The No. 18 Wisconsin basketball suffered their first loss since the start of 2025 on Tuesday, with the Badgers absorbing an 85-83 defeat from the hands of the UCLA Bruins of Mick Cronin at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
Sophomore guard John Blackwell, however, still turned heads despite the loss, thanks to his impressive performance that also caught the eye of the opposing coach. Cronin even praised Badgers head coach Greg Gard and Wisconsin basketball’s coaching staff for consistently developing overlooked players into quality assets.
Via Wisconsin athletics writer Benjamin Worgull:
Mick Cronin starts his press conference crediting Greg Gard and his staff’s ability to create under-the-radar guys like John Blackwell: “I think John Blackwell is as good of guard as anyone we’ve played against.”
John Blackwell turned heads despite Wisconsin basketball’s loss to UCLA
That is some high praise from Cronin, especially for Blackwell, who was recruited by Gard and the Badgers as a three-star talent from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Blackwell was not heavily recruited, only getting nine offers.
The Badgers were one of the only two non-mid-major programs to make an offer for Blackwell, who has been shining consistently for the team in the 2024-25 college basketball season. On the season, Blackwell is averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Against the Bruins, Blackwell had 23 points, four assists and four rebounds.
The Badgers, who are 15-4 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten play, can get back in the win column as soon as this coming Sunday when they host the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kohl Center in Madison.
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