No. 11 Wisconsin Aims to Bounce Back Against Struggling Washington

Wisconsin Shifts Focus After Letting Oregon Slip Away

No. 11 Wisconsin (21-6, 11-5 Big Ten) looked poised to extend its five-game winning streak against Oregon on Saturday, holding a 62-47 lead with under eight minutes to play.

Then, everything fell apart.

Oregon erased the deficit, forced overtime, and escaped with a 77-73 win, handing the Badgers a gut-wrenching loss that could impact their Big Ten seeding.

Head coach Greg Gard didn’t mince words after the collapse.

“When you turn the ball over like that, it’s a lack of aggression, it’s a tentativeness,” Gard said. “We didn’t play on our toes and keep the throttle down like we had in the first half.”

The Badgers turned the ball over 17 times, including 11 in the second half, and didn’t shoot a single free throw—a sign of how much they lost control of the game.

Now, with four regular-season games left, Wisconsin needs to regain its edge to stay in the hunt for a top-four Big Ten Tournament seed, which would earn them a coveted double-bye.

That effort starts on Tuesday against last-place Washington (13-14, 4-12 Big Ten), a team in danger of missing the conference tournament altogether.

John Tonje Continues to Lead the Way for Wisconsin

Despite the loss to Oregon, John Tonje remains red-hot.

The senior forward scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, marking the ninth straight game he has led Wisconsin in scoring.

Over that stretch, Tonje is averaging 24.8 points per game while shooting:

53 percent from the field
45.3 percent from three-point range

With John Blackwell (14.9 PPG) providing additional scoring support, the Badgers have the offensive firepower to overwhelm Washington—as long as they avoid another late-game collapse.

Gard has credited his team’s maturity and experience for handling adversity well this season, pointing out that six players are seniors or graduate students.

“They don’t get too high or too low,” Gard said. “I also don’t want to take the fun away. But in due time, we move on to the next, and they’ve done a great job of that.”

Now, Wisconsin needs to prove it can move on again.

Washington Struggling in First Big Ten Season

Washington’s transition to the Big Ten has been rough, and at 4-12 in conference play, they’re at risk of missing the Big Ten Tournament.

The top 15 teams qualify, and the Huskies currently sit two games out of 15th place.

Their recent road loss to Iowa (85-79) was a microcosm of their season:

Shot a season-best 52.9 percent from the field
Committed 21 fouls, leading to Iowa making 23 free throws

The game followed an 89-85 overtime loss to Rutgers, another example of Washington playing well but failing to close out games.

Key Washington Players to Watch

Great Osobor (15.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.4 APG) – The team’s do-it-all leader in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.
Tyler Harris (12.1 PPG), Zoom Diallo (11.2 PPG), Mekhi Mason (9.5 PPG) – A young backcourt trio that all scored at least 17 points against Rutgers.

First-year head coach Danny Sprinkle is using this season as a foundation for the future, and he’s encouraged by how his young guards are developing.

“Tyler and Mekhi have been terrific,” Sprinkle said. “Shooting at a high level, attacking, being aggressive. It’s awesome to see those guys play with that joy and that fire.”

But can they translate that fire into a much-needed win against Wisconsin?

What’s at Stake?

For Wisconsin:

Rebound from the Oregon collapse and regain confidence
Stay in the mix for a top-four Big Ten seed
Avoid another late-game breakdown

For Washington:

Keep their Big Ten Tournament hopes alive
Show continued improvement under Danny Sprinkle
Try to secure their first marquee win of the season

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Prediction: Can Washington Keep It Close?

Washington has been competitive in recent games, but they haven’t been able to finish.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin is far more experienced and battle-tested, especially at home.

Unless the Badgers let another big lead slip away, this should be a comfortable win as they work toward locking in a top-four Big Ten seed.

Wisconsin Badgers vs Washington Huskies Picks and Predictions February 25th 2025