Right now, Wisconsin is rolling. Winners of three straight, the Badgers are heating up at just the right time in Big Ten play. But if you ask freshman guard John Blackwell, things aren’t as picture-perfect as they might seem on the outside.
“It’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows,” Blackwell said. “You pray about things and you imagine things, and it’s not always going to be the case.”
That kind of perspective is rare for a freshman, especially one who just buried a game-winning three at the buzzer to lift his team to a 78-75 road win over Minnesota. Blackwell dropped 27 points in that one, and his final three - a cold-blooded pull-up with time expiring - sealed Wisconsin’s 10th straight win over the Gophers. But even in the middle of a hot streak, Blackwell’s message is clear: success in the Big Ten isn’t handed out, it’s earned.
Wisconsin (12-5, 4-2 Big Ten) is starting to look like a team that understands that grind. Head coach Greg Gard certainly thinks so.
“I don’t care if you’re 5-foot-8 or 7-foot-9, you have to play with that type of mentality,” Gard said, referring to the toughness it takes to win in this league.
That edge has been showing up on the court, and not just in the final moments. The Badgers are getting a major lift from their dynamic backcourt duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who are combining to score nearly 45% of the team’s points.
Boyd is putting up 19.2 points per game, with Blackwell right behind him at 18.6. That kind of production from the guard spot is giving Wisconsin the firepower to compete with anyone in the conference.
Next up: a Saturday showdown in Madison against Rutgers, a team that’s still trying to find its footing but showed some real grit last time out.
The Scarlet Knights (9-8, 2-4) are coming off a dramatic 77-75 overtime win over Northwestern. That game belonged to Tariq Francis, who poured in 30 points and scored the first seven in OT to will his team across the finish line.
Francis, a transfer from NJIT, has quickly become the go-to guy for Rutgers, leading the team with 15.3 points per game. Dylan Grant chips in 12.4, but after that, the scoring drops off - no one else averages more than 7.7.
Still, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell sees progress.
“These guys are getting better,” Pikiell said. “They are learning, they are accepting roles.
Who plays well, plays a lot. We have to compete every day and night.
That is kind of the team we are.”
This will be the only meeting between Wisconsin and Rutgers this season, and while the Badgers come in with momentum, the Scarlet Knights are showing signs of figuring things out. If Francis can keep up his hot hand and Rutgers can bring that same fight they showed against Northwestern, Saturday could be a battle.
But make no mistake - Wisconsin is starting to look like a team that’s more than just hot. They’re tough, they’re confident, and they’ve got a pair of guards who can take over a game. That’s a dangerous combination in the Big Ten.