STAT PACK: Wisconsin Grinds Out 60-54 Win at Rutgers

Wisconsin can finally cross winning at the RAC off the bucket list.

Looking for redemption after Tuesday’s dud at Michigan, the ninth-ranked Badgers slugged their way to a 60-54 victory over Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., Friday. Brad Davison and Aleem Ford each scored 14 points for Wisconsin (11-3, 5-2 Big Ten), which won at the Rutgers Athletic Center for the first time since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014-15.

BadgerBlitz.com takes a closer look at the game in the Stat Pack.

- Wisconsin made six fewer field goals than Rutgers and shot just 35.2 percent from the field, but the Badgers won because they made four more 3-pointers and 16 more free throws.

- Before tipoff, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard made a change to his starting lineup for the first time this season in swapping in sophomore Tyler Wahl for senior Nate Reuvers. Reuvers had started 79 consecutive games dating to the final game of his freshman season, but the forward had been consistently struggling in the first half of games and Wahl was a better matchup for Rutgers’ four-guard lineup. Neither player made much of a scoring impact with Wahl scoring his four points early in the second half and Reuvers finishing with three.

- Stuck in an 8-for-31 shooting slump, Davison got things ignited quickly by scoring nine points in the first 5:03 on two 3-pointers and three free throws after getting fouled on another 3-point attempt. Showing as a threat after scoring a quick six points, Rutgers crashed on him when he got the ball at the perimeter, allowing Davison to dish to an open Micah Potter (10 points) for a dunk. Those players were part of a 13-0 run for UW to dig out of an early 4-0 hole.

- No longer just a 3-point threat, Ford made a pair of nice offensive slashes to the rim when Wisconsin’s offense needed a jolt. After Rutgers pulled with 19-16, Ford jumped in the passing lane as the Scarlet Knights were pushing the ball and faked a 3-point shot at the other end, drove between defenders and delivered the hoop with the foul for the 3-point play. When Rutgers cut the lead to 27-22, Ford again pump faked a deep jump shot, drove baseline past two players and did a hanging reverse layup.

- In addition to his scoring, Ford finished with six rebounds, four blocks, two steals and no turnovers.

- That last layup ended a stretch of three empty possessions for Wisconsin that coincided with D’Mitrik Trice heading to the bench with two fouls at the 5:33 mark. Trevor Anderson stepped in to run the point, but the Badgers were outscored 12-6 with Trice on the bench, including an Anderson turnover that led to a fast-break layup with 22 seconds left.

- Wisconsin was outrebounded 22-14, outscored 20-12 in the paint and was behind 9-2 in second-chance points, but the Badgers led, 33-32, at halftime because UW made more free throws (8) than Rutgers attempted (five) and scored 15 points off eight Rutgers turnovers.

- The start of the second half was brutal for both teams. The Badgers started 3-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-9 from 3-point range. After starting the game 4-for-15, Rutgers started the second half 4-for-18.

- Rutgers cleaned Wisconsin on the glass, outrebounded the Badgers 50-35 overall and 20-8 on the offensive glass, but a key offensive rebound and putback by Potter seemed to jumpstart the offense. Knocking in a missed layup by Davison, Potter’s basket was the start of a 12-0 run for UW, including getting seven points on three straight possessions to push the lead to 54-44.

- Scoring just four points in the first half and none in the first 12+ minutes of the second half, Trice had eight points in a five-possession span on that run. Two of those were 3-pointers and another was beating Rutgers’ Jacob Young off the dribble for an easy lay in. Trice finished with 13.

- Shooting just 28.6 percent in the second half, Wisconsin iced the game away on the free throw line in the final 31 seconds by going 6-for-8 from the stripe.

- Wisconsin returns to action Wednesday against Northwestern. Tipoff at the Kohl Center is scheduled for 8 p.m.