CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Facing the start of Big Ten play and three challenging tests away from home, the University of Wisconsin had an opportunity to jump on a crowded conference while adding some resume-enhancing moments.
To this point, the Badgers are still searching for the magic it started the season with.
All the good vibes built over the first 29 days of the season have taken a beating over the last eight, the latest being an 86-80 defeat to Illinois at the State Farm Center.
Opening the season 8-0 for the first time since 2013, Wisconsin (8-3, 0-2 Big Ten) finds itself winless after two conference games for the first time since 2001 and on its first three-game December losing streak in 34 years.
Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis scored a career-high 24 points and Tre White had a season-high 22 for the Illini (7-2, 1-1), which extended their dominance over Wisconsin to nine straight games.
Nolan Winter had 15 points to lead Wisconsin, which put four starters in double figures that all come with caveats. John Tonje needed 15 shots to score his 14 points and only attempted two free throws. Max Klesmit scored 13 on 4-for-10 shooting, and John Blackwell added 10, both players sat for long stretches of the first half with foul trouble that prevented Wisconsin from asserting control.
UW held Illinois to 42.2 percent shooting and limited the three-point production (10-for-33) but was only marginally better at 44.4 percent.
Even free throw shooting was unreliable. After being called for six fouls on 33 first-half possessions, Illinois was whistled for eight fouls on Wisconsin's first 10 possessions and sat in the bonus for the final 14:42 and the double bonus for the last 12:14.
But the best shooting free-throw team in the nation (85.5 percent) missed three of five attempts at the line and, other than Winter, couldn’t find the basket on the possessions that didn’t have a whistle.
Winter scored eight points on Wisconsin’s first seven possessions of the second half, giving the Badgers a 47-46 lead. It didn’t last because the Badgers couldn’t clear the glass.
Illinois had 16 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds, four of which came on a 13-4 stretch after Winter's run.
The closest Wisconsin could get after that was following Winter’s three-pointer. Down four with 2:51 remaining and needing a stop, Illinois grabbed two offensive rebounds on a possession that White finished with a tip in. UW couldn't get any closer.
What it means: It’s just two games of 20 in the Big Ten season. The Badgers haven’t started 0-2 in the league since 2002-03, a year that ended with Wisconsin winning the outright Big Ten title. Even so, UW couldn’t hit critical free throws or make timely stops in the second half.
Star of the game: Winter led the four UW players in double figures with 15 points, carrying the Badgers during points in the second half. Winter made the only field goals for the Badgers during a 6 minute, 3 second stretch of the second half.
Stat of the game: Free throws let Wisconsin down for the first time this season. The Illini made their attempts (22-for-25) and the Badgers had their worst percentage of the season (14-for-21)
Reason to be Concerned: John Tonje hasn’t been the same since he returned from West Virginia. Finishing with 14 points on 5-for-15 shooting, Tonje is 18-for-50 (36.0 percent) over his last four games, including 8-for-26 in the last two.
Don’t overlook: Wisconsin got great bench production in the first half with 15 points, keeping the Badgers in the mix with Max Klesmit (13), John Blackwell (10), and Steven Crowl (nine) battling foul trouble.
What’s next: Wisconsin wraps the month playing its final two nonconference games, starting with a neutral-site game against Butler in the Indy Classic at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs (7-3) were the only Big East team to return its top two scorers and 6-6 guard Pierre Brooks II and 6-7 wing Jahmyl Telfort are still the team’s top scorers. Iowa transfer Patrick McCaffery has also been a nice addition for Coach Thad Matta.
The Bulldogs have lost two straight, including a 71-67 home defeat to North Dakota State Tuesday. Wisconsin leads 17-14, but Butler won the only neutral site meeting in the last matchup in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen. The tip for Saturday will be at 1:30 p.m. and be televised on the Big Ten Network.
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