The Wisconsin Badgers set multiple records as they handled Iowa, 116-85. After a 54 point first half, the Badgers somehow surpassed that, dropping 62 in the second. Wisconsin improved to 11-3 (1-2) as they kicked off 2025 with a bang.
Records Set
January 3, 2025 was the first time there was over 100 points scored in a Big 10 game since 1993. The Badgers offense has been scoring in bunches this season, as they put up 103 in their upset win over Arizona earlier this season.
The Badgers schedule has been very home heavy, and the fans at the Kohl Center were in for a treat. They were able to bear witness to both 100 point efforts, with the Iowa win being even more special. Their 116 point effort was the most points scored in the history of the Kohl Center, a building that’s been open since 1998.
In order to score 116, the Badgers weren’t afraid to shoot the three ball. Wisconsin set a school record with 21 three pointers. Everyone seemed to have the hot hand as they were 21-31 from three point range, an incredible 67.7%. In total, they were 40-62 for 64.5% from the field.
Scoring Frenzy
John Blackwell accounted for six of the Badgers 21 three pointers, finishing with a career high 32 points. Not only did he shoot the ball well, but he tied the team high with eight rebounds on the night.
Nolan Winter was the next man up, also grabbing eight rebounds to go with 18 points. The big man has scored 18 in his last two outings, and he’s taking efficient shots. The Iowa win saw him shoot 8-11 while he was just behind that with a 6-9 effort against Detroit Mercy. With Crowl not living up to the hype, Winter has been one of the star players on this squad.
Speaking of Crowl, he was third on the team with 14 points. Crowl played just 20 minutes, the lowest of any Wisconsin starter. He did haul in 7 rebounds and was a perfect 4-4 from the field. Offensively, this is what the Badgers need to do with him. The four year starter is still averaging less than ten points per game, but that’s not his role. It may seem like he’s regressing compared to past years, but he’s just taken a step back with other starters such as Winter stepping up. This is the perfect spot for Crowl to be in as he can be a veteran leader of sorts, and he isn’t asked to do too much.
Oddly enough, the Badgers leading scorer was held to just 12 points. When Wisconsin is putting up 116 in a night, one would expect more from John Tonje whose average is just under 20 points per night. Tonje played in just 23 minutes, his lowest total this season. Taking just six shots from the field, it left a lot of room for the supporting cast to step up. It should be noted that Tonje has taken just six shots in each of his last two games, a big decrease compared to late November and early December when he was taking 11 to 19 a game.
What’s Next?
Wisconsin will look to make it four wins in a row on Monday, January 6th as they play at Rutgers. The Scarlett Knights are 8-6 (1-2) and have dropped two of their last three.
As for Iowa, they haven’t seen the last of Wisconsin. The two teams will play again, this time in Iowa, on Saturday, February 8th.
