Wisconsin took care of business in their 3 vs 14 matchup during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, downing the Grizzlies of Montana by 19 points. Blackwell led the Badgers with 19 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists, while Steven Crowl (18 points), John Tonje (15 points), Xavier Amos (11 points) and Nolan WInter (10 points) joined him in double figures.
Here are my biggest takeaways from the win:
1. Not a dominant win, but definitely a comfortable one
As big favorites, anything other than a double-digit victory would have been cause for concern. Wisconsin led for almost 18 minutes of the first period and never trailed during the second half -- including leading by double figures and nearly doubling their advantage during the final 12:09. However, Wisconsin didn't maintain a double-digit lead until that point.
Playing four games in four days and traveling to high elevation on limited rest was viewed as a negative for Wisconsin by most. However, the Badgers were clearly the better team in this one and played the brand of basketball aligned with the squad of January and months prior. The Badgers will play the winner of No. 6 BYU and No. 11 VCU on Saturday for a spot in the Sweet 16, a round they haven't reached since 2017.
They'll almost certainly have more difficulties with their second-round opponent, but at this point, Wisconsin seems to be playing high quality basketball.
2. Size prevails
Montana played just one player over six-foot-eight Thursday and Wisconsin certainly took advantage. Each of Wisconsin's first seven baskets came from inside the arc, and they went 12-for-20 on twos during the first half. 20 of the Badgers 40 first-half points came from the painted area. Steven Crowl was at the forefront of the effort, tallying 18 points, four rebounds and two assists on 8-of-10 shooting, while Blackwell, Xavier Amos and Nolan Winter chipped in as well.
The Badgers also blocked six shots and shot 55.4 percent from the field, getting to the rim at will and frequently converting. With a pair of seven-footers, the expectation was for Wisconsin to dominate the interior, and they did exactly that.
3. Xavier Amos provides a glimpse into the future
With a large senior class -- including Steven Crowl and Carter Gilmore -- departing Madison after the 2024-25 campaign, there's plenty of question marks surrounding the Badgers future roster. Xavier Amos laid some of those concerns to rest Thursday, showing the blend of athleticism and scoring punch that made him such a highly touted transfer a season ago. He compiled 11 points and four rebounds overall and made a significant impact during the first half. Amos had a pair of monster blocks in the first 20 minutes and was an active rebounder.
It's unclear what the future holds for Wisconsin's frontcourt, but Amos' performance Thursday offered some insight into what he could bring as a starting power forward for the 2025-26 Badgers.