Everything Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard said after the Badgers’ road win vs. Minnesota

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Wisconsin basketball (23-7, 13-6 Big Ten) pocketed a narrow 74-67 win over Minnesota (15-15, 7-12 Big Ten) on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Fueled by sophomore guard John Blackwell’s 25 points and career-best 11 rebounds, the Badgers fended off a Golden Gophers’ second half comeback to return to the win column. The much-needed result followed the team’s recent disappointing road loss to the Michigan State Spartans.

While Blackwell certainly set the tone, bench contributors Carter Gilmore and Jack Janicki executed when it mattered most. The two combined for 14 second half points, 12 of which arrived in the final eight minutes of play. With program veteran Max Klesmit sidelined due to injury, the Badgers may not have emerged victorious without Gilmore and Janicki’s timely contributions.

Star wing John Tonje also dropped 18 points and seven boards in 27 minutes of action for Greg Gard’s team, while Steven Crowl finished with 10 points and three rebounds. Wisconsin’s 21-of-24 mark from the charity stripe also enabled the team to overcome a poor 22.7% clip from beyond the arc.

While it may not have been the most visually appealing win this season, the Badgers claimed an important rivalry triumph and evaded a catastrophic drop in national hierarchies. Wisconsin remains at No. 10 in KenPom and No. 14 in the NCAA’s NET with an overall impressive NCAA Tournament resume.

After the contest, UW head coach Greg Gard took some time to speak with the media. Here’s everything he had to say regarding the critical road win:

Opening statement

MADISON, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 22: Greg Gard head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Kohl Center on February 22, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

“It’s obviously an important game for us, first and foremost of what we’re still chasing. Then obviously it’s important for our guys that are from here and the alums and all those that we have in this area. I thought we were…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/everything-wisconsin-head-coach-greg-011331911.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-03-07 01:13:00

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