Wisconsin Badgers
1-0,0-0Big Ten
Campbell
0-1,0-0CAA
Badgers top Campbell in season opener
November 03, 2025 | Men's Basketball
John Blackwell drops game-high 31 points
MADISON, Wis. – The No. 24 Wisconsin men's basketball team opened the 2025-26 campaign with a 96-64 win over Campbell on Monday at the Kohl Center.
Junior guard John Blackwell led the way for Wisconsin with 31 points off 10-of-19 shooting and six three-pointers. He was one point shy of his career-high, and matched a personal-best from behind the arc. The Michigan native added 4 rebounds and 3 assists to boot.
Monday's action saw the two sides trading buckets early in the first half, until a 14-1 Badger run right at the 8-minute media timeout. UW held Campbell without a field goal for a stretch of 6:17 and never trailed again.
The Badgers went up by 10 into the half, before using a second-half 31-4 run to push the Badger lead out to 32 by the game's-end. Blackwell hit back-to-back threes to punctuate the outburst right before the 4-minute media timeout, while the Badger defense clamped down to hold Campbell without a field goal in the final 10 minutes.
Senior guard Nick Boyd had 21 points in his official Badger debut, including the season's opening bucket. He recorded the second-highest point-total for a Badger in his debut since at least 2000.
Nolan Winter posted his fourth-career double-double, notching 17 points and 12 rebounds. Austin Rapp was the fourth and final Badger in double-figures, posting 13 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in his first game for the Cardinal and White.
UW improves to 10-0 in home openers under head coach Greg Gard, winning its 27th opener in the last 28 seasons.The team's 96 points were the most since a 94-75 win over Illinois on Feb. 18, 2025. The Badgers reached 90 points in 4 games last season.
From the Court
Head Coach Greg Gard
On the overall game:
"There's a lot that we'll take from the game. Both good, and things we have to get better at. I was happy with how we closed, specifically defensively there in the last eight minutes to hold them to just four free-throws.This group is continuing to find out who they are, and there will be different guys on different nights, but there will be a lot of good things to draw from it [tonight]."
Junior Nolan Winter
On his growth:
"I think it's more of a mentality than anything it is physically. When I have that aggressive mentality, just attacking every ball, going to get everyone one that I can. This offseason that was a big thing for me knowing that going into this season that's going to be a big part of my game is rebounding and limiting them to one shot."
Graduate Student Nick Boyd
On John Blackwell's performance:
"Because we can get downhill so dynamically it allows us to have open looks. His pressure on the rim opens it up for me. I think my pressure allows him to get some threes off. It takes a little bit of pressure off myself and I am glad to be in the back court with him."
