MADISON, Wis. — John Blackwell achieved personal bests with 32 points and six 3-pointers, leading Wisconsin to a record-setting 116-85 triumph over Iowa on Friday evening.
Markus Ilver equaled Wisconsin’s team record for 3-pointers in a single game, hitting his 18th basket with just under three minutes remaining. Xavier Amos then made a crucial shot with 1:54 on the clock, breaking the previous record. He not only set the new mark but added another 3-pointer shortly after, while Camren Hunter rounded off the night with a 3-pointer of his own in the final seconds.
Wisconsin finished the game shooting an impressive 40 of 61 from the field, translating to a 65.6% shooting percentage, including a standout 21 of 31 from beyond the arc. This not only marked a new high for the team but also represented the most points scored at the Kohl Center, the Badgers’ home since 1998. Previously, their best 3-point shooting game was against Nebraska, where they made 18 three-pointers in a January 2020 match.
In addition to Blackwell’s stellar performance, Nolan Winter contributed 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Steven Crowl added 14 points. Teammates John Tonje and Kamari McGee each scored 12, bolstering Wisconsin’s strong offensive showing.
On the other side of the court, Drew Thelwell led Iowa with 25 points. The visiting team’s lineup also saw contributions from Josh Dix with 16 points, Owen Freeman with 14 points, and both Brock Harding and Pryce Sandfort scoring 10 points each.
Iowa had a strong start, sinking 10 of their first 13 attempts. However, they finished the game with a field goal percentage of 48.5%, hitting 32 of 66 shots.
Wisconsin will have a break over the weekend before heading to Rutgers for its next game on Monday, while Iowa will return home to compete against Nebraska on Tuesday.