The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 84-71 at the Kohl Center on Sunday afternoon, using a big game from Nick Boyd to secure a crucial win that had big tournament projection implications.
After a loss earlier in the week to the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Badgers needed to regroup and bounce back at home. But they were facing an Iowa team that just upset the Nebraska Cornhuskers earlier this week.
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Nonetheless, Wisconsin got the job done in a competitive game and improved to 19-8 on the season, including 11-5 in Big Ten play.
Here are three quick takeaways from Wisconsin’s win over Iowa on Sunday.
Efficiency
Before the game, I said Wisconsin likely needed at least eight threes to get the win on Sunday, but reaching double-digits would be ideal. Well, the Badgers shot well from deep, hitting 10 of 24 (41.7 percent) of their threes, but it was their efficiency inside the arc that was more impressive.
The Badgers shot 53.8 percent from the field and were 18 of 28 (64.2 percent) on twos, using transition and their pick-and-rolls to generate good looks inside the arc.
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Wisconsin was an astounding 13 of 15 on layups, as Nolan Winter had 18 points on 8 of 11 from the field. The big was extremely efficient inside the arc with his touches, and his teammates did well to find him.
The Hawkeyes were shooting well from the field in the first half, hitting 56 percent of their shots and 45.5 percent of their threes, which was a big part of why they led by one at the break. Iowa was trending well for most of the second half as well, but the Badgers played better defensively and closed the game out strong.
Against a tough Hawkeyes defense, the Badgers did what they needed to do offensively with their usual formula: shots at the rim (18 of 28 on twos), shots from three (41.7 percent), and shots at the free throw line (18 of 20).
Big run
Before the game, I said that this game felt like the Michigan State game script with an elite defense that hounds the ball and an offense that plays slow and methodical. Against those teams, having one big run can prove to be a big swing.
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Well, the turning point for the Badgers controlling the game came to start the second half, as Wisconsin found themselves down 44-40 after a Bennett Stirtz three to open the period. From there, Wisconsin went on an 11-0 run to completely swing the momentum of the game, taking a 51-44 lead through the first three and a half minutes of the period.
That drive was big because Wisconsin played solid defense, pushed the pace, and found its mark on the interior, with Nick Boyd leading the charge. The point guard had four points in the stretch, while assisting on two other buckets in transition as the Badgers took advantage in transition.
That run put the Badgers ahead in a close game, and Iowa didn’t retake the lead, despite it being a single-digit deficit for much of the remainder of the half.
What sealed the deal was a huge 10-0 run after Iowa cut it to within three with 6:15 left. Once again working in transition, the Badgers got points from John Blackwell (two free throws), Austin Rapp (two threes), and Nick Boyd (fastbreak layup). That run essentially sealed the deal for the Badgers, who led by 13 at the sub-four-minute timeout and didn’t allow Iowa to get within less than nine points the rest of the way.
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Boyd energy
I spoke with Nick Boyd earlier this week, who took accountability for not pushing the pace as much and settling for some tough floaters against Ohio State. On Sunday, it was clear he wanted this game badly. Boyd’s energy was the tone-setter for the Badgers as he got off to a fast start.
Boyd had 15 points, five assists, and four rebounds in the first half alone. More importantly, he looked to push the pace, which led to the big momentum swings for Wisconsin, and didn’t settle for bad shots. He looked to attack against Iowa’s feisty defense and really got into a rhythm off the dribble, beating most defenders in front of him.
But it wasn’t just that. Boyd constantly looked to energize the crowd, telling them to get loud. He guarded 94 feet and took on the challenge. He clapped at ball-handlers coming down at him. He was the energy for the Badgers in a game where they absolutely needed it.
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Then, the star didn’t take his foot off the gas in the second half, continuing to push in transition and finishing the game with 27 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. It was potentially Boyd’s best performance as a Badger, and it came at a crucial time.
