WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.V. – The sightlines of Colonial Hall didn’t agree with the perimeter shooting of Wisconsin’s guards. On the other hand, the Badgers’ frontcourt loved the chance to control the game at the rim.
The presence of senior Steven Crowl and sophomore Nolan Winter on the floor yielded big results for No.19 Wisconsin, which built a big early lead and was never threatened in an 86-70 victory over UCF in the Greenbrier Tip-Off Semifinals at Colonial Hall.
Leading by as many as 22 points in the first half, Winter registered his first collegiate double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds). Crowl filled the stat sheet with six points, four rebounds, and three assists, an impactful performance limited by foul trouble.
Guards John Blackwell (17), John Tonje (15), and Kamari McGee (14) hit double figures as the Badgers shot 48.5 percent to advance to Sunday’s championship game against Pittsburgh (6-0).
After each playing no more than 21 minutes, casualties when Wisconsin went to a smaller lineup to slow UTRGV guards, Crowl and Winter controlled the offense through the paint. The Badgers scored on 15 of their first 25 possessions, generating 20 points in the paint and 1.28 points per possession without the benefit of the perimeter shot (3-for-9) or the free throw (1-for-3). The duo also had a hand in those categories, assisting on a pair of corner three-pointers.
Winter’s role dramatically increased in the second half after Crowl picked up his fourth foul 16 seconds into the frame. Moving over to the five, the 6-11 forward followed up his floater in the lane with an uncontested three-pointer, giving the Badgers a 53-33 lead with 17:49 remaining.
Wisconsin improved to 8-1 in the last four November tournaments.
What it means: Wisconsin players were anxious to see how its game would travel. In a unique neutral site environment with an intimate crowd, the Badgers struggled with their perimeter shot but not much else, getting solid play from their frontcourt and their defense.
Star of the game: Winter’s presence took on greater importance with Crowl on the bench. The sophomore delivered with seven points and four rebounds in the second half, as UW’s lead never dipped below 13 points.
Stat of the game: After 11 misses to start the game, Jordan Ivy-Curry makes UCF's first three-pointer with 16:32 remaining. Shooting 33 percent from the perimeter as a team, the Knights were 2-for-17 (11.8 percent) from three and 33.9 percent overall.
Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin’s offense got sloppy and somewhat stagnated in the second half, but that’s splitting hairs. The Badgers still averaged 1.143 points per possession after halftime.
Don’t overlook: Wisconsin is 6-0 for the first time under Gard. The last time the Badgers started 6-0, Wisconsin played for the national championship in 2014-15.
What’s next: Wisconsin advances to the championship game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off, where it will meet Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Panthers (6-0) put four players in double figures in their 74-63 semifinal win over LSU, getting 22 points from guard Jalend Lowe and 21 points from leading scorer Ishmael Leggett. The Panthers shot 64.9 percent from the floor in the second half and held the Tigers to 37.3 percent overall.
UW is 12-7 all-time against Pittsburgh, including winning its most recent meeting in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The tip from the Greenbrier Resort will be at 4:30 p.m. Sunday and be televised by CBS Sports Network.
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