Postgame Pulse: Wisconsin basketball defeats Ball State
Hear from coaches and players following a Wisconsin basketball 86-55 victory over the Ball State Cardinals
Madison, WI – With a more rigorous test against the BYU Cougars rapidly approaching, Wisconsin basketball appears to be fitting its pieces together. Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard has had to mesh eight newcomers on his roster. The mix of four transfers and four freshmen represents the most significant turnover of the Gard era in Madison. In an 86-55 victory over the Ball State Cardinals, the Badgers put together their most complete defensive performance yet, even as the offense was touch-and-go at times.
“Happy with our performance for the most part. I thought we’ve been becoming more consistent on both ends of the floor,” Gard said in his post-game press conference.
The Badgers surrendered 17 fewer points on Tuesday night than they did in their last time out. Last Friday, the Northern Illinois Huskies scored 72 against the Wisconsin defense.
While the defense has tightened up, UW’s offensive threat has remained the same. For the first time in 50 years, Wisconsin has scored 80 or more points in each of its first three games.
“I think Greg got a really good team,” Ball State head coach Michael Lewis said. “He’s done a great job. His guards are phenomenal, and he’s done a great job of putting pieces around those guys. They can stretch the floor and allow them to operate the way that they need to.”
The Indiana Hoosiers alumnus and former Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant has seen his fair share of Big Ten basketball and was highly complimentary of the Badgers.
“I think, you know, what has been built here at Wisconsin over time is really special,” Lewis stated. “What they’ve done–whatI graduated in 2000, so, what it was–in the last 30 years of what Wisconsin basketball has become especially should be appreciated the type of program that they have has been very successful.”
Listen to and watch full post-game remarks from Gard, Lewis, and Wisconsin basketball players Braeden Carrington, Nick Boyd, and Nolan Winter in the video below.
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