PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Wisconsin Badgers triumphed over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a final score of 75-63 on Monday evening. John Blackwell led the way for Wisconsin, contributing 21 points, while Steven Crowl added 18 points and 10 rebounds, marking his first double-double of the season for the team.

Blackwell shot 8 of 15 from the field, including one 3-pointer, and successfully made all four of his free throws during the matchup. Crowl made an impressive 8 of 11 attempts, sinking two 3-pointers along the way. Additionally, John Tonje chipped in with 15 points, nine rebounds, and a couple of blocks, further supporting the Badgers’ performance.

For Rutgers, Tyson Acuff was the standout from the bench, scoring 17 points as the Scarlet Knights saw their seven-game home winning streak come to an end. The Scarlet Knights, now 8-7 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten Conference, struggled to contain Wisconsin consistently throughout the game.

During the first half, the Badgers took charge with Blackwell scoring 13 points and Crowl adding 12, leading them to a 43-34 advantage by halftime. Wisconsin burst out of the gate, scoring the first six points and establishing a lead as large as 16 points. Although Rutgers managed to cut the deficit to seven, Kamari McGee hit a pull-up jumper as the clock ran out, keeping the Scarlet Knights within striking distance.

In the second half, Rutgers attempted to close the gap, with Ace Bailey hitting a 3-pointer, narrowing the score to a two-possession game. They managed to cut it down to three points thanks to another jumper from Jeremiah Williams, making it 60-57 with just under seven minutes remaining. However, the Badgers quickly responded with a 3-pointer from Tonje, followed by Blackwell scoring four consecutive points at the free-throw line, propelling Wisconsin to a commanding 14-point lead with just 90 seconds left in the game.

The Badgers showcased an efficient shooting performance, connecting on 54.4% of their attempts and converting all six of their free throws. In contrast, Rutgers struggled, shooting only 34.2% overall and managing to make just 6 of their 13 foul shot attempts. Both teams were evenly matched in terms of 3-point shooting, hitting seven shots from beyond the arc.

Looking ahead, the Scarlet Knights are set to host No. 20 Purdue on Thursday, while the Badgers will play against Minnesota on Friday.