Quick Hits: Wisconsin Uses Late Run to Dispatch Western Illinois
MADISON, Wis. – Competition is about to pick up and in a hurry for the University of Wisconsin.
The final tune-up before facing three top-25 opponents in a seven-day stretch, including two in the top three, the Badgers had little trouble dispatching Western Illinois, 71-49, at the Kohl Center Monday to push its winning streak to four games.
Asserting its talent level from the start, Wisconsin (5-2) scored seven of the game’s first nine points and 13 of the first 17 to build a nine-point lead that continued growing to as many as 17 in the first half.
Shooting 53.2 percent from the field (the third game this season making over half its shots), Wisconsin’s scoring was balanced and dispersed.
A.J. Storr scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half, Steven Crowl added 11 rebounds to his 13 points, while Chucky Hepburn scored 11 of his 13 during a 4:37 stretch in the second half that included five consecutive makes over a five-possession stretch.
Tyler Wahl added 12 as the Badgers tied their season high with eight three-pointers while going 13-for-16 from the line.
It's the kind of production Wisconsin will need against its next three opponents - No.3 Marquette, No.,25 Michigan State, and No.2 Arizona.
The Leathernecks (2-5) struggled around the rim in their 84-52 loss at Illinois Friday, getting outrebounded, 54-38, and outscored, 44-26, in the paint. They weren’t much better against the Badgers, scoring only five second-chance points and 18 points in the paint.
After shooting 29.2 percent overall and 6 of 25 from the perimeter against the Illini, the Leathernecks missed eight of their first 10 shots over the first nine minutes and finished at 39.5 percent.
James Dent Jr. scored a game-high 17 points on 12 shots and helped his team make things interesting, cutting the deficit to eight points with 13 minutes remaining. It served as a wake-up call for Wisconsin, which went on a 21-6 run over the next nine minutes to silence any thoughts of an upset.
What it means: Western Illinois knocked off Wisconsin when it arrived for the 2015 season opener. The Badgers showed little interest in entertaining another potential upset, taking care of business in a trap game before the much-talked-about portion of their schedule begins Saturday.
Star of the game: Crowl was consistent in both halves for Wisconsin in both scoring and on the glass. He finished with a team-high three assists and tied for the team-high with two steals.
Stat of the game: Storr (11) and Wahl (8) nearly outscored Western Illinois by themselves in the first half, going 5-for-7 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Reason to be Concerned: Guard Max Klesmit has yet to turn things on offensively. The only starter entering the game averaging less than 10 points per game, Klesmit scored only three points on 1-for-3 shooting. Since going 5-for-5 in the opener, Klesmit is 11-for-32 over six games.
Don’t overlook: The lopsided score allowed Connor Essegian to play a season-high 14 minutes and the sophomore started to hunt his shot more. He went 2-for-7 from the floor and was 2-for-6 from the perimeter. UW outscored WIU by 20 when Essegian was on the floor.
What’s next: Wisconsin has four days to prepare before it hosts Marquette in the annual I-94 showdown (11:30 a.m./Fox). Finishing second in the Maui Invitational after knocking off No.1 Kansas and falling 78-75 to No.2 Purdue, the Golden Eagles (5-1) are ranked third nationally. Senior forward Oso Ighodaro shined in the tournament, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 68.6 percent from the floor. The Golden Eagles are ranked ninth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 18th in adjusted defensive efficiency, one of six schools to be in the top 20 of both KenPom categories.
Wisconsin hasn’t faced a ranked Marquette team since 2011 and hasn’t played one ranked in the top three since facing the top-ranked Warriors in 1978. UW is 5-15 all-time against the No.3 team in the country.
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