Arizona just can't escape Bo Ryan. The legendary Badger head coach defeated the Wildcats in all three of their meetings, including a pair of victories in the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015.
Ryan wasn't pacing the sidelines for Friday's matchup against ninth-ranked Arizona, but the occasion included a banner-raising ceremony to eternalize Ryan's greatness. Ryan's presence trickled onto the court, as the Badgers led for all 40 minutes to upend the Wildcats.
A Bo Ryan Result by a non-Ryan offense
Head coach Greg Gard has mentioned the need to adapt to the modern game offensively. That means playing a little faster and getting up more three-pointers -- complete opposites of Ryan's staple approach of defense and methodical offense.
The change in philosophy was apparent Friday night, as the Badgers notched their fifth 100-point game in the last 15 years and drilled 12 of their 27 three-point attempts. Still, it was the same result as the fabled March Madness victories of a decade ago, with Wisconsin claiming victory.
John Tonje is Wisconsin's best player
If it wasn't already widely known, Tonje's 41-point performance confirmed his status as the Badgers' alpha. Coming off a season in which he appeared in just eight games and was never fully healthy, it wouldn't have been surprising to see Tonje need a few games to find his footing.
He hasn't skipped a beat. The fifth-year senior entered the game averaging 17.7 points per game, doubling that average and setting his career-high in points. Tonje looked unstoppable, getting downhill with ease and forcing Arizona to either foul him -- he attempted 22 free throws -- or give him open looks. He connected on eight of his 14 attempts from the field, including four of his six three-point shots.
He became the fourth Badger to ever hit the 40-point threshold and the first to do so since Frank Kaminsky -- who was also in attendance for the contest as part of the 10-year anniversary of Wisconsin's National Championship appearance.
Slow starts a thing of the past?
It would be an understatement to say the Badgers have come out of the gates slow in its first three games. Wisconsin had been outscored 51-28 in the first eight minutes during that stretch despite coming out with a win in all three outings. With No. 9 Arizona coming to the Kohl Center, the Badgers couldn't afford another lackluster start. They opened Friday's game on a 7-0 run and led 24-17 with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
Of course, one game isn't enough to forget their previous first-half struggles. However, breaking the habit in their first real test of the campaign is an encouraging sign for the future.
Don't forget about the defense
Many will see the Badgers 103 points and think it was an offensive masterclass. The Badgers 48/44/87 shooting splits definitely back that up, but it was also an excellent defensive performance. Max Klesmit and John Blackwell eliminated Caleb Love from the game, holding Love to six points on 2-of-13 shooting before he fouled out.
As a team, Arizona shot 37.8 percent from the field and went 4-for-23 from long distance. Merely six of their 28 makes came off assists. The Wildcats final made three-pointer came with nine minutes left in the first half. The Badgers blocked four shots and forced 13 turnovers as well.
The offense, deservedly, should get its flowers, but don't sleep on the Badgers defense.
Interior strength an issue worth monitoring
Arizona may not have a starter taller than 6-foot-8, but they bring two seven-footers off the bench and make up for the lack of length with strength. They dominated the glass, outrebounding Wisconsin 52-28 including an 24-2 advantage on the offensive boards.
While Arizona is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, the massive discrepancy in rebounds is an issue worth monitoring as Wisconsin heads toward Big 10 play. Outside of the rebounding department, Wisconsin struggled to move the Wildcat bigs. Steven Crowl attempted three two-pointers and had difficulties establishing himself in the post against Tobe Awaka and Motiejus Krivas. The frontcourt pairing of Awaka and Krivas combined to score 17 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, but they left plenty of points on the floor with uncharacteristic misses.