Film room: Here is how Wisconsin basketball dismantled Minnesota

The Badgers tore Minnesota up on Thursday

Wisconsin basketball needed a response after coming out flat in an upset loss to Maryland on Monday. They responded by being at their best on Thursday in an important, dominant 71-59 win over Minnesota.

To see such drastically different performances three days apart will be the norm in the 2020-2021 Big Ten conference. With a league this deep, one off night can rapidly turn into an upset loss or an embarrassing blowout. There were, however, many noticeable differences in the box score on Thursday that will dictate wins and losses for Wisconsin this year. Here is a look, both statistically and with film, at how the Badgers flipped the script on Thursday.

Everything for Greg Gard and company started on the interior. After losing the points in the paint battle 38-21 against Maryland on Monday, the Badgers outscored Minnesota 40-18 inside.

Their interior defense stepped up and forced the Gophers into just 5-15 shooting on layups at the rim. The Badgers also did a tremendous job keeping Minnesota off of the free throw line.

This play late in the first half sums that up perfectly. With dynamic Gopher guard Marcus Carr running full speed ahead at Badger big Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin’s all-time leader in blocked shots stays vertical to force a miss. Any attempt to go for the basketball probably results in a whistle here:

Wisconsin didn’t force things from three and finished 6-15 (40%) from beyond the arc against Minnesota. In particular, Aleem Ford showed the confidence and the stroke that he had late last season. The senior finished with a pair of made threes, and a variety of other buckets to give him 14 points:

This bucket late in the first half was particularly impressive. Ford attacks towards the corner so he can switch hands into a comfortable post look. Then, how about the touch on that fadeaway?

Wisconsin also got out and ran selectively, after finishing with zero fast break points against Maryland. It all started with perimeter defense that turned into layups:

 

One of the most significant differences on the offensive end was an emphasis on post touches early. Reuvers and Micah Potter were heavily featured in the offense early, and it opened up the everything for the Badgers on that end later. Potter had Wisconsin’s first five points thanks to the Badgers clearing out a side and letting him go to work.

Johnny Davis makes the entry here, and then clears out to let the big man eat. The spacing allows Potter to have a true one-on-one battle in the post:

Overall, Wisconsin found themselves on the interior and it allowed for a blowout win. If the Badgers play inside-out, selectively run, and knock down in rhythm threes, they will find themselves at the top of the Big Ten conference in a couple of months.