Overtime: Wisconsin Bounces Washington 90-73
Improving to 8-1 this season following a loss, Wisconsin (20-9, 12-6) cruised to a 90-73 road victory at Washington (14-15, 6-12) on Saturday. The Badgers led by as many as 28 points, securing their fifth consecutive 20-win season.
Wisconsin Shut Down Washington
Wisconsin’s defense, particularly the backcourt, came out with a lot of fire and energy on Saturday. The Badgers dictated terms to a stellar Washington backcourt, making the duo of Zoom Diallo and Wesley Yates uncomfortable early.
The Huskies often go as Diallo and Yates go. The duo started the game a combined 0-of-5 from the field. As a team, Washington scored five points in the opening 7:05. The Huskies would tack on a lot of garbage points in the second half, but UW’s first-half defensive effort was too much to overcome. In the opening 20 minutes, Washington averaged .636 points per possession and went 7-of-28 from the field with five turnovers on 33 possessions. Their 21 first-half points were also a season-low.
Diallo eventually got going, scoring 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. However, Yates had an abysmal performance, finishing 1-of-17 from the field, en route to three points.
Nick Boyd Put His Foot on the Gas Pedal
With the exception of a few blocks, Washington had no answer for Nick Boyd. The senior guard was operating at top-end speed throughout the afternoon, coasting to 22 points on 11-of-20 shooting without making a 3-point field goal.
Boyd also had another complete effort, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists in 32 minutes. With Wisconsin in control, Boyd only attempted one field goal in the final 10:47.
Wisconsin Had a Big Advantage in 3-Point Shooting
As we predicted in the pre-game, three-point shooting would play a major role in Saturday’s matchup. If Wisconsin got going, Washington, one of the least productive 3-point shooting teams in power-four, would likely struggle to keep up.
The Badgers hit their average of 11 3-pointers with nearly 10 minutes remaining. UW would make a season-high 17 triples on 38 attempts, shooting 45 percent from downtown. That marked the Badgers’ most 3-pointers ever in a road game. In fact, just five Big Ten teams before them have accomplished that feat.
Washington averaged about six triples per game. The Huskies would finish just 4-of-18 from beyond the arc, unable to get themselves out of a massive deficit.
Game Ball
With John Blackwell not overly present in Saturday’s game, Braeden Carrington picked up the slack. The senior guard came up with a career-high 32 points off the bench, aiding Wisconsin’s 46 percent shooting effort on the road. At one point, Carrington hit five of six 3-point field goal attempts.
Carrington was 9-of-15 from 3-point range. His nine triples were a UW school record. The Tulsa transfer also registered four rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 27 minutes.
Beyond the Box Score
1.27: Wisconsin averaged 1.27 points per possession.
3: The Badgers made three consecutive 3-pointers in the second half, opening up a 69-43 lead.
5: Carrington hit five of six 3-point field goal attempts at one point in the second half.
6:07: Washington went 6:07 without a made field goal in the first half.
7:05: The Huskies score just five points in the first 7:05.
10: The Badgers went on a 10-0 run in the second half, taking a 66-42 lead with 8:45 remaining.
14: UW used a 14-1 run over 3:53 to take a 14-3 lead in the first half.
17: The Badgers connected on a season-high 17 3-pointers.
17:55: Blackwell didn’t score until the 17:55 mark of the second half.
21: Washington’s 21 first half points were a season-low.
28: The Badgers led by as many as 28 points.
30: Blackwell had a +/- of 30 to lead UW.
32: Carrington’s 32 points were a career high.
