No. 11 Wisconsin will look to continue its recent success against its border rival when it visits Minnesota for a Big Ten Conference matchup Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Wisconsin (14-4, 6-1), which has won six straight meetings against Minnesota, rallied to win on its home court against Indiana on Friday. The Badgers have won seven of their past eight and sit in first place in the conference standings.
Meanwhile, Minnesota (12-6, 3-4) hopes to bounce back from three straight losses — against Indiana on the road, Iowa at home, and Michigan State on the road. The Golden Gophers have not won since Jan. 7, when they posted a home-court win over Maryland.
A resurgent offense has helped propel Wisconsin this season.
Known for years as a low-scoring, defensive-minded program, Wisconsin’s playing style has undergone a transformation with coach Greg Gard at the helm. The Badgers have 70-plus points in 12 straight games, their longest such streak since the 1970-71 season.
Wisconsin is averaging 76.5 points per game. If it holds, that would be the highest scoring output since the 1993-94 Badgers, who averaged 77.9 points.
Max Klesmit is the latest example of the Badgers’ new identity. He scored a career-high 26 points vs. Indiana and shot 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.
In his last four games, Klesmit is shooting 14-for-20 from 3-point range.
“I’m just doing whatever is asked of me, each and every night,” Klesmit said. “Whether that is running around and chasing a shooter, best player, or helping out a little bit offensively, I’m just trying to play my role and do whatever is asked of me.”
Gard said he knew Klesmit was a tough defensive player and a hard worker when the guard transferred to Wisconsin from Wofford in 2022. But the coach acknowledged that even he has been surprised by Klesmit’s breakout season.
“He’s obviously extremely confident,” Gard said. “He’s worked on his game though, too. He’s gotten better. He’s better physically, he’s quicker. He’s changed his body in a positive way. And the confidence, I think for him, that started late last year and blossomed into the offseason, and obviously it’s showing now, too.”
Minnesota is trying to maintain its confidence despite its recent skid.
Top scorer Dawson Garcia pointed to positives after the loss at Michigan State. The score was 62-62 with four minutes to go before the Spartans pulled away for a 10-point win.
“I thought we were going to win the game the whole time,” Garcia said. “And I know everybody else did. Just kind of disappointed right now, but you can’t knock the fight we had.”
Minnesota played without Elijah Hawkins, who sat out because of an ankle injury. His status for Tuesday’s game is uncertain.
Hawkins leads the nation this season with an average of 7.8 assists per game.
“He’s really important for our team,” Minnesota guard Mike Mitchell Jr. said.
Minnesota is 11-2 at home this season, while Wisconsin is 2-3 on the road.
–Field Level Media