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Wisconsin

Seth Davis labels Wisconsin's Nick Boyd, John Blackwell 'best scoring guard tandem in country'

Danby: Daniel Hager03/15/26DanielHagerOn3

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin is poised to be one of the most popular non-top four seeds projected to make a run deep into the Big Dance.

The guard play of Wisconsin‘s Nick Boyd and John Blackwell have carried the Badgers to wins in eight of their last 11 games. In that span, they’ve knocked off No. 8 Illinois (twice), No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 15 Purdue. They fell to No. 3 Michigan 68-65 in the Semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday, following of a go-ahead three-pointer by Yaxel Lendeborg in the final seconds.

Boyd, a San Diego State transfer, averaged 20.6 points in 34 games for the Badgers this season. His backcourt partner, John Blackwell, averaged 19.0 points in 33 games. The duo exploded for 69 combined points in Wisconsin‘s 91-88 OT victory over No. 9 Illinois in the Big ten Quarterfinals on Thursday.

During CBS’s Inside College Basketball show, which took place just hours before Selection Sunday, Seth Davis labeled the Wisconsin guards as ‘the best scoring guard tandem in the country.’

“I don’t know how unknown he is after what he’s been doing in Chicago this week, but Nick Boyd for the Wisconsin Badgers… I love those ‘go getcha guards’. Late in the game, late in the shot clock. All your brilliant sets and plays haven’t worked, and you say ‘young fella, go get me one’. Nick Boyd is really good, and he’s playing along John Blackwell.

“Those guys are arguably the best scoring guard tandem right now in the country. Nobody’s gonna want to face the Badgers (in the NCAA Tournament). They’re playing with supreme confidence. I think they’re going to have Nolan Winter, their best rebounder, back for the NCAA Tournament. Nick Boyd, if they go far, everybody is going to know his name.”

In Joe Lunardi‘s latest Bracketology, Wisconsin is projected as a No. 5 seed in the West Region. The 2026 NCAA Tournament will mark the eighth of the Greg Gard era in Madison. The Badgers have advanced as far as the Sweet Sixteen twice under Gard, but both appearances came in his first two seasons (2016 and 2017). With Boyd and Blackwell scoring at an elite rate right now, however, Wisconsin surely seems more than capable of breaking that streak this season.

The Badgers will officially know their seed, where they’re playing, and who they’re playing during the NCAA Selection Show. The show begins at 6:00 PM ET on CBS.