No. 24 Wisconsin Badgers defeat Iowa Hawkeyes 84-71

Nick Boyd's near triple-double leads the Badgers to a key Big Ten victory

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The No. 24 Wisconsin Badgers shot 53.8% from the field and got a near triple-double performance from senior guard Nick Boyd to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes 84-71 in a key Big Ten matchup. Boyd finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists, leading the Badgers' offensive attack. Nolan Winter added 18 points, and Austin Rapp chipped in 14 points as Wisconsin improved to 19-8 overall and 11-5 in conference play.

Why it matters

This win keeps Wisconsin alone in sixth place in the Big Ten standings, as they continue to jockey for position in the conference. The Badgers' balanced scoring attack and improved defensive intensity in the second half proved to be the difference against an Iowa team with the best defense in the conference.

The details

Wisconsin came out sluggish defensively, allowing Iowa to score on its first 12 possessions, including 6 layups. However, the Badgers tightened up on that end in the second half, limiting the Hawkeyes to just 2-for-3 shooting and only 4 points in the paint over the final 19 possessions. Offensively, the Badgers got a big boost from the return of Austin Rapp, who hit two key 3-pointers in a two-minute span to help Wisconsin pull away.

  • Wisconsin improved to 19-8 overall and 11-5 in Big Ten play with the win on Sunday.

The players

Nick Boyd

A senior guard for the Wisconsin Badgers who finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists in the win.

Nolan Winter

The Wisconsin Badgers' center who scored 18 points in the victory.

Austin Rapp

A Wisconsin guard who returned from illness to score 14 points, including two key 3-pointers that helped the Badgers pull away.

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What they’re saying

“There's always a right answer (for Wisconsin) when you have the backside of a ball screen.”

— Ben McCollum, Iowa Head Coach (si.com)

“Early on in the game they were beating us to some 50-50 balls, beating us up on the low block. Took some timeouts, coach got on us a little bit, and that's what we needed. Things changed, especially going into that second half. We brought a lot more defensive intensity and physicality that we needed.”

— Nolan Winter, Wisconsin Center (si.com)

What’s next

The Badgers will look to continue their push up the Big Ten standings when they host the No. 8 Illinois Fighting Illini on Wednesday.

The takeaway

Wisconsin's balanced scoring attack and improved defensive intensity in the second half proved to be the difference against a tough Iowa team, keeping the Badgers in the hunt for a high seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.