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Defending the Michigan pick-and-roll key for Wisconsin Badgers in Big Ten Tournament semifinals

Wisconsin looks to knock off No.3 Michigan for the second time this season and advance to Sunday's Big Ten Tournament finals
Benjamin Worgull|
Michigan guard Trey McKenney (1) is defended by Wisconsin guard John Blackwell (25) and guard Andrew Rohde (7) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026.
Michigan guard Trey McKenney (1) is defended by Wisconsin guard John Blackwell (25) and guard Andrew Rohde (7) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

After advancing with its overtime win over Illinois, Wisconsin looks to knock off its second top-ten opponent in a row when it faces top-seeded Michigan in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal this afternoon at the United Center.

The winner of the first semifinal will take on the winner of seventh-seed Purdue and sixth-seed UCLA in Sunday afternoon's championship game.

Here is a look at both teams and a prediction for this afternoon's contest.

No.23 Wisconsin (24-9, 14-6 Big Ten) vs. No.3 Michigan (30-2, 19-1 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Saturday, March 14, 12 p.m.
Arena – United Center
TV – CBS (Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery and Tracy Wolfson)
Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch)
Coaches - Greg Gard at Wisconsin (237-126 in his 11th season). Dusty May at Michigan (57-12 in his second year; 183-81 in his 8th season)
Series – Michigan leads 98-79
Point Spread – Michigan -11.5

Wisconsin probable starters

2 Nick Boyd (6-3 Senior Guard, 20.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.2 apg)
7 Andrew Rohde (6-6 Senior Guard, 5.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.9 apg)
25 John Blackwell (6-4 Junior Guard, 19.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg)
22 Austin Rapp (6-10 Sophomore Forward, 9.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
32 Aleksas Bieliauskas (6-10 Freshman Forward, 4.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.7 apg)
Off the bench
0 Braeden Carrington (6-5 Senior Guard, 8.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.1 apg)
23 Will Garlock (7-0 Freshman Center, 1.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.7 apg)
*31 Nolan Winter (6-11 Junior Forward, 13.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.5 apg)
*- listed as questionable with a left ankle injury
Player to watch
Boyd had a career-high 38 points in the win over Illinois, with 29 points coming in the second half and in overtime. He also had 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and was 12-of-13 from the charity stripe.

Michigan probable starters

3 Elliot Cadeau (6-1 Junior Guard, 10.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.6 apg)
4 Nimari Burnett (6-5 Graduate Guard, 8.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
15 Aday Mara (7-3 Junior Center, 14.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.3 apg)
21 Morez Johnson Jr. (6-9 Sophomore Forward, 13.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.1 apg)
23 Yaxel Lendeborg (6-9 Graduate Forward, 14.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Off the bench
1 Trey McKenney (6-4 Freshman Guard, 9.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.8 apg)
11 Roddy Gayle Jr. (6-5 Senior Guard, 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg)
42 Will Tschetter (6-8 Graduate Forward, 4.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Player to watch
Mara is 31-for-41 (75.6 percent) from the field and 12-for-12 at the free-throw line over the last six games. He has grabbed five rebounds or more in 14 of his last 15 games. He had 17 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in Friday's win over Ohio State.

Series notes

This will be the sixth meeting between Wisconsin and Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament but the first in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. Wisconsin won three straight meetings played in the quarterfinals (2008, 2013, and 2015) and Michigan has won the last two played in the finals (2017 and 2025).

After winning just twice against Wisconsin over a decade-long span (2007 to 2017; 19 games), the Wolverines have flipped the script -- going 10-5 over the last 15 meetings, highlighted by a current four-game winning streak.

Including the Badgers' 91-88 win in Ann Arbor in January, Wisconsin is 6-15 against Michigan when the Wolverines are ranked in the top 10.

Under head coach Greg Gard, the Badgers are 7-10 overall against the Wolverines.

Since 2001-02, when Bo Ryan and Greg Gard (then associate head coach) began coaching at Wisconsin, the all-time series between the Badgers and the Wolverines has turned: Prior to 2001-02: Wisconsin trails, 52-82. Since 2001-02: Wisconsin leads, 27-16

Wisconsin notes

Wisconsin is 9-5 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals round.

