Wisconsin basketball pocketed a gritty 75-63 road win over a young Rutgers team on Monday night.
The Badgers overcame 16 turnovers and Rutgers’ offensive rebounding effort to exit with the win. Fueled by 21 points, four rebounds and three assists from sophomore guard John Blackwell, 18 points and 10 rebounds from veteran center Steven Crowl and 15 points and nine boards from John Tonje, the Badgers shot 54.4% from the field in the win. Their 75 points are a program-best at the Rutgers Athletic Center.
The outcome is all the more impressive given Wisconsin’s free throw total (6-of-6) and limited production from Max Klesmit and Nolan Winter (10 combined points). Eight different playmakers scratched the score sheet on Monday, as depth contributors Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore and Xavier Amos all played big roles in the win.
Here are five stats that defined UW’s fourth straight win and first road Big Ten victory of the 2024-25 season:
1. 54.4% shooting
Without this type of efficiency, Wisconsin simply does not come out on top. The Badgers shot just 32% from three-point land off 22 attempts and reached the free throw line six times — both well below the team’s season averages. Blackwell, Crowl and Tonje went 22-of-38 from the field to carry the offensive load.
Against Iowa, it was all about the outside attack. Tonight, Wisconsin prevailed from two-point range.
2. 34 defensive rebounds
Wisconsin exceeded Rutgers by a whopping 15 in the defensive rebounding category on Monday. Four Scarlet Knights snared at least three offensive rebounds apiece, but the Badgers controlled the defensive glass. Winter, Crowl and Tonje corralled 21 combined defensive rebounds — an encouraging size for fans hoping for more aggressiveness from UW’s big man tandem.
3. 21 points from John Blackwell
The former three-star recruit from Michigan is on a tear. Over the last three games, Blackwell is responsible for roughly 22 points and six rebounds per appearance, including a 32-point, eight-rebound eruption on Jan. 3 against Iowa.
Earlier this season, it appeared as if John Tonje would assume the role as the undisputed go-to option. Through 15 games, the two have coalesced into a dangerous scoring tandem. Even more important — Blackwell looks like a budding star for this program going forward.
4. 13-2 scoring run
When winning time arrived, Greg Gard’s crew pulled through. Up just three points, 60-57, with roughly seven minutes to spare, the Badgers leaned on Crowl, Tonje, Blackwell, Kamari McGee and Carter Gilmore to close the game. The five-man unit made several critical plays down the stretch to essentially seal the deal before Blackwell officially iced the game with a layup at the 18-second mark.
Prior to the contest, Wisconsin’s depth and experience was flagged as a major advantage over the young Scarlet Knights. The final stretch personified this element of UW’s bunch.
5. Six free throw attempts
Statistically, Wisconsin is the best free throw shooting team in the nation. The Badgers get to the line over 19 times a game and execute on nearly 86% of looks from the charity stripe.
On Monday, the team shot its first free throw at the 3:28-minute mark. While frustrating on the surface, this should come as a welcoming sign for fans. Wisconsin has now proven it can win from deep, from the line and from inside. This won’t be the norm, but it’s promising to know UW can win by double digits with just six attempts.
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