NCAA BASKETBALL: Wisconsin wary of high-scoring High Point in classic 5-12 matchup

Wisconsin and 12th-seeded High Point could deliver one of the highest-scoring games in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round when the Badgers take on the Panthers in the West Region in Portland.

High Point (30-4), the Big South regular-season and tournament champion, averages 90 points per game, ranking third in Division I. The Panthers enter the tournament on a 14-game winning streak, the nation’s longest active run.

The Badgers (24-10) can score, too. Wisconsin averages 83 points per game, ranking 35th nationally and marking the highest-scoring team for the school since the 1970-71 season.

Historically, the No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup has produced plenty of upsets. In three of the last four NCAA Tournaments, two No. 5 seeds lost in the first round. But Wisconsin coach Greg Gard doesn’t put much stock in seed numbers.

“Erase the numbers, that’s what I always say,” Gard said. “I don’t care. When we were a 1 or a 2, it wasn’t any less nerve-wracking knowing these teams are very good.”

Wisconsin has five first-round losses as a No. 5 seed, most recently to James Madison in 2024, 72-61. In each of the past three NCAA Tournaments as a No. 5 seed, the Badgers went one-and-done.

For Gard, the key to advancing lies with his guards. Senior Nick Boyd, a second-team All-Big Ten pick, averages 20.6 points and 4.2 assists, while junior John Blackwell, a third-team selection, contributes 19 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Last week, both delivered standout performances to lead Wisconsin to a Big Ten quarterfinal win over Illinois, with Boyd scoring a career-high 38 and Blackwell adding 31 points—Wisconsin’s first 30-point duo since 1968.

Boyd also brings NCAA Tournament experience, having started 37 games and averaged 8.9 points for Florida Atlantic in 2022-23 when the Owls reached the Final Four.

“In terms of scoring and guard play, the pace is up, and we have really good ones,” Gard said.

Wisconsin may also get contributions from forward Nolan Winter (13.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and sophomore guard Jack Janicki, who missed the Big Ten tournament due to injuries.

High Point relies on guard Rob Martin (15.3 points, 3.7 assists) and a pair of versatile wings: Terry Anderson (16 points, 6 rebounds) and Cam’Ron Fletcher (12.7 points, 6.9 rebounds), a former Top 75 recruit who began his career at Kentucky six years ago.

The Badgers are also a three-point threat, having made 400 triples this season—trailing only Alabama’s 405. Wisconsin averages 11.8 made threes per game, ranking fourth in Division I. Six players average at least one three per game, led by Blackwell (2.8) and reserve Braeden Carrington (2.1). Forward Austin Rapp once hit six threes in a single game during the Big Ten semifinals.

Wisconsin appeared to click after a 91-88 win over then-undefeated Michigan on Jan. 10, when Blackwell and Boyd combined for 49 points. Since then, the Badgers are 14-5, including signature wins over Illinois, Purdue, and Michigan State.

“We’ve been on an ascension since mid-January,” Gard said. “Their bonding, toughness, and connectivity have grown.”

High Point also hit its stride in mid-January. After a loss to Winthrop on Jan. 14, the Panthers have gone unbeaten and won the Big South tournament final against Winthrop, 91-76.

“The 12-seed matchup upsets a lot of people historically, and we know that,” said Flynn Crayman, High Point’s first-year coach. “We’ve had 34 straight games as the favorite, and now our group is ready to go out and shoot our shot.”

No. 12 seeds Colorado State and McNeese won first-round games in 2025. Since 1985, No. 12 seeds have a 35.6 percent win rate against No. 5 seeds, according to the NCAA Tournament media guide.

-Field Level Media/Reuters