MINNEAPOLIS â Wisconsin played Illinois neck-and-neck, but ultimately didn’t have enough firepower to close out the second half. The Badgers stood their ground in a shootout, but Illinois’ offense proved too much for Wisconsin to handle for a second time this season.
Here are my takeaways from the Target Center:
Wisconsin was right there with the Illini. The two teams traded blows into the late afternoon. Runs were answered by both squads; momentum swung both ways. But when it mattered the most, the Badgers faltered and Illinois held serve.
Down the stretch, Wisconsin hit just one of its final seven shots. Some of those were desperation shots with time winding down and Illinois up multiple possessions, but the Badgers didn’t have the same late-game magic they did against Purdue. In the closing minutes, you could feel the Illini running away with the game.
“Just come up with a couple more loose balls and rebounds today, one less turnover, two less turnovers and we’re in a good position,’ head coach Greg Gard said.
The margin for error was already incredibly slim against a team like Illinois, who can seemingly score at will. Thus, it’s no surprise that several guffaws cost Wisconsin severely.
Forward Tyler Wahl fouled out with 3:23 on the game clock after what at least appeared to be a clean block. The Badgers were forced to turn to Carter Gilmore in his stead. Gilmore started the game hot, scoring seven points in his first five minutes. Needless to say, Wisconsin missed Wahl’s veteran presence down the stretch.
After Terrence Shannon hit a go-ahead three with about 90 seconds to play, Wisconsin desperately needed to answer. AJ Storr flew down the court, but lost his dribble and turned it over,. Shannon ran the floor, got fouled and hit two crucial free throws. The late-game moxie simply wasn’t there.
Illinois has two of the best scoring guards not only in the conference, but in the nation. Shannon and Marcus Domask poured it on for the Illini; they were brilliant.
Shannon finished with 34 points, while Domask notched 26. Not only did they account for nearly a third of Illinois’ points, they did it with staggering efficiency. Combined, the pair shot 62 percent from the field, 57 percent from deep and 89 percent from the free throw line. That’s borderline unfair.
“Man, Illinois scores the ball at a high level. It’s hard to stop those guys,” Max Klesmit said.
Shannon is deadly off the dribble, terrifying in transition and an absolute sniper from long range. Domask, meanwhile, has the strength to post up most defenders, from which he has a dizzying array of post moves and fading floaters that reliably fall. They’re quite the handful, and arguably a tougher guard than any duo in the entire nation when they’re both clicking.
“He’s a tough guard, he’s a big guard,” said Klesmit, who was matched up with Domask for much of the afternoon. “He’s good with both hands, I was just trying to pick him up in the full court, make his life a little more difficult. Thought I did a decent job early on, but getting two fouls kinda hurts…He’s a really good player; you’re not gonna stop him. Just slow him down.”
“He’s good, he’s really explosive, he’s downhill and at ya,” Wahl said of Shannon. “Shot a lot of free throws today.”
Wisconsin handled Illinois’ other players well, but sometimes there’s little to be done against an offensive juggernaut like the Illini. There’s no shame in this performance for Wisconsin, but a failure to limit Shannon and Domask is undoubtably a major reason the Badgers dropped the title game.
There’s no moral victories; the Badgers were playing for a championship. And judging from how intense this game was, they wanted it badly. But even with the loss, a 3-1 showing in the conference tournament after a catastrophic collapse to close out the regular season is an extremely encouraging sign as Wisconsin turns its focus to March Madness.
“I’m so proud of these two guys to my right (Storr and Chucky Hepburn) and the other 15 guys in that locker room. We’re leaving here today a much better team than when we came in on Wednesday and started this tournament on Thursday,” Gard said. “We got to the game we wanted to get to, and we weren’t able to completely get across the finish line, but it doesn’t diminish the pride I have in these guys and how they’ve committed and grown over the last — you know, this whole season, actually.”
The Badgers kicked their competitiveness up a notch in Minneapolis. It resulted in a blowout win over Maryland, a convincing win over Northwestern, a thrilling takedown of Purdue and a razor-thin loss to Illinois. It’s hard to come away from those four results without thinking net positive.
“Like I said, you want to be playing your best basketball in March, and we are. Looking forward to these guys getting more opportunities to go show how good they are,” Gard added.
