In a commanding victory, the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers defeated Illinois 95-74 in Madison, marking their fifth consecutive win and breaking a long-standing losing streak against the Fighting Illini. This triumph was particularly significant as Wisconsin had suffered nine straight losses to Illinois, including an earlier loss on December 10th, where they fell 86-80 at Illinois. Prior to this recent slump, Wisconsin enjoyed a remarkable run of 15 consecutive wins over the Illini.

John Tonje led the charge for Wisconsin, scoring an impressive 31 points in the game. This performance came just days after he put up 32 points in a close 94-84 win against No. 13 Purdue, which was then the seventh-ranked team. Tonje’s consecutive 30-point games make him only the fourth player in Wisconsin history to achieve such a feat.

In addition to Tonje’s scoring, Wisconsin’s Steven Crowl contributed significantly with a season-high of 20 points, alongside seven rebounds and five assists. John Blackwell also played a crucial role with 16 points to help secure the victory. For Illinois (17-10, 9-8), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn led with 17 points, while Ben Humrichous and Will Riley added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Several factors impacted the Illini’s performance, as they were missing second-leading rebounder Morez Johnson Jr. due to a broken wrist. Tomislav Ivisic, their top rebounder and a key scorer, struggled with an illness but managed to tally seven points and three rebounds in the game.

Wisconsin’s offensive efficiency has been remarkable this season. The team is averaging 82 points per game, which positions them on track for their highest scoring average since the 1970-71 season when they set a school record by averaging 86.3 points. This victory also marked their 15th game of the season with 80 or more points.

One pivotal moment in the matchup occurred when Blackwell hit three consecutive baskets, shifting a tie score of 13 to a 19-13 lead for the Badgers. From that point on, Wisconsin maintained control of the game.

Statistically, Wisconsin dominated the boards with a 39-30 rebounding advantage, countering Illinois’s normal strength in this area, where they ranked second in Division I with a plus-9.7 margin. Earlier in the season, Illinois had out-rebounded Wisconsin 40-29.

Looking ahead, Illinois will compete against No. 3 Duke in New York this Saturday, while Wisconsin is set to host Oregon.