John Tonje throws down a dunk against Maryland

AJ Harrison

Men's Basketball January 30, 2025 Jake Ross

Starting Five: Badgers head down to Evanston

UW to face Northwestern on Saturday

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men’s basketball team looks to rebound during its next road game, facing Northwestern this Saturday at Welsh Ryan Arena.

Tip on Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. (CT) on FS1. Fans can also listen to the action on the Badger Sports Network.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:

John Blackwell brings up the ball against Maryland

John Blackwell (25) scored 10 points against Maryland

1. LAST TIME OUT

Wisconsin engaged in a tight battle with Maryland. Both teams got out to slow shooting starts, with Maryland holding the one-point advantage during halftime. Wisconsin started the second half strong, taking the lead with an 8-0 run. Maryland answered back though, creating its own 11-0 run late in the game. A late game push by the Badgers came wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit, ultimately falling, 76-68.

John Tonje put up his third straight game with 20+ points, finishing with 23 while going 5-for-8 from the 3-point line. Steven Crowl collected 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists. John Blackwell added 10 points, all of them coming in the second half.

The Badgers struggled with shooting throughout the night, but stayed in the game with hustle and physicality. They outrebounded the Terps, 39-38, finished with more points in the paint, and scored 12 points off turnovers. Crowl, Nolan Winter, and Xavier Amos each finished with a block.

John Tonje holds the follow-through against Maryland

John Tonje (9) had his third straight game with 5+ 3-pointers made

2. CAN’T STOP JOHN’S JUMPER

Despite the loss, John Tonje remained hot from downtown, connecting on five 3-pointers in the game. This marks the third straight game where Tonje has made five or more 3-pointers. No other Big Ten player has accomplished that feat this season. Tonje is the first Badger in the last twenty seasons to do so as well.

Over the last three games, Tonje is averaging 24.7 points per game. He has made more 3-pointers in that stretch than he’s missed, going an absurd 16-for-26 (61.5%) from downtown.

Tonje was a career 37.1% shooter from 3 coming into this season with Wisconsin. He’s now shooting 41.1% on 5.1 attempts per game. He continues to be one of the conference’s best scorers - with his 18.2 points per game ranking 5th in the Big Ten.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 15, 2024 - Wisconsin vs Northwestern, at the 2024 TIAA Big Men's Basketball Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 David Sherman Photography (Photo by David Sherman)

Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer (13) guards Steven Crowl (22) during the 2024 Big Ten Tournament

3. WILDCAT WATCHING

Wisconsin’s next game in its road trip comes against the Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern is 12-9 this season, with a 3-7 mark in conference play, currently 14th in the Big Ten Standings. All three of its conference victories have come at the team’s home arena, Welsh-Ryan Arena. However, the team dropped its most recent game there, a 79-72 loss to Rutgers.

Chris Collins is at the helm for Northwestern, serving as the team’s head coach since 2013-14. He has accumulated a 189-183 record in 12 seasons. He was the first head coach in program history to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament - doing so three times, including in the last two seasons. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2022-23.

The Wildcats like to slow the pace down in their games, giving up the second-fewest shot attempts in the conference. Senior Brooks Barnhizer leads that defensive front with 2.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game - going along with his 17.1 points per game. Junior forward, Nick Martinelli, leads things on the offensive side, scoring 19.6 points per game.

Max Klesmit goes for the layup against Northwestern in 2024

Max Klesmit (11) averages 13.8 points per game in his career against Northwestern

4. SERIES HISTORY

The Wisconsin-Northwestern matchup is a historic one, with 191 games between the two teams dating back to 1910. The Badgers are well ahead in the all-time series, leading 124-67. This includes games played in Evanston, where the Badgers have a narrow, 44-40 edge. UW is 9-2 in the last 11 matchups.

The two teams played each other twice last season, once in the regular season and once in the postseason. The Badgers took the victory in the first game at home, winning 71-63. Later in the Big Ten Tournament, Wisconsin would once again come out on top with a 70-61 victory.

Max Klesmit went 9-for-13 from the field for 24 points against Northwestern in the first matchup last season. Steven Crowl put up 19 points and seven rebounds against the Wildcats during the tournament game. While playing Northern Illinois last season, junior Xavier Amos scored a career-high 26 points against Northwestern. Amos went 11-for-15 from the field, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, against the Wildcats.

5. COACHES VS CANCER

This Saturday’s game against Northwestern will be the conclusion to the Coaches vs. Cancer “Suits and Sneakers” event, running from January 26 to February 1. Coach Greg Gard and his staff wore special shoes designed by children battling cancer at the American Family Children’s Hospital during the last two games, and will do so again during this Saturday’s game.

Coaches vs. Cancer is an initiative between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. It rallies coaches and fans to raise awareness, advocate for healthy living, and fund the fight against cancer.

The fight against cancer is personal for Gard and his family. In 2016, Gard and his wife, Michelle, partnered with the UW Carbone Cancer Center to launch Garding Against Cancer. This fundraising initiative has raised over $9 million in 8 years to support cancer research and patient care across the entire state of Wisconsin.

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