NFL
By: Melo Williams
#24 Wisconsin improved to 3-0 on the season with an 86-55 win over Ball State.
The Badgers have now started the season 3-0 in back to back years and the 4th time in the last 6 seasons.
Wisconsin led from start to finish in the victory. Wisconsin has now trailed for only 6:33 of game time this season.
This marks the 5th time the Badgers have scored 80+ in each of the first 3 games of the season and the first such occassion since the 1975-76 season.
Wisconsin had 5 players in double figures scoring showing the depth of the team scoring the different ways the team can score, and the unselfishness of the team as the Badgers finished with 20 assists.
Wisconsin grabbed 15 offensive rebounds which led to 15 second chance points.
UW now has 15 offensive boards in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2023-24 season (at Virginia and at SMU).
The Badgers posted a +20 rebounding margin, the largest of the season, hauling in 45 rebounds to Ball State’s 25.
Wisconsin took advantage of the size mismatch and scored 34 of the 86 points in the paint to Ball State’s 20.
Defensively, Wisconsin held Ball State to 55 points, the lowest total by an opponent this season. The Cardinals shot
34.0% (18-53) shooting, marking the Badgers’ best defensive effort of the season.
Wisconsin forced Ball State in 14 turnovers. On the season, the Badgers are forcing 16.7 turnovers per game.
The Badgers went 8-for-8 at the free throw
line. UW is shooting 82.8% (53-64) from the free throw line.
Wisconsin was led by Junior Nolan Winter in scoring and rebounding. Winter posted his 2nd double-double of the season and 6th of his career, scoring 19 points 1 shy of his career high, along with 10 rebounds, and a new career-high 3 blocks.
Winter has scored in double figures 20 times in his career and the Badgers are 17-3 when Winter scores 10+ points.
Nolan Winter on his rebounding:
“It’s huge for me personally. I’m trying to get as many rebounds as I can for this team. Me as a seven-footer I know that’s kind of my job. So you know having that mentality of every ball is mine when its shot, that’s kind of my thing this year. So that’s what I’m going to carry out through the whole season.”
Nick Boyd finished with 12 points, reaching double figures in each of his first 3 games as a Badger.
Boyd is averaging 19.3 PPG having scored 58 through the first 3 games. That number trails only Alando Tucker (68 Pts) and Trevon Hughes (61 Pts), for most by a Badger dating back to the 2004-05 season.
Nick Boyd on Nolan Winter consistency:
“Just as consistent rebounding. I think that’s what impressed me the most. I know he going to score but just how he’s attacking the glass right now. I mean every single game he’s having at least seven plus rebounds. So, that’s really important if we want to win come Big 10 play.”
Braeden Carrington came off the bench and provided Wisconsin a spark recording 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Carrington: “I kind of just do what I do every time. Go out and do what the team needs. Hustle plays, knock down shots, just kind of do what I have to do.”
Sophomore Austin Rapp tallied 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assist and 3 blocks.
Rapp is averaging 10.7 ppg on the season.
Andrew Rohde finished with 10 points, his most as a Badger, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
John Blackwell didn’t have his normal scoring outing, however he impacted the game in other facets. Blackwell finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.
Next on schedule for Wisconsin is a home matchup with SIUE Monday November 17 at 7:00 PM.
