MADISON, Wis. – Max Klesmit had to feel left out.
With the University of Wisconsin emphasizing shooting open three-point shots, the fifth-year senior started his final season with a 1-for-7 clunker.
Klesmit’s game-high 26 points was delivered thanks to a career-high six three-pointers, two coming on an 8-0 run early in the second half that gave the Badgers the separation needed in a 79-67 victory over Montana State at the Kohl Center.
Graduate senior John Tonje backed up his 23-point debut with a workmanlike 13 points and four rebounds while sophomore John Blackwell chipped in 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Senior Kamari McGee added 11 points, three assists, and no turnovers off the bench while Nolan Winter had eight rebounds.
Wisconsin (2-0) shot 45.3 percent from the field but went 11-for-22 from three to average 1.214 points per possession.
Brian Goracke had 14 points for the Bobcats (0-1), an NCAA Tournament team the last three seasons and one of the most experienced teams in the country, with five rotational players with 102 career games played and nine players with at least four years of college experience.
They provided a test for Wisconsin during the first half that was tied six times with 10 lead changes.
Klesmit and Tonje each had 11 in the first half to give Wisconsin a 39-33 lead, getting the same point total in different ways. Klesmit found his perimeter touch by drilling a trio of threes while Tonje’s aggressiveness got him to the line, where he went 8-for-9. The duo helped UW never go more than 2:53 between scores.
Montana State cut the Wisconsin lead to three on the first possession of the second half, but the Badgers scored eight points on their next three possessions to push the lead to 10. UW didn’t let the lead dip below nine after that, as Klesmit dropped 15 points in the second half.
What it means: Wisconsin has showcased impressive offensive balance through a small sample size. Montana State could be an NCAA Tournament team at the end of the year, so delivering a better performance on both ends of the floor was vital. It’s easy to see that Wisconsin got better from game one to game two.
Star of the game: Beyond the 26 points from Klesmit, the graduate senior registered two steals, no turnovers, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
Stat of the game: Wisconsin finished 20-for-21 from the free-throw line (95.2 percent) compared to Montana State going only 5-for-8.
Reason to be Concerned: Steven Crowl was quiet for the second game in a row, finishing with only six points on four shots. The speed of their bigs made it a tough game for Crowl, who has yet to get going this season.
Don’t overlook: Montana State wanted to get out and push to get open threes, but the Badgers didn’t allow the Bobcats to score a transition basket until 4:13 remained.
What’s next: Wisconsin welcomes Appalachian State – a 27-game winner a season ago – to the Kohl Center on Sunday. The Mountaineers (1-1) won the regular season title in the Sun Belt last season, the program’s first title since 1979, before being upset in the tournament semifinals and left out of the NCAA field. Needing to replace its top three scorers, the Mountaineers saw nine players make their collegiate debut in the season opener, a 14-point loss to Miami (OH). The tip is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on BTN Plus.
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