Badgers Rally from 20 Down to Stun Gophers in Historic Kohl Center Comeback
MADISON, Wis. - It wasn’t pretty early, but it didn’t have to be. Wisconsin found itself in a deep, 20-point hole at home against Minnesota, struggling to find rhythm on either end of the floor. But in a game that felt like it was slipping away, the Badgers dug in, turned up the intensity, and stormed back to deliver one of the most dramatic wins of their season - and one of the biggest comebacks in program history.
Coming off a tough loss to USC that snapped their five-game win streak, the Badgers needed a bounce-back performance. What they got instead - at least in the first half - was more frustration. Minnesota came out swinging, and Wisconsin couldn’t buy a bucket.
After Nolan Winter opened the scoring, Minnesota ripped off an 11-0 run, seizing early control. Wisconsin missed six straight shots during that stretch, starting the game just 1-for-7 from the field.
The Gophers were active defensively, clogging lanes and contesting everything, while also capitalizing on the other end. A second Minnesota burst - this time a 9-0 run - stretched the lead to 20-6.
The Badgers were reeling.
To make matters worse, big man Aleksas Bieliauskas exited with an apparent ankle injury, heading to the locker room as Wisconsin searched for answers. The Gophers kept their foot on the gas, hitting back-to-back threes late in the half to push the lead to 20. A Nick Boyd jumper just before the break gave the Badgers a flicker of life, but they still trailed by 18 heading into the locker room.
And then, everything changed.
Wisconsin came out in the second half with renewed energy - and a clear plan: attack the rim. The Badgers drew contact, got to the line, and disrupted Minnesota’s rhythm. The Gophers, meanwhile, went ice cold, failing to score for the first four-plus minutes of the half.
That opened the door, and Wisconsin kicked it down.
The Badgers outscored Minnesota 12-2 in the opening stretch of the second half, cutting the deficit to single digits and igniting the Kohl Center crowd. The energy was back.
The belief was back. And John Blackwell was leading the charge.
Blackwell was relentless, scoring in bunches and keeping the pressure on Minnesota’s defense. He reached 15 points midway through the second half, pulling Wisconsin within three.
Every time the Gophers tried to answer, Wisconsin stayed poised. Nick Boyd kept attacking, drawing fouls and creating opportunities.
When Minnesota’s Isaac Asuma picked up his third foul, the momentum fully tilted toward the home team.
Then came the turning point. Down by one, Kamari McGee found Connor Essegian in the corner, who buried a three while drawing contact. He sank the free throw to complete the four-point play, and suddenly, Wisconsin had all the juice.
Boyd followed with a clutch triple to give Wisconsin its first lead of the game at 57-56 with just over four minutes remaining. It was a heavyweight slugfest from there - both teams trading punches down the stretch.
With just over a minute left and Wisconsin trailing by one, Blackwell once again attacked the rim, drew a foul, and calmly knocked down both free throws to put the Badgers back on top. And then, with the game hanging in the balance, the Michigan native delivered the dagger - a cold-blooded three to seal the comeback and send the Kohl Center into a frenzy.
Final score: Wisconsin 67, Minnesota 63.
The 20-point rally tied the largest second-half comeback in Wisconsin program history. More importantly, it pushed the Badgers to 7-3 in Big Ten play, keeping them firmly in the hunt near the top of the standings.
This wasn’t a game defined by clean execution or sharp shooting - it was about grit, resilience, and refusing to fold when things looked bleak. Wisconsin didn’t have its best stuff early, but when it mattered most, the Badgers showed exactly who they are: a team that never stops fighting.