Wisconsin pulled off a season sweep of the Golden Gophers, pulling away late in what was a grind-it-out Border Battle matchup. The Badgers were without Max Klesmit for a second consecutive game due to a lower body injury, resulting in another start for Kamari McGee. Despite being a man down, Wisconsin avoided a potentially catastrophic loss to remain in good position for Big 10 Tournament and NCAA Tournament seeding.
Here's how I'd grade each player's performance:
Jack Janicki: A+
Janicki's impact on this game is undeniable. All six of his points and his three assists came in the second half, stepping up as a secondary offensive option while Tonje was on the bench. He made the game-clinching play, running from the right wing to the left to poke an offensive rebound out to Blackwell, who'd take a dribble into the lane for an and-one layup to make it an eight-point game with 49 seconds left.
John Blackwell: A-
Blackwell was Wisconsin's most reliable player in a game that was predominantly ugly, and his stat line reflects that. With Max Klesmit injured and John Tonje battling foul trouble, Blackwell shouldered the offensive load, scoring 25 points on a season-high 21 shot attempts across 37 minutes. He remained active on the glass despite the hefty usage, notching his second double-double of the campaign.
John Tonje: B+
Tonje was very efficient Wednesday, scoring 18 points on 10 field goals while being active as a rebounder and defender. However, he couldn't stay on the court. He played his fewest minutes (27) in 12 games due to foul trouble. His fourth infraction came on an offensive foul where he extended his lead arm while driving to the basket, and he was fortunate not to get whistled for a fifth penalty for a similar offense.
Carter Gilmore: B+
Gilmore was outstanding defensively, and played a key role in shutting down Dawson Garcia (14 points, 6-of-17 FG). However, I would have liked to see more consistent offense from him considering the Badgers' struggles down Tonje and Klesmit. He did knock down some clutch shots and free throws late, but he never really felt like a plus on that end.
Steven Crowl: B-
Crowl finished with fewer than five rebounds and had his offensive production fall off after starting strong for a second straight game. He got a few post touches early and converted those opportunities into points but passed out of advantageous matchups in the second half and didn't hunt his own shot. Still, he ranked third on the team in scoring, which is enough to avoid a C.
Kamari McGee: B-
McGee isn't built to be the starting point guard on an elite team, and that's shown over the last two games. He went scoreless in 33 minutes, attempting just three shots, but he was an effective floor general. McGee logged a 5:0 assist-to-turnover ratio and didn't do much wrong overall.
Nolan Winter: C
Coach Greg Gard opted to play Carter Gilmore more than Winter for Gilmore's defensive capabilities, resulting in an off night for the talented sophomore. He didn't quite look comfortable on the perimeter, committing a pair of travels by attempting to dribble after rising up for three-point shots that would have likely been blocked.
Xavier Amos: D
Amos played only eight minutes and missed both of his shots, one being an open layup. He didn't do much positive, so a D feels appropriate.
Note: Camren Hunter and Daniel Freitag saw playing time, but it wasn't enough to warrant a grade.