How Illinois Can Stop Wisconsin's John Blackwell-Nick Boyd Backcourt

In case Brad Underwood needs any help building Illinois’ scouting report ahead of Friday’s matchup with Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, here’s what we’ve got: John Blackwell and Nick Boyd are really, really good. End of scouting report.

Those two – who hung a combined 49 on Illinois when the Badgers pulled off the upset in Champaign in February – don’t just run the show for Wisconsin. They are the show. The pair just dropped 57 total points (led by 34 from Blackwell) and hit 11 threes together to push their club past Washington on Thursday.

Back at the State Farm Center, Blackwell and Boyd combined for eight threes, but they also put in work around the basket, getting to the tin practically at will. With Andrej Stojakovic and Kylan Boswell absent for the Illini in that game (both were injured), the Badgers' guards feasted on mismatches, either blowing by their defenders or dropping threes in the faces of an Illini.

This time around, with Stojakovic and Boswell back in the fold, Wisconsin is still going to hunt mismatches, likely through ball-screen action. Illinois’ go-to defensive scheme against the pick-and-roll has been drop coverage, meaning the ball-handler defender fights through and the big man sits back to stave off a drive and encourage a pull-up jumper.

The blueprint for Illinois to exact revenge on Wisconsin

Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood watches against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Word to the wise: That will not work against the Badgers. Their big men will simply pop and sit unattended for wide-open threes, or, perhaps even worse, Boyd or Blackwell will attack quickly, forcing an Illinois big – likely one ill-equipped for the matchup – to switch on to them before pulling it out and going into isolation.

The solution: hard-hedge the ball screens. In other words, force the ball out of the hands of Wisconsin’s guards. The primary way to beat a hard hedge – a short roll from the player setting the screen – would be a dream scenario for Illinois, as it would prevent giving up an open three while also avoiding a switch.

Long story short: Underwood and Co. must find a way to avoid switches. If the Illini are unable to do that Friday in Chicago, they might as well check out of the hotel before they head over to the United Center. Regardless of the outcome, it will be an interesting litmus test for Illinois’ defense – which has been the paragon of inconsistency thus far.