MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin’s post players weren’t going to get bullied away from the paint two games in a row.

Granted, the athleticism, size, and talent between Jacksonville State and No.1 Arizona is massive, but starting forwards Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl didn’t appear to care, not when they had a bad taste to flush out of their mouths.

UW’s starting frontcourt combined to deliver a massive one-two punch from the onset to lead No.23 Wisconsin to a 75-60 victory over the Gamecocks at the Kohl Center.

Crowl finished with a game-high 19 points, with Wahl chipping 16 for the Badgers (8-3), as the duo combined for 16 rebounds during a night where the offense was sporadic.

Facing a starting five without a forward over 6-9, Wahl and Crowl were battering rams inside. Wahl scored the first eight points for Wisconsin, delivering a layup, a paint hook shot, and a second-chance bucket. His presence inside drew two fouls in forward Juwan Perdue in the first 114 seconds.

The pair combined for 23 of UW’s 38 first-half points, averaging 1.23 points per possession.

Tied for 12th nationally in scoring defense at 61.5 points per game, Jacksonville State had held its previous seven opponents under 68 points. It was a bigger struggle against the Badgers’ size, as the Gamecocks gave up 40 points in the lane, 13 second-chance points, and another 18 from the foul line.

A.J. Storr contributed to the post scoring with 13 points, as UW finished at 47.3 percent (26 of 55).

Kyky Tandy had 16 points to lead the Gamecocks (4-7), which used a 7-0 run between halves to cut the deficit to four with 19:06 remaining. UW countered with a 6-0 run after by again attacking the paint, converting on four free throws and a Crowl hook shot in the paint.

UW’s lead didn’t dip below two possessions for the remainder of the game, utilizing a 9-0 run late to build the lead to as high as 18 points.

What it means: Wisconsin began its longest homestand of the season (four games) with a workmanlike performance against a defensive-minded mid-major, a victory that won’t earn many style points but won’t leave any blemishes.

Star of the game: Wahl’s hot start gave the Badgers the early spark, but Crowl had the more consistent performance, delivering nine points and seven rebounds in the first half and chipping in another 10 points in the second.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin has won 41 consecutive, nonconference home games over mid-major programs, the 4th-longest active streak in the Big Ten. Only Purdue (48), Minnesota (48), and Ohio State (45) have a longer such streak. The Badgers last mid-major home loss was Dec. 9, 2015, to Milwaukee

Reason to be Concerned: Has Connor Essegian dropped out of the rotation? The sophomore didn’t check in during the first half and had to wait until the 13:50 mark of the second half to see the floor. While he received some nice applause, Essegian immediately got beat off the dribble and gave up an uncontested layup. When the next whistle came at 13:25, Essegian was replaced by Isaac Lindsey, drawing some boos from the crowd, and did not return until 3:32 remained and the lead was 17. He finished with three points on two attempts.

Don’t overlook: The Badgers made 80 percent of their attempts in five straight games but went 5-for-8 against No.1 Arizona and then went 6-for-11 in the first half Thursday. The foul line turned out to be critical in the second half for UW’s offense. With 13 minutes gone, the Badgers had made five field goals but were 9-for-10 from the foul line.

What’s next: Wisconsin completes its nonconference schedule when it hosts Chicago State next Friday at the Kohl Center (7 p.m./BTN). The only independent school in Division 1, the Cougars (4-9) delivered a stunner Wednesday when they knocked off No.25 Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Junior guard Wesley Cardet led all players with 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including 3-of-9 from beyond the three-point line, as the Cougars forced the Wildcats into a season-high 14 turnovers and shot a season-high 86.4 percent from the free throw line (19-of-22).

UW is 3-0 against Chicago State, with wins coming at the Kohl Center in 2003, 2016, and 2017.

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