Wisconsin Blows Past Penn State with Statement Win, Extends Streak to Five
UNIVERSITY PARK - Wisconsin didn’t just win Thursday night - they made a statement. Behind 17-point performances from Braeden Carrington and John Blackwell, the Badgers put together one of their most dominant showings of the season, cruising past Penn State 98-71 for their fifth straight victory.
This one was over early.
Midway through the first half, Wisconsin flipped the switch and never looked back. What was a tight game quickly turned into a rout, as the Badgers closed the half on a staggering 38-9 run to take a 50-22 lead into the break. That stretch was fueled by sharp ball movement, relentless effort on the glass, and a barrage of threes - the kind of stretch that shows just how dangerous this team can be when everything clicks.
Carrington was lights out from deep, going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, while Blackwell added 13 of his 17 in the first half to help build the cushion. And it wasn’t just the scoring - Wisconsin’s depth and balance were on full display. Nolan Winter added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, Nick Boyd chipped in 11, and Andrew Rohde’s three midway through the second half pushed the lead to 78-44, officially putting this one out of reach.
The Badgers shot 51% from the field and knocked down 15 of their 35 three-point attempts - a blistering pace that Penn State simply couldn’t match.
For the Nittany Lions, it was another tough night in what’s become a brutal stretch. They’ve now dropped six in a row and nine of their last ten, still searching for their first Big Ten win of the season.
Josh Reed led the way with 18 points - his highest-scoring game in a Penn State uniform - and added six rebounds. Freddie Dilione V came alive in the second half, scoring 15 of his 17 points after the break to keep the scoreboard respectable. He’s now hit double figures in 14 games this season, a team-high.
Freshman forward Mason Blackwood also had a bright spot, setting a new career high with 14 points in 22 minutes and grabbing six rebounds. Ivan Juric was a force on the glass, pulling down a career-best 12 rebounds - his second double-digit rebounding effort of the year. Kayden Mingo, another freshman, led the team in assists for the 12th time this season, finishing with five to go along with six points and two boards.
But despite some individual highlights, Penn State simply couldn’t keep pace with Wisconsin’s offensive firepower or match their energy on the boards. The Badgers owned a 42-31 edge in rebounding and dished out 25 assists on 36 made field goals - a clear sign of how well this group is clicking right now.
Wisconsin has now won six of the last eight in this series and 19 of 22 dating back to 2012 - and if Thursday night is any indication, that trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
What’s Next:
- Wisconsin returns home to host USC on Sunday.
- Penn State heads to Columbus to face Ohio State on Monday.