Wisconsin coach Greg Gard is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the game plan for the Big Ten tournament quarterfinal game against Illinois.
Gard doesn’t want to reveal how the Badgers might try to contain Illini star Keaton Wagler. He believes Illinois coach Brad Underwood and his staff might be watching his postgame press conference following Wisconsin’s tournament win against Washington.
Wagler a Key Concern for Wisconsin
Wagler is certainly a primary concern for the Wisconsin coach.
In the previous match-up between the two teams, Wagler scored a game-high 34 points when Illinois hosted Wisconsin. The 6-foot-6 guard racked up 23 of those points in the second half and overtime.
“He’s really good,” Gard said, speaking of Wagler. “I’m going to be up all night. He’s a terrific player.”
Previous Meeting Result
Wagler’s 34 points weren’t enough to secure a win for Illinois in that regular season game at State Farm Center.
Wisconsin defeated a shorthanded Illinois—Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic were both sidelined—by a score of 92-90 in overtime. Austin Rapp hit some late three-pointers for the Badgers.
Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combined for 49 points, with 33 of those coming in the second half and overtime, which proved to be the difference maker.
Wisconsin’s Guard Play
Boyd and Blackwell combined for 57 points against Washington. Blackwell had 34 points and 10 rebounds, while Boyd added 23 points and nine assists.
“Guard play is vital, and I’ve got two of the better ones in the country,” Gard said after his team knocked off Washington.
Gard wasn’t going to give up his game plan for today’s Big Ten tournament quarterfinal game against Illinois.