Wisconsin Badgers come up clutch to knock off No.2 Michigan, 91-88, in a stunning upset.

The University of Wisconsin needed to play its best game of the year, plus a little bit of luck, to beat a team that is arguably considered one of the best teams in the country.

It took until January 10, but the Badgers' first Quad-1 win of the season delivered a national statement.

Led by Wisconsin's one-two frontcourt punch of John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, not to mention some key production from overlooked contributors, Wisconsin delivered a 91-88 victory over No.2 Michigan in front of a stunned Crisler Center crowd Saturday afternoon.

Blackwell delivered a game-high 26 points (9-for-16) while Boyd battled foul trouble to drop 22 (8-for-16) points for the Badgers (11-5, 3-2 Big Ten), who came in as 19.5-point underdogs but shot the lights out in the second half, shooting 63.0 percent from the field and 10-for-17 from three in the second half, and made all the clutch defensive plays down the stretch.

Four players reached double figures for Michigan (14-1, 4-1), which shot 46.8 percent but were done in by its defense. The Wolverines entered the weekend ranked first nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, giving up just 86.9 points per 100 possessions. The Badgers scored 91 points in 71 possessions and averaged 1.282 points per trip down the court.

Trailing by one at halftime, Wisconsin's offense blitzed the Wolverines out of the gates. UW made its first nine shots, seven coming from the perimeter, to take a six-point lead.

Freshman forward Aleksas Bieliauskas did most of the damage. Only 8-for-27 from three to start the season, including 1-for-5 in the first half, Bieliauskas drained open threes from the top of the key, the elbow, and the corner.

He went 4-for-4 from three in the opening three minutes of the second half on his way to scoring a collegiate-high 17 points.

UW battled through foul trouble to Boyd and Rohde in a second half whether neither team led by more than two possessions and was within four for the final 13:40. The Badgers stayed in front thanks to Braeden Carrington, who scored seven of his 12 points from the free throw line in the final 6:40 and delivered countless rebounds and hustles plays to keep possessions alive.

Head coach Greg Gard was worried about the ability to attack Michigan's interior size, featuring three players who are listed at a 6-9 minimum. UW had moments but the Badgers fell into the trap of shooting without attacking or settling for the dreaded mid-range shot.

Facing the nation's leader in adjusted defensive efficiency, Blackwell, Boyd, and others struggled to connect from outside the lane. A two-possession game for the majority of the first eight minutes started to balloon to double digits as Wisconsin missed six of seven shots, start 2-for-9 from three, and struggled to keep the Wolverines out of the paint and away from the rim.

Wisconsin flipped a switch in the final 7:04 of the half, executing a 20-7 scoring run that brought the Badgers to within 38-37 at halftime. It was a combination of better three-point shooting, more production at the rim, and one of Wisconsin's best defensive stretches of the season.

Against an offense averaging over 95 points per game, Wisconsin held Michigan scoreless for the final seven possessions. UW registered three turnovers, two blocks, and defended physically without fouling.

What it means: Boyd said after the Purdue loss that the Badgers just needed to get a win and things would get rolling. He's been proven right. Against a Michigan team that had won its seven home games by an average of 37.1 points, Wisconsin shot the lights out in the second half and delivered one of the best wins of the season for any team in the country.

Star of the game: With Austin Rapp unavailable leaving the Badgers thin in the frontcourt, Bieliauskas delivered a career-high in points and three-point shots, giving UW a shot of adrenaline it needed to carry the momentum it built at the end of the first half.

Stat of the game: Against an explosive offense, the Badgers did not give Michigan too many extra possessions. Wisconsin had five turnovers in each half, resulting in only 12 Michigan points off turnovers. Michigan had 32 steals over its last four games but only one against UW.

Reason to be Concerned: Nothing. Go have a beer.

Don’t overlook: The Wolverines had multiple chances to tie the game on the final possession, but Roddy Gayle's attempt to draw contact on a three-point shot didn't work because sophomore Jack Janicki didn't leave his feet, and Blackwell and Boyd fighting for the offensive rebound made Morez Johnson's putback attempt contested and unsuccessful.

What’s next: Wisconsin will make a quick stop at home before heading back on the road for a game at Minnesota Tuesday night. After an up-and-down nonconference schedule, first-year head coach Niko Medved has started to see some better results from the Gophers (10-6, 3-2), which has won six of eight that include two wins over ranked teams at home (No.22 Indiana, No.19 Iowa).

Gophers guard Cade Tyson is the second-leading scorer in the Big Ten (21.6 ppg) and is one of four Minnesota players averaging in double figures.

Wisconsin has won nine straight in the series and leads the all-time series 110-104. The tip from Williams Arena is schedule for 6 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

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