Wisconsin tallied its 5th consecutive win over an AP Top-25 opponent this season for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Greg Gard has now led Wisconsin to 19 top-10 wins since taking over in 2015, the most of any coach in program history.

Wisconsin overcame a 15-point deficit (65-50 with 11:00 left), marking the Badgers' 6th double-digit comeback win. That figure is tied with Cal for the most in the nation. It also marked the program's largest-ever in a Big Ten Tournament game.

With John Blackwell and Nick Boyd both surpassing 30+ points in the win, it marked the third time in school history and first time since 1968 that 2+ Badgers have scored 30+ in a single game. Nationally, it marked the first time that the feat was achieved by two players during postseason play since at least 2004-05.

Michigan notes

Michigan's 71-67 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals was just the sixth single-digit win of the season for the Wolverines. Michigan has posting 24 wins by 10+ points, 13 by 20+, 10 by 30+, seven by 40+ (Big Ten record), and one by 50+.

Michigan went a perfect 10-0 in Big Ten road games, becoming just the second conference team and the first in 50 years to finish league road play unbeaten, joining Indiana’s 9-0 mark during its perfect 1975-76 season.

Michigan’s “Big Three” have each surpassed 300 points and 200 rebounds this season: Yaxel Lendeborg (463/227), Morez Johnson Jr. (435/236) and Aday Mara (366/221). The last time U-M featured three 400-point scorers was last season (2024-25), and the last time three Wolverines each recorded 200-plus rebounds was 1997-98.

Michigan has trailed or been tied at halftime seven times this season. The Wolverines have rallied to win six of those seven games.

Prediction

Can Wisconsin's backcourt keep up this pace?

Through two Big Ten Tournament games, John Blackwell is averaging 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals, and Nick Boyd is right next to him with 30.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.0 steals. In consecutive days, the two broke UW's Big Ten Tournament scoring record.

Even after two physically and mentally demanding three-point games, there appears to be plenty of fuel left in the tank.

"You talk about rest? We'll play X amount of games, and you've got to come out fighting," Boyd said following Friday's 91-88 overtime win over No.9 Illinois. "If you're not excited and ready to go for a game like tomorrow, don't even lace 'em up."

Wisconsin needs to bring that mindset and physicality if it wants to win this afternoon, because the Buckeyes showed that game plan can work against Michigan. The Wolverines tried to attack early on the pick and roll and the Buckeyes made sure to get into Mara and Cadeau around the rim by cutting space and separation.

The problem was Ohio State couldn't sustain it or adapt to when Michigan made adjustments. The duo attempted 13 shots in the second half after only getting seven in the first 20 minutes, as well as attempting 11 free throws after having only two. Michigan did a ton of damage on the pick-and-roll, especially with Mara, who scored five of his seven baskets at the rim.

Wisconsin knows it has to shoot better than the 42.4 percent overall and the 24.4 percent from three it did against the Illini in order to beat Michigan. After all, the Badgers 15 three-pointers in January's win was the first time that's happened to the Wolverines since Dec.2016. However, it won't mean much if UW can slow the Wolverines' two-man game.

"You've got to be able to guard," Gard said. "Mara is a handful. Lendeborg is a handful. You go up-and-down the list. Point guard Cadeau. They're well put together in terms of the pieces fit really well together, how they play off one another is exceptional. They can hurt you inside. They can shoot 3s. They make it hard because of how they defend, and Mara can take up a lot of space in the paint."

Wisconsin caught Michigan at a good time in January, coming off a two-point win at Penn State and looking bored with winning. Cadeau acknowledged that Wisconsin played harder than they did, as did the Buckeyes on Friday, and that the Wolverines are unlikely to get away with that level of effort two days in a row.

Every time it looks like Wisconsin won't be able to hang with one of these top-15 teams away from home, especially shorthanded, the Badgers surprise us. Let's see if they can do it again.

Prediction: Michigan by 10
Worgull's Prediction: 23-10 (17-16 ATS)
Points off Prediction: 402 (12.2 ppg)

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Benjamin Worgull
BENJAMIN WORGULL

Benjamin Worgull has covered Wisconsin men's basketball since 2004, having previously written for Rivals, USA Today, 247sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, the Janesville Gazette, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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