20 offensive rebounds. But Wisconsin was dominant in every other facet. Wisconsin led by at least 12 points throughout the second half, keeping UCLA from staging any legitimate comeback. Once Wisconsin set the tone with a red-hot shooting start from deep, making 12 of its first 17 attempts, the game was mostly decided.
Wisconsin now advances to play No. 1-seed Michigan State in the tournament semifinal on Saturday. The team can reenter the discussion for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament with another win, plus a potential Big Ten Tournament title.
Before the Badgers look to continue their hot streak, here are major takeaways from their big win over the Bruins.
Wisconsin's best games have come when it shoots well from three -- throughout the roster. It has struggled, meanwhile, when those deep shots don't fall. The win over UCLA is significant for that reason. The Badgers looked as strong as they have all season, scoring 86 total points with the mentioned 19 three-point makes. Those tallies could have each been more had Greg Gard not emptied the bench for the final four minutes of action.
The major question entering the conference tournament was whether Wisconsin could rediscover its top form. That answer, after Friday, is a definitive 'yes.'
John Tonje delivered an impactful 18 points in the Badgers' second-round win over Northwestern on Thursday. He bested that on Friday, scoring 26 points on 9-of-10 from the floor. The Naismith semifinalist is on a path to March stardom if he can continue this form into the NCAA Tournament. The best player on the best team, especially when that team scores 86 points, tends to get significant recognition. If the Badgers make a run, Tonje will lead the headlines.
Wisconsin scuffled to close the regular season, finishing with a 2-3 mark over its final five games. Its closing loss to Penn State dropped the team from the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten standings, handing UCLA the position and the final double-bye.
Looking back, that movement was a good thing. Wisconsin got comfortable with a 70-63 win over Northwestern. That comfort was apparent in the opening minutes of Friday's game, as the team made six of its first seven three-pointers to quickly open a double-digit lead. That first game also allowed Max Klesmit some time to acclimate to game speed after he missed several weeks with a lower-body injury. Overall, the Badgers' loss to the Nittany Lions and subsequent seeding movement may have been a blessing in disguise. It helped the team return to dominant form.
John Tonje, John Blackwell and Steven Crowl led Wisconsin's rotation with 26, 18 and 13 points, respectively. Aside from those top contributors, the team's depth was again on display. Kamari McGee was excellent with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting and 3-of-3 from deep. Xavier Amos also pitched in an impressive eight points, three rebounds and two assists.
Wisconsin can now go nine-deep with productive contributors, with McGee, Amos, Jack Janicki and Carter Gilmore all playing big roles off the bench. That depth is valuable in a game like Friday's, where both of the Badgers' primary big men dealt with significant foul trouble. Most teams see big drop-offs once the eighth and ninth players enter the game. That isn't true for Wisconsin. The team's depth is a big reason it should be a popular pick to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.
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 UCLA tournament win takeaways, recap, highlights
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The Badgers' shooting numbers effectively tell the story of the game. Wisconsin made 19 of 32 (59.4%) three-point attempts, tying a Big Ten Tournament record. John Tonje led that effort with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 9-of-10 shooting and 6-of-6 from three. The star wing was not alone, as John Blackwell pitched in 18 points on 4-of-8 from three, Steven Crowl added 13 points and Kamari McGee finished with 14 tallies on 3-of-3 shooting from deep.
The Badgers shot 51.7% from the field overall, with 22 assists on 30 made field goals. They also held UCLA to just 32.4% from the floor. It was an all-around effort, one that made an emphatic statement after the team lost on the road at UCLA earlier this season.
The Bruins did hang in the game with 20 offensive rebounds. But Wisconsin was dominant in every other facet. Wisconsin led by at least 12 points throughout the second half, keeping UCLA from staging any legitimate comeback. Once Wisconsin set the tone with a red-hot shooting start from deep, making 12 of its first 17 attempts, the game was mostly decided.
Wisconsin now advances to play No. 1-seed Michigan State in the tournament semifinal on Saturday. The team can reenter the discussion for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament with another win, plus a potential Big Ten Tournament title.
Before the Badgers look to continue their hot streak, here are major takeaways from their big win over the Bruins.
That version of Wisconsin is nearly impossible to beat
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Wisconsin's best games have come when it shoots well from three -- throughout the roster. It has struggled, meanwhile, when those deep shots don't fall. The win over UCLA is significant for that reason. The Badgers looked as strong as they have all season, scoring 86 total points with the mentioned 19 three-point makes. Those tallies could have each been more had Greg Gard not emptied the bench for the final four minutes of action.
The major question entering the conference tournament was whether Wisconsin could rediscover its top form. That answer, after Friday, is a definitive 'yes.'
John Tonje is on a path to March stardom
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John Tonje delivered an impactful 18 points in the Badgers' second-round win over Northwestern on Thursday. He bested that on Friday, scoring 26 points on 9-of-10 from the floor. The Naismith semifinalist is on a path to March stardom if he can continue this form into the NCAA Tournament. The best player on the best team, especially when that team scores 86 points, tends to get significant recognition. If the Badgers make a run, Tonje will lead the headlines.
Wisconsin beginning its Big Ten Tournament on Thursday was a good thing
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Wisconsin scuffled to close the regular season, finishing with a 2-3 mark over its final five games. Its closing loss to Penn State dropped the team from the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten standings, handing UCLA the position and the final double-bye.
Looking back, that movement was a good thing. Wisconsin got comfortable with a 70-63 win over Northwestern. That comfort was apparent in the opening minutes of Friday's game, as the team made six of its first seven three-pointers to quickly open a double-digit lead. That first game also allowed Max Klesmit some time to acclimate to game speed after he missed several weeks with a lower-body injury. Overall, the Badgers' loss to the Nittany Lions and subsequent seeding movement may have been a blessing in disguise. It helped the team return to dominant form.
Wisconsin's depth continues to impress
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John Tonje, John Blackwell and Steven Crowl led Wisconsin's rotation with 26, 18 and 13 points, respectively. Aside from those top contributors, the team's depth was again on display. Kamari McGee was excellent with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting and 3-of-3 from deep. Xavier Amos also pitched in an impressive eight points, three rebounds and two assists.
Wisconsin can now go nine-deep with productive contributors, with McGee, Amos, Jack Janicki and Carter Gilmore all playing big roles off the bench. That depth is valuable in a game like Friday's, where both of the Badgers' primary big men dealt with significant foul trouble. Most teams see big drop-offs once the eighth and ninth players enter the game. That isn't true for Wisconsin. The team's depth is a big reason it should be a popular pick to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.
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 UCLA tournament win takeaways, recap, highlights
Continue reading...
