The Badgers triumphed 74-67 in a game that became a bit too close for comfort down the stretch. Wisconsin held a double-digit lead early in the second half, though foul trouble for star wing John Tonje helped Minnesota narrow its deficit. The Gophers would take a brief lead at 55-53 with 7:12 remaining after an extended 26-13 run — their surge coinciding with Tonje’s trips to the bench. While the Badgers quickly reclaimed the advantage, the game’s result remained in question until a flurry of key plays from John Blackwell, Carter Gilmore and Jack Janicki in the final minutes decided the contest.

Blackwell led Wisconsin in every category. He tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds and two assists on 8-of-21 shooting, 2-of-9 from three and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. His work on the glass proved critical, as he helped the Badgers out-rebounded their opponent 41-34.

The hard-fought contest was decided on the margins — an area where Wisconsin has excelled throughout the season. The Badgers made 21 of 24 (87.5%) free throws, compared to just 8-of-15 (53.3%) from Minnesota. Those extra points and strong rebounding forced Minnesota to shoot perfectly down the stretch. As is typically the case in college basketball, that was not the case.