Wisconsin beats Montana to get back in March Madness win column

DENVER (AP) — Wisconsin grinded its way back into the March Madness win column Thursday, getting 19 points from John Blackwell and double-digit scoring from four others on the way to an 85-66 victory over Montana.

The third-seeded Badgers won in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. Last year, they were a first-round upset victim to James Madison.

Next, coach Greg Gard’s team will try to make the Sweet 16 for the first time in eight years with a game against either VCU or BYU in the East Region.

Blackwell also had five rebounds and three assists for the Badgers (27-9), but it was backup forward Carter Gilmore’s burst early in the second half that helped them grab breathing room in what had been a tight, single-digit contest to that point.

After the Grizzlies cut their deficit to 51-47 with a poke-away steal, then an easy layup by Money Williams, Gilmore came back with a quick 3 that he punctuated by putting a finger over his mouth and taunting the Montana crowd to “shhhh.”

Gilmore drew a charge on Montana’s next possession, then altered Te'Jon Sawyer's shot on the next, part of an 8-0 run that gave Wisconsin its biggest lead of the game to that point -- one that would expand to 21 points.

Sawyer and Kai Johnson led the Grizzlies (25-10) with 15 points each.

Crowl leads the other Wisconsin double-digit scorers

The other Wisconsin double-digit scorers were Steven Crowl (18 points on 8 for 10 from the floor), John Tonje (15), Xavier Amos (11) and Nolan Winter (10). Tonje, the second-team All-American who played his first four years of college up the road at Colorado State, made all nine of his free throws.

Gilmore finished with eight points.

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