The Wisconsin Badgers absolutely dominated the Marquette Golden Eagles in the I-94 rivalry with a final score of 96-76. It could have been a whole lot worse if Wisconsin hadn't started with such a sloppy first eight minutes of the first half and if John Blackwell hadn't sat for big stretches with foul trouble. However, it never mattered as the Badgers were just the vastly better team.
Here's three observations from the big win.
1. Wisconsin exposed how terrible Marquette is this season
The Golden Eagles came into this game with a NET 166 and a 5-4 record. They will fall even further after the Badgers beat them handily. For a team that flirted with top 10 and top 25 rankings all year last year, they are starting this season as one of the worst hoops programs among the top conferences.
The Badgers forced the exposure of how bad they actually are. The Badgers held them to 42% FG, 31% 3pt, and even 47% at the FT line, including an amazing moment where Chase Ross had it slip out of his hands when he was in the shooting moment, counting for an airball. It was rough for Marquette all day shooting the ball (especially because the stats got padded a bit at the end during garbage time). It could be a long season for the Golden Eagles.
2. John Blackwell continues to showcase his POY candidacy
Blackwell was absolutely electric, and even with foul trouble, missing most of the start of the second half. He was choosing his shots and making plays all over the court. He finished with another epic 30+ point performance. He landed at exactly 30 points after all the dust settled.
The crazy part is that this is the third game in a row in which he's scored more than 25+ points. He had 30 against TCU, 26 versus Northwestern, and then this performance against Marquette. He's really showing he's one of the best scorers in the country.
3. Aleksas Bieliauskas continues to prove he's the better starter
Greg Gard likes Bieliauskas as the starter because he plays with physicality, doesn't mind getting dirty, doing the little things, and playing the background role. He doesn't need to be the main character nor even the supporting cast. He's the busboy for Wisconsin, doing the dirty work, setting the table for his teammates, and doing it when no one is looking.
He was impressive in this game with his first double-double of the season. He scored 11 points on 3-3 shooting with 10 rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal. What a glorious day for the Lithuanian freshman.