Badgers blitz Huskies, 97-72 | Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis. – Thanks to a career-high 25 factors by Nick Boyd, the No. 24 Wisconsin males’s basketball crew collected a 97-72 win over Northern Illinois on Friday evening on the Kohl Center. 

Boyd scored 20 of his 25 factors within the first half to guide UW (2-0) to a 25-point win over the Huskies (1-1). John Blackwell had 15 factors and 6 rebounds, whereas Nolan Winter added 12 factors and seven boards. 

The Badgers raced off to a 12-2 lead within the first three minutes due to 7 factors by Boyd and by no means regarded again. They did not path the whole contest. 

UW led 52-33 on the break as Boyd had 20 factors, Blackwell had 9 and Winter and Aleksas Bieliauskas every had 8. 

Bucky closed the competition with a balanced assault within the second half, seeing 11 gamers rating total. 

Andrew Rohde and Austin Rapp every completed their day with 8 factors a chunk. Bieliauskas, a real freshman, completed off his evening with 8 whole factors, thanks to 2 three-pointers, and added 4 rebounds. 

Will Garlock and Hayden Jones earned their first collegiate baskets, every including 5 factors off the bench. 

Graduate scholar Isaac Gard notched a career-high with 5 factors within the sport’s ultimate minutes. He drilled his second-career three pointer earlier than incomes two extra factors on the charity stripe. 

Friday’s win marks the fourth time in 5 seasons the Badgers have began 2-0, and the thirteenth consecutive non-conference victory on the Kohl Center.  

From the Court

Head Coach Greg Gard

On the defensive efficiency:

“We were really intense from the beginning and were really focused for pretty much the whole game. I think the only thing defensively I didn’t like was that we fouled too much at times…but I didn’t think we got beat to the rim. I thought our help was there earlier and, we were better, for the most part, at containing the dribble.”

Graduate Student Nick Boyd

On his career-high:

“It was honestly [about] being aggressive. I have to give respect to my teammates out on the court, they give me so much space to play, which is why I wanted to come here. When we get stops, I have the freedom to fly down the court, so I love that too. Between those two things, being aggressive – and them giving the ability to have space to shoot – that’s just my type of game.” 

Senior Andrew Rohde

On the crew’s protection:

“I think that’s a priority for us every game. Especially, since the last game. We went into this game after working on defense the last few days at practice and just communicating with each other. I think we did a good job tonight and defiantly took some steps.”

Up Next: Wisconsin continues its homestand in opposition to Ball State on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. tip. Fans that may’t make it to the Kohl Center can watch dwell on Big Ten Network.