Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin Badgers' 92-71 blowout over Michigan State

Every potential low seed that tuned into the national game of the week likely came to the same realization at some point during the first half: Please, selection committee, keep the Badgers out of our region of the bracket.

A team that was once thought to be on NCAA Tournament life support as recently as early January continues to deliver haymakers to the top half of the Big Ten conference.

The only game on Friday's schedule that featured a top-20 opponent wasn’t much of a matchup, not with Wisconsin hitting 15 three-pointers to steamroll No.10 Michigan State, 92-71, at the Kohl Center.

"We shoot like that," said senior Nick Boyd (game-high 29 points), "there ain't no team in the country that can beat us."

Certainly not Michigan State, which suffered its worst loss in over four years and is the new footnote in UW's history books. The 21-point margin of victory was UW's biggest over an AP Top-10 team in school history.

But while the perimeter shooting was certainly a catalyst, Wisconsin had multiple weapons in its arsenal that knocked out a third top-10 team in the last 35 days.

Here are my takeaways from conference win number 10.

UW has won 10+ B1G games in 21 of the last 24 seasons, the only team to achieve that.

Another sensational Nick Boyd night extended that run to 22 out of 25 seasons, as the #Badgers delivered a third top-10 takedown by crushing Michigan State, 92-71.https://t.co/FjpNLx75HT
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) February 14, 2026

UW's start sets the tone

Wisconsin has made it a habit of falling behind by double digits and storming back to take the second-half lead, an act of high drama that has happened over the last five games. That streak ended Friday with how potent and balanced its offense was.

UW made its first five three-point shots and saw four different players hit them. Boyd drew the most excitement from the crowd when he drove toward the baseline before crossing over with his dribble, causing freshman guard Jordan Scott to get tripped up, and gave him an open three.

"When the offense is falling like that, when we're playing that, and sharing the ball, that's Wisconsin basketball," said guard John Blackwell (24 points). "That's who we are."

Those early shots opened up opportunities and driving lanes that allowed UW to take firm control of the game.

With the Spartans guarding the perimeter line, Braeden Carrington (nine points) used a screen and a little speed to accelerate to the rim for an easy layup. It was only his eighth two-point basket all season, but it set the blueprint.

Boyd mixed spot-up threes and attacking the rim, and offensive rebounding led to five second-chance points. Suddenly, UW had 13 points on six possessions and an 18-point lead.

For the rest of the game, the Spartans only got the deficit under 10 for just 49 seconds because UW kept finding gaps and hitting shots.

Even with UW going 4-for-15 from the field over the final nine minutes, Wisconsin still averaged 1.438 points per possession. The Badgers' offensive efficiency was 134.8, the sixth-highest rating against Michigan State in the KenPom era. It was that dominant.

"We have a multi-dimensional team," head coach Greg Gard said. "We have a lot of different pieces and weapons in the starting lineup (and) off the bench."

Defense won the game

Michigan State came in as the team that liked to dictate things defensively, although Tom Izzo's veteran group went from holding six of its first nine conference opponents to 60 points or less to giving up 80.0 ppg over its last four.

UW hadn't been in many positions this season where it won games leaning largely on its defense, but the messaging over the last two days was keyed on that side of the ball.

It made a huge difference, especially when UW made guys rush and panic in the post.

Center Carson Cooper was never comfortable as UW threw different looks at him. Cooper got the ball on the low block on consecutive first-half possessions and couldn't convert, facing a combination of Aleksas Bieliauskas and Blackwell on one and then having to deal with Nolan Winter (10 points, 11 rebounds) on the second. Battling foul trouble, he played only 19 minutes.

Jaxon Kohler entered 19th nationally with 11 double-doubles but had as many turnovers as field goals (two), including one possession in the first half where he was being defended by Austin Rapp and seldom-used center Will Garlock came over to trap Kohler along the sideline, forcing a turnover.
Fears Jr. had 14 points but needed 12 shots to get there, as he was the constant attention of Nick Boyd and others.

"Being locked in defensively, being physical, and sticking to our plan," said Blackwell, as UW held Michigan State to 1-for-7 on layups. "We had a good plan for today. They're a good team, but I think we did a great job of containing their best players and honestly just shutting off their offense."

It's a stark change from where Wisconsin was more than two months ago, when Gard called them a soft defense after they allowed BYU and Nebraska to score at least 90 earlier in the year.

"We had to mature," Gard said. "We had to grow up collectively and individually. You're not going to be able to compete in these types of games in the upper echelon of the league if you're not physically and mentally tough. This group has responded ... They accepted the challenge."

Rebounding was again a plus

Unlike past years, the Badgers don't have considerable size and experience in the low block. Yes, there's Winter, but the two players around him are a 6-10 sophomore who is known more for his shooting than his defense, and a freshman from Lithuania still figuring everything out.

So, how to explain the last two games where Wisconsin played a combination of bigger, stronger, more physical, more experienced frontcourts and managed to flip the game's script by what they did on the glass? How do you outscore Illinois and Michigan State by 13 on second-chance opportunities?

"We knew we were going to have our hands full with them," Winter said. "At the bigs of our team, we made it a big point of emphasis of playing physical, walling up without fouling, and using our length against them. We knew they were going to get there, and that they are really skilled and talented, so just doing whatever we can to limit them."

One of the many reasons Wisconsin won at No.8 Illinois on Tuesday was turning 14 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance opportunities. It was the most offensive rebounds against Illinois in more than nine years. Just as important, UW limited Illinois to eight offensive rebounds.

Detractors will point to Illinois missing one of its better defensive forwards as a reason UW was able to win, but that excuse doesn't work against a Michigan State team that was at full strength after a week off.

Michigan State makes up for its inconsistent shooting (76th nationally in field goal percentage, 139th in three-point shooting) by attacking the glass and pushing the ball in transition.

The Spartans got their first break points (24), but a team that ranks second nationally in rebounding margin (+13.1) was neutralized by UW (38-38). More importantly, UW determines another game by creating extra possessions and limiting the Spartans' opportunities.

UW turned 11 offensive rebounds into 19 second-chance points. It's how UW capped its 15-0 run, Winter cleaning up Blackwell's three with a hookshot jumper and Blackwell outmuscling Carr for a rebound, getting the ball to swing around the perimeter and into the hands of a wide-open Austin Rapp for a three and an 18-point lead.

The Spartans had 14 offensive rebounds but only managed eight. The Spartans had eight in the first half and had more turnovers (three) than baskets (two) on their extended possessions.

"Our coaches did a great job ingraining in our minds what it's going to be like," Winter said. "As returners playing Michigan State, we knew what it was going to be like with Coach Izzo and how they play. This week in practice, a lot of toughness drills, a lot of box-out drills to get ready for what's coming at us."

"I think we did a pretty good job. We can still be better on the boards as a defensive unit, but against a team like that, I think we'll take that."

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