Fresh off an underwhelming performance against the Maryland Terrapins, the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team (12-8, 4-6) fell to Brad Underwood’s Illinois Fighting Illini (15-6, 6-4) 61-51 Jan. 28 in Madison. 

The orange and blue have mastered UW’s scheme — the Illini now boast a six-game winning streak against the Badgers since January of 2020, including a 79-69 victory in Champaign in early January.

With a full slate of conference matches on the horizon, Greg Gard’s group entered a borderline must-win situation. Backed by over 17,000 raucous members of Badger fans jam-packed into the Kohl Center, Wisconsin appeared poised for a momentum-shifting triumph with just a month remaining until the Big Ten Tournament.

Max Klemsit, arguably UW’s most valuable defensive asset, returned to the lineup Saturday after a two-game absence due to a nose ailment. Wisconsin held an 11-2 record with its opening day starting lineup this season, and with both Wahl and Klesmit re-inserted into the fray, the Badgers’ played to their strengths in the first frame.

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Gard’s group held Illinois to 20 total tallies in the opening period off an abysmal 33.3% mark from the field and 20% clip from behind-the-arc. Klemsit set the tone on both sides of the hardwood as well. The Neenah native accounted for eight first half points, forced an offensive foul in the lane and dove, Rickey Henderson style, for a loose ball near mid-court.

Despite both squads shooting a combined 2-14 from the field, Wisconsin impelled Illinois to operate at an archaic cadence and established a 13-9 lead with 7:30 to spare before the break. 

Wisconsin also adjusted well to both Terrance Shannon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins. During the previous showdown at the State Farm Center, Hawkins nailed six 3-pointers for 20 points off a number of screen-and-roll and dribble-handoff sets.

His running mate, the hyper-athletic Terrance Shannon Jr., punished the Badgers at all three levels off a coupling of swift dribble moves and powerful bursts towards the cylinder. The two did not secure a single point during the first half, and with just two combined points from Steven Crowl, Chucky Hepburn and Tyler Wahl, the red and white remained afloat behind these early adjustments.

Fueled by strong paint contributions from Dain Dainja, the Illini roared back and quieted Wisconsin’s booming student section. With Tyler Wahl plagued by early foul trouble, Illinois orchestrated an 11-2 scoring output to close the half.

On one sequence, Dainja pinned an inside look from Markus Ilver against the glass, igniting a fast break opportunity and 3-point splash for fifth year star Matthew Mayer. Wisconsin failed to scratch for the final 4:37 of the first stretch, and by intermission, Underwood’s crew clinged to a four-tally edge. 

Illinois picked up the pace after the break. Fueled by eight quick points from Mayer, the Illini morphed a four-tally lead to a 12-point advantage in under four minutes of action. 

Fortunately, Wisconsin leaned into its stars to begin the second half. Wahl scored UW’s first seven points of the closing frame and opened up the floor for Hepburn’s outside acumen and Crowl’s pick-and-pop prowess. In the blink of an eye, the Badgers transformed a double-digit deficit into a one-point edge, courtesy of 14 points from its big-three.

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At that point, the box score and flow swayed towards the home team. Wisconsin exceeded its first half scoring total in under 10 minutes and shot a jaw-dropping 78% from the field and 80% from long-range. 

What appeared as a potential season-shifting victory quickly turned sour for Badger fans. In a game defined by scoring runs, Illinois delivered the final blow, Creed style. Kick-started by a nifty outside score from Jayden Epps and a two-handed jam from R.J. Melendez, the Illini put together a 19-2 scoring run in just over six minutes of play. 

When the final buzzer sounded, Illinois secured its sixth consecutive victory against the Badgers, 61-51. 

Ultimately, despite a stout defensive display and impressive scoring spurts, the Badgers could not generate a consistent offensive attack. Without a clear-cut juggernaut, Wisconsin can no longer rely on Brad Davison or Johnny Davis to bail them out with a tough, timely jump shot in a strident environment at home or on the road. In a league geared toward execution down the stretch, the Badgers lack a closer and certainly cannot depend on isolation. 

Over the past decade, the most successful programs in school history always thrived during the final five minutes and discovered ways to manipulate opposing defenses. This season just feels different. 

“I thought we guarded well until that strength from about the 10 minute mark until the four minute mark,” said Gard in his post game press conference. “It makes it really hard when we have [our] better players on the bench in foul trouble for extended periods of time.”

For Wisconsin, Chucky Hepburn notched a team-leading 15 points in 36 minutes of action while Max Klesmit poured in four field goals and snagged eight rebounds. Steven Crowl snatched seven rebounds and Wahl, quelled by foul trouble, recorded nine second half points in just 19 total minutes.

On the opposite side, Matthew Mayer torched the Badgers on all three levels. The Texas native drilled nine field goals for a season-high 26 points and corralled six rebounds His teammate Jayden Epps canned five looks for 13 points off 50% efficiency, and Dain Dainja commanded the paint with nine tallies and eight boards.

Looking ahead, Wisconsin ventures to Columbus for another conference showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes Thursday, Feb. 2.