NFL
By: Melo Williams
No. 21 Wisconsin improve to 18-5 on the season and 8-4 in the Big Ten following a 76-64 win over Indiana Tuesday night at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin claimed its 21st consecutive home win over Indiana, extending the longest-ever home winning streak against the Hoosiers.
The Badgers 21 straight home wins over Indiana ranks as the Badgers’ second-longest home win streak against a single opponent, trailing only their active 22-game home win streak against Penn State.
Overall, the Badgers defeated Indiana for the 26th time in the last 31 meetings, though the Hoosiers now lead the all-time series 99-81.
After scoring first, Wisconsin stormed out to a 19-2 lead. The Badgers started 7-8 from deep, building a 29-8 lead just 8:30 into the ballgame.
The Badgers knocked down 9 first-half threes, its most in a first half this season.
Wisconsin shot 12-29 from 3-point range, starting the game 7-8 from deep. The Badgers knocked down 9 first-half threes, its most in a first half this season, and that was the 13th time the Badgers have hit double-digit triples and is 10-3 in those games.
I asked Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard was it a point of focus this year to look for the transition three on the break.
“Yeah, I mean analytically it’s something we do really well. I think we’re really good in transition even though were maybe not known as a transition team.”
“It’s part a little byproduct of the system and how we’re playing, and it’s an emphasis of yeah, let’s keep coming, keep coming in waves and keep the pressure on with pace.”
The Badgers scored 40 points at halftime, making it the 7th time in the last 13 games, improving their record to 14-3 when leading at the half.
Defensively, the Badgers played lockdown defense on the Hoosiers from the tipoff, holding the Hoosiers to 64 total points, its 3rd-lowest output of the season.
Wisconsin’s on-ball defense, defensive switches and rotations were great, never giving Indiana breathing room to get clean looks at the basket contesting almost every shot and forcing Indiana into shooting many bad 3-point shots.
Wisconsin held Indiana to 23-57 (40%) shooting from the field, 7-27 (26%) from the three, and forced the Hoosiers into 11 turnovers scoring 18 points off of those turnovers.
Wisconsin is now 20-0 when allowing fewer than 65 points since the 56-54 loss to North Texas in the NIT concluding the 2022-23 season in March 2023.
John Tonje entered the game 6th in the Big Ten in scoring averaging 18.5 PPG, led the Badgers in scoring with 15 points (4-6 FT) and also added 5 rebounds. Tonje has scored in double figures in 22 of 24 games this season and 15+ points in 16 games.
Max Klesmit posted 13 points (2-6 3FG) scoring double-digits in back-to-back games for the first time in Big Ten play this season and the 9th straight game he’s hit a 3-pointer. Klesmit also added 6 assists and 3 steals, both his most in Big Ten play this season.
John Blackwell scored 8 points, grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Nolan Winter chipped in 12 points on 5-7 FG, 2-3 3FG while grabbing 5 rebounds. Winter entered the game leading Wisconsin and ranked 5th in the Big Ten shooting (59%) and leading the Big Ten in shooting (61-86, 70%) on 2-point FGs.
Kamari McGee put up 9 points and 3 rebounds. McGee went 3-5 from 3-point range and is now shooting (29-52, 55.8%) on the season.
After scoring a career high 15 points vs Northwestern, Carter Gilmore scored 10 points (3-3 3FG), his first 10+ points in back-to-back games. Gilmore has never hit 3 threes in a game in his career before doing so in each of the last 2 games.
Next up for Wisconsin is a road game Saturday February 8 at Iowa. Wisconsin defeated Iowa 116-85 January 3, 2025.
