Photos By: Aaron J. Thornton
A barrage of three-pointers helped the Wisconsin Badgers upset the No. 2 ranked and undefeated Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor over the weekend. The Badgers shot an eye-popping 59% from beyond the arc in the second half to take down the Wolverines 91-88.
Leading the charge was John Blackwell, the metro Detroit native and Birmingham Brother Rice High School product, who delivered a standout performance in a return to his home state. Blackwell poured in a game high 26 points, showing poise and confidence in key moments. Backcourt partner Nick Boyd was equally impactful, scoring 22 points and repeatedly breaking down the Michigan’s defense with his quickness.
Despite the loss, Michigan played fairly well throughout. Leading by one point at halftime and as many as 14 points in the first half, the Wolverines just couldn’t stop the red hot shooting of Wisconsin that kept the Badgers in the game.
Michigan had their chances, even taking the lead late in the game with about four minutes left. However the Badgers finished with 15 made threes on the night, nearly doubling Michigan’s total, and that was the difference, swinging the outcome and giving Wisconsin the victory in the end.
The Wolverines were led by point guard Elliot Cadeau with 19 points and 3 assists. Morez Johnson Jr. added a strong effort, contributing 18 points in the loss.
In the post game press conference, Head Coach Dusty May thanked the fans for their energy and enthusiasm to create a great home court environment. He credited the Badgers and added that after Michigan’s 14 point lead, Wisconsin took a time out and controlled the tempo for the rest of the game. He also mentioned how the loss could be a good thing in forcing the team to learn and respond to what they need to do to get better.
Michigan (14-1) travels to the west coast to play Washington (10-6) on Wednesday night. Wisconsin (11-5) will stay on the road and head to Minneapolis to take on Minnesota (10-6).
Final Score: Wisconsin 91 – Michigan 88
