PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Only three schools have won more true road games over the last three seasons than the University of Wisconsin. If the first road game of the half is any indication of what’s to come, the Badgers are going to fall far down that list.

A disastrous start on both ends of the floor caused Wisconsin to spend the night spinning its wheels, failing to gain any momentum in a 72-59 whipping at the hands of Providence at Amica Mutual Arena.

A season that started with high hopes and redemption has transitioned into Wisconsin (1-2) looking disjointed defensively, giving up too much in dribble penetration and leaving shooters open on the wings.

Providence (3-0) took advantage, shooting 58.5 percent and having four players score at least 13 points, led by Devin Carter’s 21.

While Friday’s loss to No.9 Tennessee could be chalked up as a missed opportunity, Tuesday was a blowout because the Badgers’ offense was lost in the East-Coast transit.

The Badgers couldn’t counter the Friars’ hot shooting largely because the visitors missed 24 of 32 first-half shots. A lot of the misses again came around the rim, where Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl combined 2-for-11 on two-point shots, and a 1-for-11 showing from the perimeter created more warts.

It was the second consecutive game in which the Badgers never led but the first where it felt they had no chance.

The feeling developed quickly. UW missed its first five shots with a turnover to trail 7-0 after five possessions. When the defense struggled to cover open shooters, resulting in open three-point baskets for the Friars, the UW deficit swelled to 21-9 by the second media timeout with Providence averaging 1.62 points per possession.

Multiple media timeouts and UW’s own spent timeouts didn’t improve the defense, as Providence took a 37-31 lead into the break on the heels of a 63.2 percent shooting half.

UW’s starting five went 4-for-23 from the floor, the team missed 10 of its 11 perimeter shots and committed more turnovers (5) than free-throw attempts (4). The situation would have been even more dire if it wasn’t for John Blackwell’s nine points off the bench.

A.J. Storr scored a game-high 22 points for Wisconsin but multiple point-blank misses prevented his being higher. He missed a pair of shots around the rim, leading to Carter getting the rebound, racing down the court in a 1-on-3 break, taking the ball right at Max Klesmit and the rim, drawing the foul, and converting the three-point play.

The play was one of seven consecutive makes for Providence, a fitting snapshot of the evening.

What it means: The Badgers have whiffed on adding a quality win to their resume for the second time in five days. Trumpeting the team’s depth and experience is one thing but it doesn’t mean much when the players occupying all those returning minutes can’t make open shots or lock in defensively.

Star of the game: John Blackwell scored all nine bench points for Wisconsin in the first half and finished with 11. The true freshman looked like the only Badgers player who brought some energy (and a jump shot) with him on the road.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin held its own in the now-defunct ACC-Big Ten Challenge to finish with a 12-12 record. The Gavitt Games have been nothing short of a disappointment, with the Badgers falling to 1-4 in the event.

Reason to be Concerned: Shots aren’t going to fall some nights, but Wisconsin is a mess defensively, especially early in games when it must be in catch-up mode from the first media timeout to the end of the game.

Don’t overlook: On a night where nothing seemed to work right, Wisconsin managed to go a perfect 12-for-12 from the free-throw line.

What’s next: Wisconsin returns home for a Friday contest against Robert Morris (6 p.m./BTN+) before jetting to Ft. Myers, Fla., for the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Colonials (1-2) have had three straight losing seasons since moving to the Horizon League in 2020-21 and are 0-2 on the road this season. Junior guard Justice Williams – a LSU transfer – is scoring a team-high 18.5 points per game while forward Markeese Hastings – a Western Michigan transfer – is averaging a double-double.

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