MADISON, Wis. – Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell has a defensive philosophy that always seemed to crack Wisconsin’s offensive code. Since joining the Big Ten in 2016, Pikiell’s Scarlet Knights had given up an average of 65.7 points in 12 meetings against the Badgers, allowing more than 70 points just three times.

Cutting off the Badgers’ three-point shot and preventing them from getting to the free-throw line is a usual recipe for success. So, the fact that the Scarlet Knights did that and still lost by 12 at home acknowledged to Pikiell that Wisconsin’s offense has elevated to another level.

“They’re a really good basketball team,” he said. “You got to come out ready. They are playing as well as anybody.”

On a five-game winning streak to put Wisconsin (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) back in the Associated Press Top 25 at No.24, the Badgers have a three-layered approach that has been the ultimate “pick your poison” for opposing coaches.

Entering Tuesday’s matchup against Ohio State (10-6, 2-3), the Badgers rank 12th in KenPom efficiency (highest since 2014-15) and 164th in adjusted tempo (highest in KenPom era).

UW has attempted (18.2) more free throws than it has in over 50 years and its 85.1 percent from the line is on an NCAA record pace. The Badgers are also attempting 9.6 three-pointers per game and have more double-digit three-point games this season (nine) than all last season (seven).

The Badgers are 332nd in the country in percentage of points from two-point shots (43.6) but 50th in the country in two-point shooting percentage (56.1).

“Our coaches harp on that,” point guard John Blackwell said, “just getting to the rim, getting to the free throw line and shooting a lot of threes.”

Wisconsin ranks 32nd in the country in points per game at 83.3 per game, occasionally scoring at will to carry them to wins on nights where their defense is inconsistent, and ball security is suspect.

Giving up 80 points used to be problematic. The Badgers lost 30 consecutive games when giving up at least 80 points to major conference opponents, last winning a 94-92 overtime game against No.16 Ohio State in 2002. The last time that happened in a regulation game was a road win at Texas Tech in December 1993.

Iowa scored 85 points against the Badgers but still lost by 31. It was one of three times this season Wisconsin has won a game when giving up at least 80 points.

“That’s where the game is, transition, playing with pace, having really highly skilled players on the floor who can pass and shoot,” head coach Greg Gard said.

After the offense bottomed out in 2022-23, as its 65.0 ppg was the worst in a decade, the Wisconsin staff poured over analytics from successful offensive teams to look for patterns. Higher possessions and fewer mid-range shots became UW’s strategy, pushing for court spacing and ball screens.

“The base (of the offense) is pretty simple but the layers that we’ve been able to build on this year (help) even more,” Gard said. “Now our players are getting to the point where they are comfortable just organically running the base. We’re not robotic like maybe we were a year ago.”

The rest of the month will tell whether UW can keep on its pace. Rutgers (84), Iowa (96), and Minnesota (100) are the three worst defensive efficiency teams in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes rank 36th in adjusted defense, 22nd in effective field goal percentage, and 28th in opponent three-point percentage. Last month the Buckeyes held Kentucky – ranked third nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency – to 29.8 percent shooting.

Next Tuesday, the Badgers will face a UCLA program ranked ninth in defense efficiency and ninth in opponent field goals made. The Bruins are also second in the conference in steals and turnover margin while ranking third in the rebounding defense.

UW has already played teams ranked No.11 (Illinois), No.15 (Marquette), and No.18 (Michigan) in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency and lost to all of them. While team defense had its problems, the offense shares some of the culpability.

The Badgers scored a season-low 64 points in a three-point loss to Michigan, averaging .928 points per possession, going 4-for-14 on layups, 16-for-37 on twos (43.2 percent), and 6-for-27 (22.2) on threes.

UW shot 46.2 percent against Marquette but turned the ball over a whopping 16 times which led to 18 points. The Badgers finished at 1.143 points per possession against Illinois but had three starters shoot less than 40 percent.

Every game is its own story, according to Gard, but the Badgers have shown growth defensively since losing in Champaign last month. UW held Iowa guard Payton Sandfort (16.9 ppg) to 1-for-9 shooting and Rutgers guard Ace Bailey (18.9 ppg) to 3-for-16. On Friday, Wisconsin held Minnesota to 59 points on 38.6 percent shooting.

The improving defense gives players the confidence they can win at any style of game. Three days after finishing with the second-highest scoring total in school history, Wisconsin overcame seven three-point makes and six free throws by shooting 68.6 percent from two-point range.

“It just shows the maturity of our team,” Blackwell said. “We can be on the road, they can make their runs and still have good composure to us.”

_________________________________________________

*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den

*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel

*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)

*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @_Perko_, @seamus_rohrer, @DonnieSlusher_

*Like us on Facebook