The Wisconsin Badgers had a big win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, thanks to a big effort from star guard Nick Boyd, who had 27 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds on the day.
Boyd had a big bounce-back effort after struggling a bit against the Ohio State Buckeyes earlier in the week. In that loss, he had 14 points, but needed 15 shots to do so. He also failed to record an assist and had three turnovers. After the loss, Boyd lamented the effort, noting the need for more pace and a better shot selection,
while remaining fully confident in his ability to do so against Iowa.
That proved to be exactly the case, as the star brought the energy and had an overall spectacular game against one of the country’s best point guards in Bennett Stirtz.
“Obviously, you know, it was a tough performance against Ohio State,” Boyd said after the game. “I just think our energy was lacking. And, you know, as one of the leaders, you know, I got to bring that juice. That’s the best part of my game. I feel like my energy is contagious. When I’m just feeling good, flying around, up and down, getting under guys, usually it’s a good outcome.”
Boyd has done well against some of the best point guards in the country this season, notably against Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois, and even in the Purdue game. He believes he’s certainly held his own (and more) against the top competition.
“I love to compete,” Boyd said. “That’s the whole reason why I came here, to play against the best guys in the country, whether it’s point guard, shooting guard, center, whoever it is. That’s the reason why I came to the Big Ten. So, yeah, I love to compete. It’s the name of the game.”
While Boyd’s energy has certainly been felt by his teammates, the point guard has also made it a habit to raise the energy of the Kohl Center crowd, which was a sellout on Sunday. Despite only having one year in Madison, he’s fully embraced the fanbase, which has quickly made him a fan favorite.
“Yeah, it’s been a good year, wrapping up in the Kohl Center. Only one more left. Obviously, I just love the environment,” Boyd said. “The Kohl Center has been awesome, and we got one more— job not done yet. We still got one more here to close out. But their energy is contagious, you know, it helps our team play better. And when they’re fired up, I’m fired up, and usually we win. So it’s the goal.”
Boyd has been a revelation for the Badgers out of the transfer portal. While he’s been far different from the other stars Wisconsin has gotten from the portal, he’s definitely become a fan favorite quickly.
