College Basketball Fans Erupt After Stunning Blowout Win, Team Surges Into March: REACTIONS
Wisconsin fans are on fire after the Badgers stunned Illinois.
As OutKick readers know, the Badgers entered the season expected to be one of the worst teams in the Big Ten.
The idea of making the NCAA Tournament seemed like a distant dream after losing A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn.
It appeared like Greg Gard's status in Madison might be speeding in the wrong direction.
Then a sleeping giant woke up.
Wisconsin hammered Illinois Tuesday night at home. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Wisconsin hammers a very good Illinois team.
Fresh off a road win over Purdue, the Badgers followed it up with a Tuesday night home win over Illinois 95-74.
Gard continues to prove that this isn't just an exceptional coaching performance. It's the best of his career.
He has a Wisconsin team without a single NBA player sitting at 21-5 and third in the Big Ten. Anyone who says they saw this kind of season happening is a liar.
Greg Gard has the Wisconsin Badgers rolling. The team is 21-5 and third in the Big Ten. The team wasn't expected to be any good prior to the season starting. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
I'm certainly a loyalist, as OutKick readers know, and I didn't even think this was possible. Yet, it's happening, and it's incredible to watch.
It also didn't take long at all for reactions to roll in on Reddit. Check out some of the responses to the blowout win below:
- John - and I can't stress this enough - Tonje
- It’s fun to win games with a team you’ve watched develop.
- This is just a really fun basketball team. And in this era of college sports, you really need to appreciate that in the moment.
- Believe it was we had 3 games of 90+ points in the last 13 big ten games. Prior to that we had 3 games of 90+ points in the last 400.
- Pretty satisfying to silence the contingent of Illini fans in the third level. Enjoy the drive home to Shampain.
- Ho hum. Just another 90+ point output from the Wisconsin Running Rebels.
- there is more spacing because everyone can drive it and shoot it makes you much harder to guard.
- I haven’t been this excited about Wisconsin basketball in a decade
- Where’s everyone that was freaking out about losing a secret scrimmage to Northern Iowa back in October?
- Wisconsin last beat Illinois in basketball on February 18th 2019. FINALLY GOT EM.
- I feel like I’m a little too excited and I don’t like it lol but holy f*ck is this team fun to watch after the last few seasons… hats off to Gard and this incredible crew. It looks like they’re having a whole lotta fun out there.
- Aside from a couple spells of turnovers this team is deep and confident. Really enjoyable to watch
- Janicki assists. My new favorite thing to watch for.
- Keep it rollin
- What a fun team to watch. Tonje deserves the shine but there’s so many guys who can step up on this roster. I knew we’d be sneaky good this year, definitely didn’t think we’d be this good
- All the people focused on WI basketball looked at Purdue-Illinois-Oregon as a crucial and definitive stretch, me included. I figured Oregon as the easiest of the three, and they are already 2-0. I try not to get to high on my own supply, so to speak, but this team is where it's at.
Much like Herb Brooks got the nation to believe again in the 1980s with the national hockey team, Greg Gard has the state of Wisconsin, once again, believing in Wisconsin basketball.
Is it just me or is it a bit dusty in here?
Wisconsin smashed Illinois 95-74 to improve to 21-5. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
This team is surging into March and the country is officially on notice. Gone are the days of complaining about disappointing results. Gard has the team rolling, and it's a ton of fun to watch. Let me know how far you think Wisconsin can go at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.