MADISON – If you believe in first impressions, then 2025 is going to be a heck of a year for Wisconsin.
The Badgers came off a 12-day break looking sharper than ever Friday night at the Kohl Center, crushing Iowa, 116-85, to score their first Big Ten victory of the season.
The 116 points were the most for UW at the Kohl Center.
Sophomore guard John Blackwell had a career night. He posted career bests in scoring (32 points) and three pointers (six) while tying his career highs for assists (five) and field goals (11).
Senior Steve Crowl added 14 points and seven rebounds. He didn’t miss, going 4 for 4 from the floor and 6 for 6 from the line. It was his third straight game with double-digit scoring.
The team also got 18 points from sophomore Nolan Winter on 8-for-11 shooting and 12 points each from graduate John Tonje and senior Kamari McGee. Senior Max Klesmit posted a career-high six assists and played a key role in a 16-2 run late in the first half that gave Wisconsin separation of a Hawkeyes squad that came out the gates hitting everything.
BOX SCORE: Wisconsin 116, Iowa 85
The Badgers hit a program-record 21 three-points and shot 67.7% beyond the arc.
Wisconsin was so good that Iowa managed to shoot better than 50% for most of the game despite trailing by as many as 32 points.
The Badgers, however, compensated for Iowa’s hot shooting by controlling the boards, getting second-chance points in the first half and holding a Hawkeyes team that loves to push the ball to just three fastbreak points in the first half and 14 for the game.
Wisconsin almost matched Iowa point for point before breaking away during the final 8 ½ minutes. UW went trailing, 28-22, to leading 54-43 at the half. The most damage was done during a 19-2 run that featured eight straight points by Klesmit and was capped by one of Carter Gilmore’s 2 threes.
Iowa pulled no closer than nine points in the second half.
Check jsonline later tonight for more on the game
What time does Wisconsin face Iowa and where can I find the broadcast?
Game time: 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
TV broadcast: FS1 with Connor Onion (play-by-play) and LaPhonso Ellis (analysis).
Radio broadcast: FM-97.3 in Milwaukee, AM-1310 and FM-101.5 in Madison and on the Varsity Network app with Matt Lapay (play-by-play) and Brian Butch (analysis).
Wisconsin Badgers probable starters
25 – John Blackwell, 6-4, G, 14.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.2 apg
11 – Max Klesmit, 6-4, G 11.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.8 apg
9 – John Tonje, 6-5, G, 21.5 9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.1 apg
22 – Steven Crowl, 7-0, C, 8.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.5 apg
31 – Nolan Winter, 7-0, C, 11.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 apg
Iowa Hawkeyes probable starters
32 – Owen Freeman, 6-10, F, 17.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 apg
20 – Payton Sandfort, 6-8, F, 16.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.4 apg
4 – Josh Dix, 6-6, G, 13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.8 apg
2 – Brock Harding, 6-0, G, 9.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 5.8 apg
24– Pryce Sandfort , 6-7, F, 9.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, . 9 apg
About the Hawkeyes
Iowa has run off three straight wins since suffering back-to-back losses to then-No. 23 Michigan, 85-83, and then No. 3 Iowa State, 89-80.
The Hawkeyes averaged 103.7 points in wins over New Orleans, Utah and New Hampshire, shooting at least 50% in each of those contests. The winning streak has highlighted the team’s ability to shoot as well as make good decisions with the ball. Iowa leads the Big Ten in scoring (89.7 points per game), assists (20.2) and assists-turnover ratio (1.98-to-1). The Hawkeyes are third in the league in three-point shooting at 38.3%.
Wisconsin, Iowa have split the last 10 meetings
Wisconsin owns an 89-86 lead in the series, which dates to 1909. The Badgers have a 56-30 edge in Madison. The teams have split the last 10 meetings.
At Iowa – Iowa, 88-86, Feb. 17, 2024
At UW – Wisconsin, 83-72, Jan. 2, 2024
At UW – Wisconsin, 64-52, Feb. 22, 2023
At Iowa – Wisconsin, 78-75, Dec. 11, 2022
At UW – Wisconsin, 87-78, Jan 6, 2022
At BIG Tournament – Iowa, 62-57, March 12, 2021
At Iowa – Iowa, 77-73, March 7, 2021
At UW – Iowa, 77-62, Feb 18, 2021
At Iowa – Iowa, 68-62, Jan. 27, 2020
At UW – Wisconsin, 65-45, March 7, 2019
Injury report: Freshman Riccardo Greppi suffers leg injury
The Big Ten’s availability report won’t be available until late Friday afternoon, but one Badger who will not be available for the Iowa game is center Riccardo Greppi, a 7-foot freshman from Italy who suffered a right leg injury in practice that will sideline him for a significant amount of time.
“He got in a 4-on-4 transition drill, got caught up or hit on a rebound,” Gard said. “Fortunately it’s not as serious as we initially thought. He’s going to be out for some time, but it’s not going to require some type of surgery or anything like that. He got hit pretty hard from the front and went down hard, but we’re fortunate that it’s not serious.”
Wisconsin Badgers upcoming schedule
Monday Jan 6 – at Rutgers, 6 p.m.
Friday Jan. 10 – Minnesota, 6 p.m.
Tuesday Jan. 14 – Ohio State, 8 p.m.
Saturday Jan. 18 – at USC, 2 p.m.
Tuesday Jan. 21 – at UCLA, 8:30 p.m.
