John Blackwell practices at The Greenbrier

Men's Basketball November 20, 2024 Jake Ross

Starting Five: UW faces UCF at Greenbrier Tip-Off

Wisconsin to face LSU/Pitt in next round

MADISON, Wis. — After five straight home victories to begin the season, the Wisconsin men’s basketball team (5-0) hits the road for the first time, traveling to West Virginia to play UCF as a part of the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off at The Greenbrier. Tip on Friday is set for 4 p.m. (CT) on CBS Sports Network.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:

The Badgers in their 87-84 win vs. UTRGV

1. LAST TIME OUT

Wisconsin came out on top in a tight 87-84 victory against UT Rio Grande Valley on Monday. The Badger’s trailed by four points at halftime, but John Blackwell’s 30-point performance powered the comeback and led UW to its fifth-straight win, starting the season 5-0 for the first time since 2018-19.

The Badgers scored 79 or more points for the fifth time this season, the first time since 2005-06 that the team started its season with five consecutive 79-plus point games. The Badgers are averaging 88.2 points per game this season – third in the Big Ten and 34th in the Nation.

Adding to the scoring effort was John Tonje, who scored in double figures for the fifth time this season. The graduate transfer ranks third in the Big Ten with 22.6 points per game and leads the nation with 47 free throws made.

John Blackwell (25) scored a career-high 30 points vs. UTRGV

2. PERFORMING (BLACK)WELL

John Blackwell scored a career-high 30 points in Monday's victory, shooting 11-for-18 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line. His previous career-high was 18, which he scored last season three times. The sophomore is now ranked second on the team in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game.

Blackwell is the first Badger guard to score 30-plus points and secure seven or more rebounds since Johnny Davis tallied 30 points and 12 rebounds against Indiana on 2/15/22. Additionally, Blackwell and Davis are the only Badger underclassmen since 2004-05 to record a game with 30+ points and seven or more rebounds.

After John Tonje scored 41 points against Arizona last Friday, the Badgers now have two consecutive games with a player scoring 30+ points, the first time that’s happened since at least 2005-06. There have been three 25+ point scoring performances from different players this season, with Tonje and Blackwell joined by Max Klesmit 26 points against Montana State.

Greenbrier Tip-Off headline image for website

2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off at The Greenbrier in West Virginia

3. GREENBRIER TIP-OFF

The inaugural 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off is played at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. This weekend sees the Mountain Division play out its games, the second of two divisions in the tournament. UT Rio Grande Valley won the River Division last week.

Wisconsin, UCF, LSU, and Pitt will compete in the Mountain Division. The first set of games tip off on Friday with Pitt and LSU facing off at 1:30 p.m. (CT), while Wisconsin faces UCF at 4 p.m. (CT). The remainder of games will be played Sunday, with the third-place game starting at 2 p.m. (CT), and the championship game being played at 4:30 p.m. (CT).

Wisconsin fans attending the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off are encouraged to join us at the official pregame fan event of Wisconsin Athletics on Friday and Sunday at The Greenbrier.

Max Klesmit (11) scored 11 points against UTRGV

4. GET TO KNOW THE KNIGHTS

Wisconsin’s first opponent in the tournament is the UCF Knights, marking the first meeting between the two teams in program history. UCF is coached by Johnny Dawkins in his ninth season with the team.

The Knights are 4-0 to begin their season. Their first win of the year came against No. 13 Texas A&M in a 64-61 victory. They’ve since followed that performance up with wins over Purdue Fort-Wayne, Florida Atlantic, and most recently Tennessee Tech.

UCF has three players scoring in double figures. Jordan Ivy-Curry, a transfer from UTSA, is fourth in the Big 12 in scoring with 17.8 points per game. Keyshawn Hall, a transfer from George Mason, is just behind him at 17.5 points per game. Darius Johnson, a senior, rounds out the scoring at 14.5 points per game

18 March 2016: F Vitto Brown (30) of the Wisconsin Badgers during the Pittsburgh Panthers game versus the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the Division I Men's Championship at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Tim Spyers/Icon Sportswire)

Vitto Brown (30) against Pitt in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament

5. LSU/PITT

Wisconsin will face either LSU or Pitt in the remainder of the tournament. The Badgers are 4-0 all-time against LSU, with their last win occurring in the NCAA Tournament in 2000. UW likewise leads the all-time series against Pitt, 12-7, with the Badgers winning the most recent game in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

LSU is 4-0 this season under fourth year head coach Matt McMahon, and are led in scoring by senior transfer Camryn Carter at 17.8 points per game.

Pitt is 5-0 under seventh year head coach Jeff Capel, and are led in scoring by senior Ishmael Leggett with 17.6 points per game.

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