No. 11 Wisconsin finding new way to win this season by showcasing an explosive offense

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin decided to shake up a formula that had made it one of the nation’s most consistent programs.

The results are evident from the box scores.

A program traditionally known for draining the shot clock is scoring at a rate Badgers fans haven’t seen in more than half a century. No. 11 Wisconsin (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) carries a five-game winning streak into Saturday’s home game with Oregon (19-8, 8-8).

“I think they’re one of the top offenses in the country,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said after losing at Wisconsin 95-74 on Tuesday.

Wisconsin’s rout of Illinois followed a 94-84 victory at then-No. 7 Purdue, marking the first time since December 1995 that the Badgers have exceeded the 90-point mark in back-to-back contests. They hadn’t broken 90 points in consecutive Big Ten games since 1992.

In three of their last 13 conference games, the Badgers have scored at least 90 points. Before this stretch, Wisconsin had three performances of 90-plus points in a span of 403 Big Ten contests.

The Badgers are scoring 82 points per game overall and are on pace for their highest average since 1970-71, when they had a school-record 86.3 points per game.

“For it to be this fast-paced kind of entertaining offense, it’s been a blast to play for,” 7-foot sophomore Nolan Winter said. “I think all the players can attest to that.”

This transformation didn’t follow a coaching change. Greg Gard has been at Wisconsin since 2001, serving first as an assistant on Bo Ryan’s staff before taking over as head coach in December 2015. He’s helped Wisconsin become one of just five schools to play in 23 of the last 25 NCAA Tournaments.

Gard decided the Badgers needed to adjust if they wanted to take the next step. His decision to pick up the pace came a few years ago, as he noticed how the game had been impacted by rule changes benefiting offenses.

“Not that defense is not important,” Gard said. “It is. But just where the trends were, you have to…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/no-11-wisconsin-finding-way-184924216.html

Author : Associated Press

Publish date : 2025-02-21 18:49:00

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