The Wisconsin Badgers are starting to look like a team finding its rhythm - and fast. On Saturday afternoon, they picked up their fourth straight win, taking down Rutgers 96-87 in a game that showcased both their offensive firepower and flashes of defensive grit. Now sitting at 13-5 overall and 5-2 in Big Ten play, the Badgers are building momentum at a crucial point in the season.
Let’s break down what stood out in this high-scoring Big Ten battle.
1. Game of Runs: Wisconsin Finds Its Groove Early
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about this Wisconsin squad, it’s that when they get hot, they really get hot. And Saturday’s first half was a perfect example.
After Rutgers grabbed a quick 7-5 lead, Wisconsin responded with an 11-0 run that set the tone for the rest of the half. John Blackwell knocked down a pair of threes during that stretch, and the Badgers never looked back. Midway through the half, they strung together another 8-0 burst - this time with Nick Boyd scoring five straight and Jack Janicki adding a triple - to build some real separation.
They closed the half with a 16-6 run, fueled by strong defense turning into fast-break opportunities. Boyd led the charge with 15 points before the break, and Wisconsin walked into the locker room up 51-29 - a 22-point cushion built on pace, efficiency, and energy.
That first half was a reminder of what this team is capable of when both ends of the floor are clicking. The Badgers were aggressive, decisive, and balanced. It wasn’t just one guy carrying the load - it was a team firing on all cylinders.
The second half didn’t open with the same kind of fireworks, and Rutgers started to find their rhythm offensively. The Scarlet Knights chipped away, going on an 8-0 run that cut the lead to 78-67 with just under seven minutes to play. Harun Zrno and Darren Buchanan Jr. each hit threes to spark the surge, and suddenly, things got tense.
But Wisconsin never lost control. They slowed the game down, played with poise, and managed the clock. That composure helped them weather the storm and close things out, even as Rutgers kept punching.
2. Ball Movement Powers the Offense
Coming into the game as 15.5-point favorites, the Badgers were expected to take care of business. But how they did it - especially on the offensive end - was impressive.
The ball movement was sharp from the start. Wisconsin assisted on 11 of its first 14 made field goals and committed just three turnovers in the first half. That kind of efficiency is what coaches dream about.
Nick Boyd, after a slow shooting start, settled in and became a facilitator, dishing out six assists to go with his 15 first-half points. Andrew Rohde and John Blackwell each added three assists as well, helping orchestrate an offense that was both unselfish and aggressive.
The Badgers weren’t just settling for jumpers - they were working the ball into the paint, collapsing the defense, and kicking out for clean looks. That led to an eye-popping 1.46 points per possession in the first half - elite-level efficiency.
In the second half, they picked up right where they left off, scoring 20 points in the first eight minutes while shooting over 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep. Six of their first seven made field goals were assisted, showing that the unselfishness carried over.
But then came a cold stretch. As Rutgers made their push, Wisconsin went nearly four minutes without a field goal.
The ball stopped moving, and the offense leaned too heavily on the three-point shot - 67 percent of their attempts in the first 15 minutes of the second half came from beyond the arc, and they hit just 4-of-14 during that stretch. That stagnation allowed Rutgers to hang around longer than they probably should have.
Still, the Badgers found a way to close it out, getting to the free-throw line and making just enough plays to secure the win.
3. A Tale of Two Halves on Defense
Defensively, this was a mixed bag for Wisconsin - but the first half showed what this group can be when locked in.
The Badgers were active, physical, and disciplined to open the game. They forced Rutgers into tough twos, limited clean looks from three, and controlled the paint. The Scarlet Knights managed just 0.967 points per possession in the first half - a number any defensive coach would take in a heartbeat.
Wisconsin also did a solid job on the glass, using their size advantage to limit second-chance opportunities and disrupting Rutgers’ rhythm with timely turnovers. It was one of their most complete defensive halves of the season.
But the second half told a different story.
Rutgers came out firing, scoring 25 points in the first eight and a half minutes after the break. During that stretch, they shot 11-of-15 from the field and averaged a staggering 1.92 points per possession. That’s not just hot shooting - that’s a defensive breakdown.
The Scarlet Knights were getting deep into the paint, something they couldn’t do in the first half. Wisconsin allowed too many straight-line drives and struggled to rotate quickly enough to contest shots. Rutgers took full advantage, going on another 8-0 run with back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 11.
At one point, a 26-point lead had shrunk to single digits. But credit Wisconsin - they tightened things up in the final minutes, holding Rutgers under 10 points over the last four minutes to seal the win.
Final Word
This win was a snapshot of what makes Wisconsin dangerous - and what still needs to be cleaned up. The offense is humming, the ball movement is crisp, and when they’re engaged defensively, they can overwhelm teams. But there’s still a need for more consistency, especially on the defensive end.
Still, four straight wins and a strong showing in Big Ten play? The Badgers are trending in the right direction - and if they can put together a full 40 minutes, they’ll be a problem for anyone in the conference.