Wisconsin took off against Rutgers from the opening tip. They took an early lead and didn't look back, going up by 51 to 29 at the half. It was a throttling, and some were already looking at the bench, wondering which players would get a ton of minutes. And then in the second half, the Badgers decided to take the foot off the gas, play complacent, and Rutgers began climbing back. Getting it within eight points as the game was closing down.
It was quite revealing and showed that this team can beat anyone, but can also be beaten by anyone. It was a good thing they let the lead build up as much as it did, or it could have easily been a loss in front of the home crowd. After the game, players and coaches discussed how it happened.
The Floor & Ceiling for this group are EXTREME!#Badgers
— Gard Your Fickell (@GardYourFickell) January 17, 2026
The Badgers showed off their Jekyll and Hyde impersonation against Rutgers
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Nolan Winter was the first to talk about this, "In the first half, as a team, we were connected, all together. We started the game out with some fire and an edge to us...I don't know if we got complacent at halftime, but we lost that edge." He said they need to focus on playing two complete halves of basketball, not just one.
The Badgers have come from behind plenty of times, too, but have rarely put together two impressive halves of basketball. The Michigan game was the best and clearest example, and that was the only way they were able to knock off the top NET-ranked team in the country.
Head coach Greg Gard said he loved watching the first 20 minutes, but in the second half, "I thought Rutgers was more aggressive; we were less aggressive." And that was why the Scarlet Knights were able to mount a comeback and even win the second half. While Rutgers lost the game, they scored 58 in the second half to Wisconsin's 45.
This game showed where Wisconsin's problems lie, but also where the solution is, too. You can guess what Gard's talking points going forward will be. A complete game of basketball.