John Blackwell delivered an impressive performance with 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading No. 12 Wisconsin to a 74-67 victory over Minnesota in a Big Ten showdown Wednesday night in Minneapolis. The Badgers rebounded from their previous loss to No. 8 Michigan State, improving their conference record.
Wisconsin (23-7, 13-6 Big Ten) also saw strong contributions from John Tonje, who scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Steven Crowl added 10 points on efficient 4-of-6 shooting.
Minnesota (15-15, 7-12 Big Ten) was led by Brennan Rigsby’s 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Lu’Cye Patterson chipped in 15 points, and Dawson Garcia contributed 14 points along with eight rebounds.
The Badgers won the rebounding battle 41-34 and capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 21 of 24 attempts. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers struggled at the stripe, making just eight of 15.
Minnesota made a strong push late in the game, closing the gap to 57-56 with six minutes remaining after Rigsby made one of two free throws. However, Wisconsin responded with a decisive 17-11 run to secure the win. Carter Gilmore initiated the late surge with two free throws, and Jack Janicki added key baskets in the final minutes.
Earlier in the second half, Crowl’s dunk extended Wisconsin’s lead to 46-35 with 13 minutes left, but Minnesota answered with an 11-0 run to tie the game at 46 with just over 11 minutes remaining. Rigsby and Garcia fueled the comeback with back-to-back three-pointers.
At halftime, Wisconsin held a 33-27 advantage, thanks in part to an early 12-0 run that gave them a nine-point lead in the opening minutes. Blackwell capped the run with a three-pointer and a jump shot. Minnesota responded with a 9-0 run of its own, tying the game at 12 with just over 11 minutes left in the first half. Femi Odukale played a key role in that stretch, grabbing a defensive rebound and sinking a jump shot.
Wisconsin regained a slight edge at 31-25 after a Tonje layup with just over two minutes left in the half. Rigsby and Crowl then exchanged baskets before the break, setting up a competitive second half.
— Field Level Media