Social media celebrates after Wisconsin's Big Ten Tournament win over Michigan State

Saturday may have been an ignition point for the 2024-25 Wisconsin Badgers as they search for postseason success.

The team defeated Michigan State 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal. The win, which came down to a chaotic final-minute sequence, sends the Badgers into the conference title game on Sunday afternoon. More importantly, it was arguably the team's best win of the year, plus easily its most dramatic.

John Tonje unsurprisingly led Wisconsin in nearly every category. He finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a game-clinching block. Wisconsin also received notable contributions from John Blackwell (14 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal) and Carter Gilmore (10 points, five rebounds and five assists) as it held off Michigan State's numerous final-minute comeback bids.

The final stats properly depict what was a tightly contested heavyweight battle between two of the conference's best. Wisconsin shot 42.5% from the floor to Michigan State's 40.7%, grabbed 33 rebounds to Michigan State's 37 and assisted on 15 baskets to Michigan State's 13. Additionally, both teams turned the ball over exactly seven times and neither built a lead of more than nine points.

Again, the game came down to Wisconsin making more plays in the final minutes. Blackwell and Gilmore combined for 13 of the team's final 17 points, scoring at the line, at the rim and from three-point range in those deciding sequences. Gilmore also added a key block on a Spartans game-tying three-point attempt with just seconds remaining. While the Badgers still needed John Tonje's heroic block on Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr.'s buzzer-beater attempt, Blackwell and Gilmore delivered with key plays in nearly every big moment.

Still, Tonje's fantastic performance leads the postgame headlines.

Social media was predictably impressed by the suddenly resurgent Badgers and their star contributors. Here are some of the more notable postgame reactions from Wisconsin fans, plus both local and national media:

John Tonje was fantastic

John Tonje. So damn good.
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) March 15, 2025

John Tonje is that dude, man.
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) March 15, 2025

Reaction to Carter Gilmore's big block

OMG Gilly James may have saved the #Badgers.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 15, 2025

Carter Gilmore you legend
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 15, 2025

CARTER GILMORE WHAT A CLOSE OUT!
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 15, 2025

Gilly James. Iconic. pic.twitter.com/OCPvFOB5KW
— ebo (@ebosays) March 15, 2025

Is Tonje ready for a Kemba Walker-type run?

Wisconsin’s John Tonje is the first player with a 30-point game in 3 wins over AP Top-10 teams in a single season since UConn’s Kemba Walker in 2010-11.

- 41 in a win over (9) Arizona in November
- 32 in a win at (7) Purdue in February
- 32 in a win vs (7) Michigan State today
— Jared Berson (@JaredBerson) March 15, 2025

Jon Rothstein reacts

John Tonje played like an All-American today.

32 and 7 rebounds.

Wisconsin is an elite watch.

Tremendous offensive team. https://t.co/r5tUraY7cL
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 15, 2025

Kamari McGee: Wisconsin is on a revenge tour

“Told my fellas this was a revenge tour.”

UCLA: ✅
Michigan State: ✅
Maryland/Michigan: ❓ pic.twitter.com/DC2OGZez0e
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 15, 2025

Tonje's game-sealing block was unbelievable

My thinking is that he thought he was going to try to foul up three, got caught and just gambled and made an incredible play. https://t.co/hzKLgCNmft
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) March 15, 2025

All ball. Wow.
— Isaiah Hole (@isaiahhole) March 15, 2025

Or Tonje made an incredible play on the ball and every replay showed that https://t.co/FT81k3jtgy
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 15, 2025

Another big day for Greg Gard

What a job by Greg Gard and his staff the past two seasons. The @BadgerMBB are in consecutive @B1GMBBall tournament title games with different rosters and a tweak in style of play.
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) March 15, 2025

https://t.co/wjphHYKKX1 pic.twitter.com/Z5WNz1H4AW
— Grant Bilse (@WiscoGrant) March 15, 2025

A Michigan State perspective:

Tough loss but credit to Wisconsin. Tonje was hooping and they made more plays
— Carter Elliott (@CarterElliott__) March 15, 2025

Former Badgers react to questionable officiating

The review process in college basketball is completely out of control. Just play the game
— Jared Berggren (@jberggren40) March 15, 2025

SOFTTTT
— Zak Showalter (@ZShowbball333) March 15, 2025

I never remember the Big Ten refs being this bad… what happened??
— Frank Kaminsky III (@FSKPart3) March 15, 2025

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Reaction to Wisconsin basketball Michigan State tournament game