MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin emphatically handled its business behind a career-best offensive performance from A.J. Storr. Now, the Badgers must wait and hope an injury suffered by point guard Chucky Hepburn doesn’t derail their Big Ten title hopes before the conference season barely begins.

Storr dazzled with offensive athleticism, and a career-high 29 points, Friday night to help No.24 Wisconsin close its nonconference schedule with an 80-53 victory over the Chicago State at the Kohl Center.

Going 11-for-18 from the floor for the Badgers (9-3), Storr scored 20 of his points in the first half with a combination of cuts and drives to the rim, bullying his way to the foul line, and a little perimeter flair to boot.

Wisconsin’s low-post presence of Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl added 13 and 11 points, respectively, as Wisconsin shot 50 percent from the floor (28 of 56).

Things got tense with UW leading by 14 points with 18:08 remaining when Hepburn collapsed to the court as he drove to the rim following a mid-court steal. Holding his upper right leg and wincing in considerable pain, Hepburn was taken straight to the locker room and unable to put any weight on the leg.

He was ruled out for the remainder of the game but eventually rejoined the team on the bench, sporting a heavy wrap and a limp. Hepburn has averaged 8.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals over the last eight games.

Chicago State (7-10) shocked the basketball community at the beginning of the month when the 20-point-underdog Cougars knocked off No.25 Northwestern, winning on the same floor where the Wildcats beat No.1 Purdue 12 days earlier. It was the program’s first victory over a ranked program, but it took away the Cougars’ element of surprise.

UW using its size led to a bevy of free-throw opportunities. The Cougars committed six team fouls in the first 16:22, put the Badgers in the bonus at 14:08, and in the double bonus at 11:51.

The Cougars missed their first 11 shots, not making their first field goal until 10:08 remained in the first half. Leading scorer Wesley Cardet – who dropped 30 against the Wildcats – was limited to 10 points on 4-for-22 shooting.

What it means: Wisconsin didn’t become the second Big Ten team to fall prey to Chicago State, as the Badgers closed their challenging nonconference schedule with an 8-3 record.

Star of the game: Storr registered his new career high by showcasing his athleticism, dunking home an offensive rebound after Nolan Winter’s shot bounced off the rim. The only thing he didn’t do up to his standards was missing a pair of free throws following a Chicago State technical foul.

Stat of the game: Chicago State ranked in the top 70 nationally in fast break points and free throw attempts. The Badgers stifled both categories, allowing only 13 transition points and 17 fouls shots.

Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin appears to have dodged a serious injury to Hepburn, especially with a lengthy pause between games, but the immediate reaction did not look pretty. The junior hasn’t shot the ball well (38.9 percent) but has sparked the offense with 43 assists to only 14 turnovers, averaging a miscue every 24.7 minutes on the floor. Max Klesmit handled point guard responsibilities.

Don’t overlook: Wisconsin wore t-shirts honoring former walk-on Walt McGrory, who lost his battle with osteosarcoma (a form of bone cancer) Saturday. The white t-shirts read “Walt Strong” in black bold letters with the quote “A Broken Spirit Doesn’t Stand A Chance” written above it. A moment of silence was also observed before the national anthem.

What’s next: Coming off an eight-day break for exams, Wisconsin now has a 10-day break before hosting Iowa to restart Big Ten Conference play on January 2. The Hawkeyes (7-5, 0-2 Big Ten) lost at Purdue and home to Michigan to begin their conference play. Leading scorer Ben Krikke (16.8 ppg) was the leading scorer in the Missouri Valley Conference last season. The Hawkeyes are second in the conference in scoring (86.6) and 13th in defense (77.5). UW swept the home-and-home series with Iowa last season.

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