What Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard said about Jack Janicki’s breakout performance

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Wisconsin basketball (20-5, 10-4 Big Ten) notched a season-defining win over Purdue on Saturday afternoon. It did so with a significant boost from an unlikely contributor.

Walk-on freshman Jack Janicki, who averages just over 10 minutes per game, played a pivotal role in the Badgers’ clutch road win. In 17 minutes of action, the Minnesota native dropped a career-high 11 points, pulled down a rebound, blocked a shot and dished out a pair of assists.

The absence of top bench guard Kamari McGee makes Janicki’s contributions even more profound. The veteran, who accounts for over seven points and nearly three rebounds a night, exited the game in the first half after he was ejected for a controversial Flagrant 2 foul. His disqualification opened the door for Janicki to handle the backup point guard duties.

Janicki certainly capitalized. He scored five points in the first half, while his two three-point field goals late in the second half expanded Wisconsin’s seven-point edge into an 11-point lead. Those buckets staved off a potential Purdue scoring spurt and provided a much-needed spark for Greg Gard’s group. More notably, Janicki handled the basketball without a turnover. Wisconsin as a team turned the ball over just three times on the night, compared to 18 assists.

Gard praised Janicki’s performance when taking to the media after the win:

“Boy, as a freshman, he comes in and, his first time ever here and on the court,” Gard said. “I thought he he responded in a way and had production and impact on the game. What we’ve seen him do in practice, it just hasn’t come out because he hasn’t been in that situation.”

Janicki’s previous career high came against Arizona — another top-10 opponent — in mid-November. He dropped nine points and grabbed three rebounds to help Wisconsin notch a significant early season triumph.

While McGee shouldn’t miss any time following his ejection, Janicki’s shooting stroke could prove necessary for Wisconsin if the Badgers require an extra offensive push….

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-head-coach-greg-gard-115011274.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-02-17 11:50:00

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