Wisconsin basketball improved to 4-0 on the 2025-26 season with a 94-69 home win over SIU Edwardsville on Monday.
After the team led 48-41 at halftime, a dominant second frame headlined the decisive victory. The Badgers started that half on a 16-2 run, extending their lead to an insurmountable 21 points. Starters Nick Boyd and Austin Rapp combined for 12 of those key points.
Wisconsin as a team won the game in a few key areas. While the two teams’ shooting numbers were nearly identical, the Badgers grabbed 38 rebounds to the Cougars’ 31, forced 11 turnovers to their four and went 21-of-24 from the free-throw line, compared to just 10-of-11 from SIUE. Advantages in those facets create a winning recipe for Greg Gard’s team, especially against a non-Power Four opponent.
Individually, John Blackwell led the Badgers with 24 points and six rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting and 5-of-6 from 3. Boyd also added 22 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Aleksas Bieliauskas chipped in eight points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in 14 minutes off the bench.
Wisconsin now has an average margin of 28.25 points in its four wins to start the year. That dominance has improved the team’s KenPom standing to No. 17 and its place in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index to No. 20. The team faces its first real test of the season on Friday, as it travels to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a nonconference matchup against No. 9 BYU. The Badgers would only increase their place in the national conversation with a statement win.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball defeats SIU Edwardsville: Recap, stats, postgame analysis
Reporting by Ben Kenney, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