Of course, there’s no longer any time to falter. Wisconsin is back in the big dance after a one-year hiatus, still with plenty to prove. Wisconsin hasn’t made it to the second weekend of March Madness since the 2016-2017 season, and the Badgers drew a rather daunting first-round opponent in 31-3 James Madison. The Big Ten tournament allowed the Badgers to get their swagger back. They once again look capable of making a deep run in the NCAAs. Can they finally get back to the Sweet 16?
60 – Shannon and Domask combined to drop 60 points on Wisconsin.
35 – Each team shot the three at a 35 percent clip Sunday afternoon; both went 7-for-20 from deep.
22.5 – Storr averaged 22.5 points in the conference tournament after averaging 16.7 in the regular season.
1.431 – Illinois’ staggering points-per-possession.
10 – Wisconsin’s largest lead Sunday afternoon.
37 – Illinois’ total rebounds, compared to Wisconsin’s 30.
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Wisconsin Congressional Districts (2025)
MADISON, Wis. – A three-judge panel in Wisconsin on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Democratic voters that sought to redraw the battleground state’s Republican-friendly congressional boundary lines ahead of the November midterm election.
The decision can be appealed to the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court, but it’s unclear whether it could rule in time to affect the election this year. There is a second lawsuit pending that also seeks to redraw the state’s congressional districts, but it isn’t slated to go to trial until April 2027.
Both lawsuits were filed as President Donald Trump wages a national redistricting battle in an effort to preserve the Republicans’ slim House majority in November.
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What they’re saying:
The three-judge panel said in its ruling that it has “no basis to find the current congressional map invalid.” The case must be dismissed, the judges said, because only the Wisconsin Supreme Court can determine whether the maps should be redrawn.
But in dismissing the lawsuit, the panel made clear that it was “not endorsing the current congressional map.”
“Rather, we, as circuit court judges, do not have the authority to read into a Wisconsin Supreme Court case an analysis that it does not contain,” the judges ruled.
Wisconsin Capitol, Madison
However, the judges said they “stand ready” to engage in any fact-finding the state Supreme Court might order later.
Republicans praised the ruling.
“This is a significant win for Republicans and a yet another blow to desperate Democrats who wanted to reshape the electoral landscape,” said Zach Bannon, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “By keeping Wisconsin’s current district lines in place for 2026, Republicans are in a strong position to build on our momentum to retain and grow our House majority.”
The backstory:
The Wisconsin Supreme Court in November ordered that the redistricting cases be first heard by the three-judge panel over objections from Republicans. It marked the first time that process has been used under a 2011 law enacted by Republicans.
The lawsuit that was dismissed argued that the current maps discriminate against Democrats. They do so by packing a substantial number of Democrats into two districts while breaking up other Democratic areas into six Republican-favorable districts, the lawsuit argued. They also argued that the Wisconsin Supreme Court violated the constitutional separation of powers provision when adopting the most recent map.
In 2010, the year before Republicans redrew the congressional maps, Democrats held five seats compared with three for Republicans. Republicans hold six of the state’s eight House seats, but only two are considered competitive.
The current congressional maps, which were based on the ones drawn in 2010, were approved by the state Supreme Court when it was controlled by conservative judges. The U.S. Supreme Court in March 2022 declined to block the maps from taking effect.
Big picture view:
A top target for Democrats is the western Wisconsin seat held by Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a vocal Trump supporter. He won in 2022 after longtime Democratic Rep. Ron Kind retired. Van Orden won reelection in the 3rd District in 2024.
The other seat Democrats hope to make more competitive is southeastern Wisconsin’s 1st District, which Republican Rep. Bryan Steil has held since 2019. The latest maps made that district more competitive while still favoring Republicans.
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What’s next:
The dismissed lawsuit was brought on behalf of 11 voters by Elias Law Group. Attorneys with the liberal law firm did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment. Attorneys for Wisconsin’s six Republican members of Congress who sought the dismissal had no immediate comment.
The lawsuit scheduled to go to trial next year was brought by a bipartisan coalition of business leaders. There is also a pending motion to dismiss that case.
The Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy argues in its lawsuit that Wisconsin’s congressional maps are unconstitutional because they are an anti-competitive gerrymander. The lawsuit notes that the median margin of victory for candidates in the eight districts since the maps were enacted is close to 30 percentage points.
The Source: The Associated Press provided this report.
