Led by senior guard Nick Boyd and another strong offensive performance, the No. 24 University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers men’s basketball dismantled Northern Illinois in a 97-72 victory Friday, Nov. 7 at the Kohl Center.
After starting slow in its final exhibition game against UW-Platteville and regular-season opener against Campbell, Wisconsin came out with an increased defensive intensity, helping the offense get going early.
Senior guard Andrew Rohde knocked down a 3-pointer to open the scoring. Boyd and junior John Blackwell each scored on layups shortly after, then Boyd connected on a deep 3-pointer after Wisconsin forced a shot clock violation, one of his three first-half triples.
The early flurry sparked a 12-2 run to open the game for the Badgers, with Boyd scoring seven of the points.
Freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas was once again the first big man to check in off the bench, and he gave Wisconsin strong minutes in the first half. He knocked down all three of his shots, two of which were 3-pointers, totaling eight points and two rebounds in the half.
Fellow freshman Will Garlock, like Bieliauskas, also had more opportunity to play Friday. He finished the night with five points and three rebounds.
With a more comfortable first-half lead than the Badgers had against Campbell, Gard was able to turn to his bench more, even experimenting with a lineup featuring freshman Hayden Jones at point guard, and none of Boyd, Rohde or Blackwell on the court.
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Though it only lasted three short stints throughout the game with the three lead ball-handlers on the bench, it reflects the confidence that Gard has in his team’s depth.
“I want to continue to, much like with the younger big guys, develop different combinations that we can use and see who works well together,” Gard said.
The depth was on full display Friday, but Boyd stole most of the spotlight in the first half. After his early scoring burst, he continued to pour it on the Huskies, knocking down three first-half 3-pointers and scoring 20 of his career-high 25 points in the first twenty minutes.
To open the second half, like he did at the beginning of the game, Rohde helped Wisconsin get out of the gates strong. Following a basket from Blackwell, he knocked down his second 3-pointer and set up junior Nolan Winter for an easy finish.
Due to the spotlight Boyd earned Friday, Blackwell and Winter flew under the radar, but the juniors still had productive games, Blackwell with 15 points and six rebounds, Winter with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Unlike the game against Campbell, Wisconsin didn’t need a giant run to close out Northern Illinois. The Badgers held steady in the second half to earn their second-consecutive victory, but thanks to a few players off the bench, there were still some fireworks late.
Redshirt sophomore guard Jack Janicki had a late steal and two-handed dunk on the fast break, extending the lead to 86-58.
A few minutes later, senior guard Isaac Gard checked in. In his lone minute of action, Gard knocked down a 3-pointer and two free throws, scoring a career-high five points.
“I.G. [Isaac Gard] is one of those dudes. He comes in every single day with the same level of intensity, with the same passion. He bleeds Badger red and he shows that every single day in practice,” Rohde said. “For him to get that moment and score — he’s capable of doing it — so just to see it was amazing, and it gives us so much energy.”
In what was an opportunity for many players to see the floor, Wisconsin put forth a strong, well-rounded effort to continue its early season success.
Wisconsin will return to action Tuesday, Nov. 11 in the Kohl Center against another Mid-American Conference opponent, Ball State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.