March 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) after making a 3-pointer in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Image Overtime was too tight for Illinois for the fourth time this season, as the ninth-ranked Fighting Illini lost 91-88 to No. 23 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Friday afternoon in Chicago.
Wisconsin guards Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combined for 69 points and made 21 of 22 foul shots to lead the fifth-seeded Badgers (24-9) to their second OT win over fourth-seeded Illinois (24-8) in a month.
Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler scored 19 points but missed a 3-pointer off the back iron at the buzzer. David Mirkovic added 19 for the Illini.
Boyd tied a Wisconsin Big Ten tournament record and career-high 38 a day after Blackwell had a 34 against Washington. Blackwell added 31 points on Friday.
“They’re two of the best guards in the country,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “They grew up together. They fight each other really well. They are two competitors. They hate losing more than they hate winning.”
The Badgers held top seed Michigan to a draw in Saturday’s semifinals. They beat the Wolverines 91-88 on Jan. 10, the only loss Michigan has suffered in conference play.
Boyd went downhill and high off the glass after smoking Andrej Stojakovic for the first score of overtime. Mirkovic isolated Andrew Rohde with his back to the basket to answer, but Boyd got another bucket before Mirkovic missed a 1-and-1 free throw and a 3-point attempt.
Wisconsin moved up 85-80 on Austin Rapp’s three wins. Mirkovic made a free throw with 1 minute and 32 seconds left, and was connected early in the second when Boyd was replaced due to leg cramps.
Boyd isn’t done flexing his muscles for the Badgers. He made the first of two free throws with 27 seconds left in overtime. He missed the second, but got back to the line twice more with 14.3 remaining.
The Badgers defeated Illinois 61-52 in the second half and overtime.
Boyd made 12 of 20 shots from the field and 12 of 13 free throws.
Wisconsin spent most of the first half around the 3-point line and finished the game an abysmal 10-for-41 shooting. However, the Badgers changed their attack method and went on the attack, scoring 18 points in the second half and settling at the free throw line.
The Badgers missed four straight 3-pointers in the final 1:40 and allowed Stojakovic to score from short range, twisting his body as he approached the rim to convert the right-handed runner and retake Illinois’ lead at 78-76.
But Blackwell rebounded Boyd’s missed 3 and was fouled on the follow-up. He converted a pair at the line to tie the score at 78.
Illinois failed to score and Blackwell missed a fumble three at the buzzer, Wisconsin’s 38th attempt of the game and about 5 feet from the NBA stripes, sending the game to overtime.
Kylan Boswell put the Illini ahead 62-54 with a corner jumper to snap Illinois’ three-minute scoring drought and answer Boyd’s steal and finish, and Wisconsin went on a 9-0 run just nine minutes into regulation.
Boyd broke and made a 3 on a 2-on-1 break, but Jake Davis immediately responded with a strike of his own to put Illinois ahead 67-63 with 5:22 to play. After a timeout, Blackwell responded, curling in on a screen just three shorts of the net from the top of the key.
Wisconsin brought energy into the fight as it prepared to beat Illinois for the second time this season. But the Illini responded thanks to Stojakovic, one of three starters, and an aggressive brand of defense in a 92-90 loss to the Badgers in Champaign on Feb. 10.
“We beat them at home, so they were going to come out swinging,” Blackwell said.
Illinois led by as many as 15 people in the first half alone. The Badgers shot 5-of-23 from 3-point range and made just two free throws in the first 20 minutes.
–Field level media