As part of a spring tradition in southeastern Wisconsin, free learn-to-fish clinics for youth will be held April 18 at eight public sites in Milwaukee and Washington counties.
The events, offered free for children ages 15 and under, are staffed by members of local fishing clubs and presented by the Milwaukee and Washington county parks departments, the Department of Natural Resources, the Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing Organizations and the Hunger Task Force Fish Hatchery.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Additional free clinics will be held in similar formats April 25 and June 27 at private clubs in Waukesha County.
The programs are part of campaign started about 40 years ago to get Wisconsin youth outdoors and teach fishing basics.
“These free, family-oriented clinics are designed to introduce beginners to fishing while helping established anglers sharpen their skills ahead of the open water season,” the DNR said in a statement.
The clinics will feature hands-on sessions on knot-tying, water safety, fish identification and fishing techniques as well as casting games, painting and tattoos, according to the DNR.
The lakes, ponds or lagoons at host sites are stocked with panfish or trout before the clinics.
Fishing equipment is available, but participants are encouraged to bring a rod and reel if possible.
No preregistration is required. The instructional sessions typically last about 1 hour and will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 18.
Milwaukee County locations hosting clinics are: Brown Deer Park, 7835 N. Green Bay Road; Dineen Park, 6901 W. Vienna St.; Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124 St.; Kosciuszko Park, 2201 S. 7th St.; McCarty Park, 8214 W. Cleveland Ave.; Mitchell Park, 524 S. Layton Blvd.; Scout Lake Park, 6201 W. Loomis Road; and Sheridan Park, 4800 S. Lake Drive.
And in Washington County, a clinic will be held Saturday at Regner Park, 800 N. Main St., West Bend.
Clinics will occur rain or shine, so participants are encouraged to dress for the weather. Adults are also encouraged to inquire about joining a club to expand their knowledge and help with future clinics.
The clinics are held on formally designated urban waters and are reserved by state statute for youth ages 15 and younger and people with certain disabilities.
Along with DNR staff, members of the following clubs and organizations will provide angling instruction at the clinics: Okauchee Fishing Club; Inner City Sportsmen Club; Milwaukee Great Lakes Sports Fishermen; Southside Sportsmen’s Club; Bayview Rod & Gun Club; South Milwaukee 1400 Fishing & Hunting Club; and Walleyes Unlimited.
In addition, two private clubs in Waukesha County will offer free fishing clinics later in spring and summer.
Wern Valley Hunting Preserve and Sporting Clays will hold clinics April 25 at a pond on its grounds. The events will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The club is located at S36 W29657 Wern Way, Waukesha.
And on June 27, Daniel Boone Conservation League will hold free fishing clinics at its pond. The clinics will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The club is located at 4694 Hwy. 167, Hubertus.
For more information on the Milwaukee or West Bend kid’s fishing clinics, contact Laura Schmidt, DNR fisheries biologist, at Laura.Schmidt@wisconsin.gov or (414) 416-0591. For information on the clinic at Wern Valley in Waukesha, contact Al Shook at arshook56@gmail.com or (414) 218-0774. And for nformation on the clinic at Daniel Boone in Hubertus, contact MarySusan Diedrich at msd55@att.net or (414) 379-3770.
Stamp design contests: The DNR is accepting artwork entries in the design contests for the 2027 Wisconsin wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant and waterfowl stamps.
The contests are held annually and provide Wisconsin artists with an opportunity to showcase their talents, commemorate their work and promote wildlife conservation across the state.
Hunters are required to purchase a species-specific stamp to legally harvest a turkey, pheasant or waterfowl species in Wisconsin. Sales of the three stamps generate hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for species management throughout the state, including habitat management, restoration, education and research projects, according to the DNR.
Stamp design entries for this year’s contests must be received or postmarked by Aug. 1, 2026.
Registration, rules, entry information and reproduction rights agreements are available on the DNR’s Wildlife Stamp Funding and Stamp Design Contest webpage.
Video shows the moment a brawl broke out outside a Kohl’s at the Bayshore Mall during a teen “takeover” event in Glendale, Wisconsin on Sunday, March 29, 2026. (Credit: @milwaukeereports via Storyful)
Video shows the moment a brawl reportedly broke out outside a Kohl’s at the Bayshore Mall during an unsanctioned teen “takeover” event in Glendale, Wisconsin on Sunday, March 29, 2026 . (Credit: @milwaukeereports via Storyful)
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