Wisconsin pulled off a stunning upset in the 2023-24 college basketball season, defeating No. 3 Marquette 75-64 in Madison, Wisconsin. This marked the third consecutive victory for the Badgers over their in-state nemesis, with Marquette coach Shaka Smart now at a 0-3 disadvantage against Wisconsin.
The Badgers (6-2) had a strong lead of 16 points at the end of the first half. However, Marquette made a remarkable 17-2 run to cut the deficit to just one with 14:46 remaining in regulation. Nevertheless, Wisconsin regained its double-digit advantage and maintained control over the game after Marquette remained scoreless for more than seven minutes in the second half.
Earlier in the season, Wisconsin had suffered consecutive losses to Tennessee and Providence, dropping to a 1-2 record. However, they managed to secure their second AP Top 25 win of the season, having previously beaten the then No. 24 Virginia 65-41 at the Fort Myers Tip-Off last month.
Marquette (6-2) had a strong showing at the Maui Invitational, which included a win over the then No. 1 Kansas. They are set to face No. 16 Texas in the Big East-Big 12 Battle, while Wisconsin will start Big Ten play against Michigan State on Tuesday.
- Wisconsin’s victory on Saturday marked the first three-game winning streak in the 130-game series for either team since Wisconsin won four consecutive games from 1998-2001.
- Max Klesmit, a guard for Wisconsin, scored all 21 of his points in the first half and made 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc. It was the first time Klesmit scored more than 20 points in a Wisconsin uniform since joining the program last season after transferring from Wofford.
- Kam Jones, a guard for Marquette, scored a team-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The junior is averaging a career-high 16 points per game this season.
Post-Maui Invitational Struggles
Marquette’s struggles after participating in the Maui Invitational are not unique. No. 1 Purdue was also upset by Northwestern for the second consecutive season, resulting in their first loss of the season. Tennessee, too, had a rough time, suffering its third loss of the season to North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Even UCLA had a close call, nearly facing an upset loss to UC Riverside.
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