Why Greg Gard isn't concerned about John Blackwell's shooting slump

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard has been around long guard John Blackwell enough to know when he needs to be concerned about his level of play. This isn't one of those times.

Unlike the funk that Blackwell experienced two months ago, the junior found other ways to impact the game while he waits to find his shooting groove, a method that was on display during the Badgers' 90-73 win at Washington on Saturday afternoon to earn a split on its West Coast trip.

"We didn't play well Wednesday night," Gard said. "You absorb a bit, you learn from it, and you have to quickly turn the page, and not let that affect you too much and carry over for the next game."

That's been an important motto for Blackwell, who has his share of peaks and valleys with his offensive game.

Elevating his game since going through the NBA Draft process last spring to become more rounded and impactful, Blackwell raised the bar when he scored 31 points in 34 minutes in the season opener.

He made 10 field goals in that season-opening win over Campbell, one less than he's totaled in the last three games in going 11-for-35 from the floor and 8-for-28 from the perimeter.

Blackwell's two field goals and eight attempts against Iowa were his fewest in conference play since UW's December loss at Nebraska. He led all scorers with 22 points in Wednesday's loss at Oregon but needed 14 three-point attempts to reach that total without making any of his four two-point shots.

Playing 18 minutes in the first half of yesterday's 90-73 win at Washington, Blackwell missed all three threes, didn't attempt a two, and had three turnovers, including a bad pass and a lost ball on consecutive possessions. His seven points were his first in single digits since the loss to No.5 Purdue on January 3.

"He's gonna get a lot of attention," Gard said. "They're gonna load to him, they're gonna send extra bodies to him."

Among the list of things Blackwell was given to improve his future draft stock was become a more well-rounded player. He's taken steps forward in those areas, as his 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game show he's more than a one-trick pony.

That energy was missing after earning his first Big Ten Player of the Week honor in December. Lapses defensively, sloppy turnovers, and forced shots all contributed to him not breaking 40 percent shooting and going 4-for-27 from three over a five-game stretch.

Purdue coach Matt Painter noted that Blackwell's perimeter shot looked flat. His energy didn't appear to be there either, as his passes weren't crisp and his defense wasn't intense.

That wasn't the case Saturday in the eyes of Gard, who knew he was laying out a challenge for Blackwell against Washington.

Gard saw how Blackwell defended and pushed Huskies guard Zoom Diallo during Wisconsin’s 88-62 win last season. Like Blackwell, Diallo had taken a leap in his second collegiate season. He had raised his three-point percentage by over 13 percentage points and developed into a better facilitator.

He assigned Blackwell the challenge again, and he made the Huskies guard work. Diallo had only five points in the first half as Wisconsin built a double-digit lead, missed his only three-point attempt as Blackwell helped run him off the perimeter, and needed 15 shots to get his 21 points. He also didn't commit a foul to put Diallo on the line, where he's an 83.3 percent shooter.

Diallo called the loss an "embarrassment to Husky nation," a sign that Blackwell did his part beyond his seven points.

"I wanted to give him the opportunity to guard Zoom again, and I thought he met the challenge," Gard said. "I thought he did well. Zoom scored, but he had to work. He took 15 shots to get 21 points. That helps from a defensive standpoint of minimizing how efficient an offensive player can be."

Gard has said repeatedly this season that Wisconsin can't play to its full potential when Blackwell isn't on the floor. While the Badgers can use his scoring, Gard will happily take a level of defensive execution to keep a scorer off his edge.

"I thought (Blackwell) had some good looks, and he can impact the game with a lot of other ways," Gard said. "How he was able to get the assignment with Diallo, and we knew that was a challenge for anybody."