Badger basketball matchup weakness vs Illinois exposed by Huskies
Wisconsin basketball survived a March Madness-worthy furious comeback bid by Washington, but faces a much-tougher task against Illinois
Survive and advance. That is the March mantra Wisconsin Badgers fans must be repeating to themselves after what appeared to be a blowout Wisconsin basketball victory over the Washington Huskies nearly turned into an epic collapse.
Wisconsin led Washington by as many as 18 points in the second half. The Huskies then enjoyed a 21-6 run, topped by an 8-0 run in just over three minutes, to narrow that margin to just one point in the final minute.
“We just didn’t get stops defensively the back end of that second half,” UW head coach Greg Gard told Big Ten Network after the game.
The Badgers managed to get just enough stops to pull off an 85-82 victory after Huskies guard Zoom Diallo’s last-second three-point attempt rimmed out on the game’s final possession.
“Defensively, we could have had something better, but it is what it is, it’s March,” John Blackwell, who scored a program-record 34 points in a Big Ten Tournament game, said on BTN.
With less than 24 hours between games, Wisconsin immediately shifts focus to a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday.
“I’ll look through the tape. We’ve got to quickly turn the page and get ready for tomorrow,” Gard said in a postgame press conference. “That’s what this time of year is about, just find a way to get to the next one, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Who to Watch: Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic
When Wisconsin and Illinois met in Champaign earlier this season, the Illini were missing two key pieces. This time, Illinois will be at full strength, while Wisconsin may still be without two key rotation pieces.
Illinois guard Kylan Boswell fractured his shooting hand in a late January practice. The injury left him sidelined for seven games. The conference All-Defensive Team honoree, averaging 13.3 points per game, has been relatively effective offensively since his return, reaching double-digit scoring in four of six games.
Lengthy wing Andrej Stojakovic was out of the lineup due to a high ankle sprain when Wisconsin played at Illinois early this season. The 6-foot-7 junior is a dynamic inside scorer, shooting 58.6% from inside the arc and averaging 13.3 points per game. Illinois head coach Brad Underwood noted earlier this week that Stojakovic played through flu symptoms in his team’s regular-season finale.
On the glass, Stojakovic averages 1.4 offensive rebounds per game, while Boswell averages 1.6 offensive boards. Both are top-five offensive rebounders on Illinois’ roster, and their presence could be a key difference in the second meeting of these squads.
What to watch: A lot of threes, but can UW keep up on the glass?
The first go-around between the Badgers and the Illini was wildly entertaining. A 92-90 overtime thriller in which Wisconsin won its first game at Illinois in over seven years. Both teams combined to shoot 31-69 (31-nice) from beyond the arc.
Stylistically, these Wisconsin and Illinois squads are quite similar. Both teams limit turnovers and have a penchant for shooting the three.
According to BartTorvik, Illinois boasts the most efficient offense in the country. Wisconsin is not far behind in eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency. But since January 1st, the Badgers have the third-best offense in the country. Both squads are top-ten in three-point attempt rate.
The most significant difference between the Badgers and Illini offensively is in offensive rebounding. Wisconsin is sub-200 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, while Illinois ranks third. UW is 73rd in the country in offensive rebounding percentage allowed.
In his postgame interview on BTN, Blackwell specifically cited “the way they rebound” when describing the challenge of facing the Illini.
The statistical difference is one thing, but with Badgers forward Nolan Winter potentially sidelined due to a lower-body injury, UW may be at a personnel disadvantage. Winter snagged a game-high 11 total rebounds against Illinois earlier this season, including seven defensive boards as the Badgers held the Illini to a season-low eight offensive rebounds.
If Winter is unavailable, UW freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas may have his hands full again against Illinois’ frontcourt. That matchup comes immediately after Washington’s impressive performance on the offensive glass, which fueled the Huskies’ furious comeback bid.
“Aleksas, with how he played last week at Purdue and how he played again today, you know, I thought --you know, [Washington forward Hannes] Steinbach is a handful. He’s so good on the offensive glass,” Gard said in a postgame interview. “So all those experiences that he can get against that type of competition help.”
Steinbach corralled six offensive rebounds in Thursday’s matchup in which the Huskies pounded the glass for a season-high 19 offensive rebounds. Before yesterday, Wisconsin had not allowed more than 12 offensive boards in a single game this season.
Washington had offensive 12 rebounds just in yesterday’s second half.
How, when, and where to watch Wisconsin vs Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament
Where: United Center — Chicago, Illinois
When: Friday, March 13th, 2026 — 1:30 p.m. Central (approximate)
Watch/TV/Streaming: Big Ten Network
Wisconsin and Illinois play in the second quarterfinal matchup. The first game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines begins at 11:00 a.m. The Badgers and Illini tip off 25 minutes after the conclusion of that matchup between OSU and U-M.
The winner of each of those two games will play in the semifinal round on Saturday, March 14th, at noon.
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