In a thrilling Big Ten matchup, the 12th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers triumphed over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, securing a 74-67 victory on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. John Blackwell stood out by scoring 25 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds, propelling Wisconsin to a key win as they vie for a top-four seed in the conference tournament.
John Tonje also contributed significantly, adding 18 points and seven rebounds for the Badgers, who now find themselves in a three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten. Wisconsin showcased their excellent free throw accuracy, converting 21 of their 24 attempts. In contrast, Minnesota struggled at the line, making only 8 of their 15 shots.
Minnesota’s Brennan Rigsby led the charge for the Gophers with 18 points, while Lu’Cye Patterson contributed 15 points. However, Minnesota couldn’t halt their ongoing losing streak against Wisconsin, now at nine games. Dawson Garcia, the Big Ten’s fourth-leading scorer, chipped in with 14 points on 6-for-17 shooting during his final home game.
The game highlighted some critical aspects for both teams. Wisconsin, missing starter Max Klesmit for the second consecutive game, managed to overcome offensive struggles by committing just two turnovers in the second half. This resilience turned an 11-point lead into a mere two-point deficit at one point.
For Minnesota, scoring outside of Garcia has been a persistent challenge. The Gophers are the only team in the Big Ten averaging less than 70 points per game. Rigsby provided a glimpse of hope with his recent performances, including a career-high 20 points and the game-winning 3-pointer against Nebraska last Saturday.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Lu’Cye Patterson drew a charge on John Tonje, causing him to head to the bench with four fouls. Patterson then capitalized by sinking a 3-pointer, which briefly gave Minnesota a 53-51 lead.
Dawson Garcia’s 3-pointer at the start of the game marked a significant milestone, pushing him past the 2,000-point mark for his college career. Over five years, with time at Marquette and North Carolina, Garcia ranks 10th on Minnesota’s all-time scoring list, having played 87 games.
Looking ahead, Wisconsin will conclude their conference play on Saturday when they face Penn State. Meanwhile, Minnesota will wrap up their season on Sunday with a game at Rutgers.
