Blackwell scores 23, including Wisconsin’s final 7 points, and Badgers rally past Minnesota 67-63
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Blackwell scored 23 points, including Wisconsin’s last seven points in the final minute, and the Badgers rallied to defeat short-handed Minnesota 67-63 on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin trailed by 18 points at halftime against a Golden Gophers team missing leading scorer Cade Tyson, who was out with an ankle injury. Six players were unavailable due to injury and only seven players saw action for Minnesota.
Nick Boyd’s jumper gave Wisconsin a 51-50 lead with 6 1/2 minutes remaining, the Badgers’ first lead since it was 3-0. There were six lead changes in the next 5 1/2 minutes, the last coming when Blackwell made two free throws for a 62-61 lead with one minute remaining.
Jack Janicki blocked Isaac Asuma’s 3-point try with 45 seconds left and Blackwell drained a 3-pointer for a 65-61 lead with 19 seconds remaining. Minnesota’s Grayson Grove dunked a rebound with nine seconds left to make it 65-63 then Blackwell finished off the win with two free throws.
Boyd scored 21 points for Wisconsin (15-6, 7-3 Big Ten).
Bobby Durkin scored 20 points, Asuma 16 and Langston Reynolds 12 for Minnesota (10-11, 3-7), which has lost six straight.
After trailing 35-17 and making only one two-point shot in the first half, Wisconsin scored the first 10 points of the second half and extended the run to 15-2 through the first eight minutes.
A four-point play by Braeden Carrington got Wisconsin within 50-49 with seven minutes remaining. The Badgers had outscored Minnesota 32-15 at that point of the second half.
Up next
Wisconsin: Ohio State visits on Saturday.
Minnesota: at Penn State on Sunday.
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