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Ten stats that show why Wisconsin Badgers Nick Boyd should have been first-team All-Big Ten

Wisconsin senior point guard Nick Boyd was named second-team all-conference despite putting up consistently solid stats, especially against top-25 opponents.
Benjamin Worgull|
Jan 10, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) shoots in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center.
Jan 10, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) shoots in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis. - The six players who found a spot on the first-team All-Big Ten teams from the league's coaches and a panel of league media are talented scorers, facilitators, and multi-tooled impact players.

Nick Boyd has an argument against all of them.

Despite the durability and consistency of starting and scoring in double figures in all 31 games this season, Boyd was not named a first-team all-conference selection when the ballots were revealed during the Big Ten Network's award show on Tuesday.

Illinois' Keaton Wagler, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, Purdue's Braden Smith, and Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr were selected to the first team by both the league's media panel and the conference's coaches. The only difference was the media selected Iowa's Bennett Stirtz, while the coaches selected Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort.

In the seven head-to-head meetings against those players, Boyd was the higher scoring individual six times. UW went 5-2 in those matchups, with Boyd arguably being the best individual player on the floor in five of the meetings.

Here's a look at 10 other numbers and stats that show what the league's coaches and media missed on with Boyd.

15 - Boyd had a career-high 36 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists in a November victory against Providence. He is the only player in the NCAA in the last 15 years to post a game with 35+ pts, seven rebounds, seven assists, and zero turnovers.

19 - Scoring in double figures in all 31 games, Boyd scored at least 20 points in 19 of Wisconsin's 31 games, including nine of the last 12 games. That trails only Northwestern's Nick Martinelli (23) in the Big Ten. In the last 30 years, Alando Tucker is the only Badger with more 20-point games.

20.1 - Boyd's scoring average ranks fourth in the Big Ten. He is looking to become the first Badger since Michael Finley in 1995 to average 20.0 ppg. Since 2000, UW has only had five players average 18.0+ ppg: Devin Harris, Alando Tucker, Frank Kaminsky, Johnny Davis and John Tonje. All five were All-Americans.

22 - Boyd scored 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting in Wisconsin's 91-88 win at No.2 Michigan on January 3, the only conference defeat for the regular season Big Ten champions. Boyd finished with six assists and no turnovers against a team that put three players on the conference's all-defensive team.

22.7 - Boyd has averaging 22.7 ppg in six games against AP Top-25 opponents this season, the most of any player in the Big Ten. That includes 29 points vs. No.10 Michigan State, 22 points in a win at No.2 Michigan and 25 in the win at No.8 Illinois. He also scored 24 points vs. No.5 Purdue and scored another 23 points in last Saturday's win at Mackey Arena.

24.6 - Boyd had no problems scoring against the five Big Ten teams (Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State, Illinois, and Iowa) who rank in the top 30 of KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency. In those games, Boyd averaged 24.6 points on 52.4 percent shooting (44-for-84) with 29 assists to five turnovers.

25 - Boyd shoot at least 40 percent from the field in 25 of his 31 games for Wisconsin, shooting 47.4 percent (208-for-437) on the season.

31 - In a season where the Badgers have been hit with injuries, with four starters and three reserves missing at least one game due to injuries, Boyd has stayed healthy and has averaged 31.2 minutes per game.

415 - Boyd scored 415 points during the Big Ten season, the second-highest total in UW history. He trails only Michael Finley's 417 points in the 1992-93 season.

624 - Boyd has scored 624 points this season. He is currently tied with Devin Harris for the fourth-highest single season scoring mark in program history, trailing only Frank Kaminsky (732, 2015), John Tonje (724, 2025) and Alando Tucker (716, 2007).

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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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