Nick Boyd was one rebound shy of a triple-double against Iowa. The Wisconsin crowd groaned when the final rebound of the game went to another player; everyone was hoping for it. The announcers on FS1 even seemed disappointed, but his performance propelled the Badgers to a relatively easy win over the Hawkeyes.
He controlled the game from start to finish, and while Bennett Stirtz gets lots of praise for being a high-level point guard, Boyd outpaced him all game. He finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, and to top it all off, only one turnover.
Nick Boyd with another BIG-TIME performance for @BadgerMBB in a win over Iowa! 🔥 💪 pic.twitter.com/Wphjw95HPf
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 22, 2026
Nick Boyd was one rebound shy of a triple-double in his best game of the season
If this is the version of Nick Boyd that Greg Gard and the Badgers get the rest of the way, they will be the most dangerous team in March. Or at least a team with the highest ceilings at a lower-level seed. This win against Iowa could truly put them on a six or seven-seed line (unintentional meme reference).
Boyd will get a lot of credit for this masterful performance, but John Blackwell had a quiet 13 (all in the second half). Nolan Winter had 18, and Austin Rapp had 14. The team stayed in control of the game and kept the pedal down, making it hard for a team that's known for its defense to keep pace. Iowa couldn't keep up, and Wisconsin forced empty possession on the Hawkeyes over and over.
It was an important quality win for the Badgers that not only helps the tournament seeding but will also still give them a realistic shot at the double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. There's a shot, especially with the tiebreakers over Illinois and Michigan State, that Wisconsin could get one of those coveted spots. With Oregon, Washington, and Maryland as the next three on their Big Ten schedule, taking care of business could really elevate those chances.