STAT PACK: Wisconsin Implodes In Second Half, Loses 67-59 to No.3 Michigan

MADISON, Wis. – This one was the pure definition of heartbreak for the University of Wisconsin.

Up by as many as 13 points in the second half, the 21st-ranked Badgers couldn’t carry forth the momentum and hold off No.3 Michigan in a back-breaking 67-59 loss Sunday at the Kohl Center.

The Badgers (15-7, 9-6 Big Ten) had a chance to inch closer to first place in the Big Ten with five games to go, but instead find themselves five games behind the Wolverines (14-1, 9-1) in the loss column because of an offensive implosion in the second half.

We take a closer look at the game in the BadgerBlitz Stat Pack.

- Three players reached double figures for the Badgers: D’Mitrik Trice (16), Aleem Ford (15) and Jonathan Davis (11). Davis scored eight of his points in the second half.

- Wisconsin was on pace to win its ninth game against an AP Top 10 opponent in the last five years, but the Badgers’ offense went into a deep freeze down the stretch. Leading by five points with 7:46 remaining, the Badgers scored only six points and made one field goal from that point forward.

- After scoring 39 points on 53.8 percent shooting in the first half, the Badgers had just 20 points on 7-for-28 shooting in the second half. UW’s starters of Trice, Ford, Micah Potter, Tyler Wahl and Brad Davison were a combined 2-for-16 (12.5 percent) after halftime.

- UW shot 38.9 percent, the second straight game the Badgers shot under 40 percent and the third time in the last six. From 3-point range, the Badgers were 1-for-12 in the second half.

- Playing its first game in 23 days, Michigan shot 48.1 percent in the second half and got a game-high 20 points from Isaiah Livers. Freshman Hunter Dickinson finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds, and Franz Wagner added 14 points.

- Both teams started out on 5-0 runs but Wisconsin had three turnovers on its first seven possessions, two of which were the result of Trice throwing the ball out of bounds on passes out to the wing.

- Ford had not scored in double figures since Jan.30, but the senior had 11 points in the first 8:31 that included three 3-pointers all attempted in rhythm. When his third three hit, UW was shooting 6-for-10 from the floor.

- Michigan started 5-for-15 from the field, but the Wolverines trailed just 15-12 because of five second-chance points and six off UW’s turnovers.

- After Livers made a 3-pointer to tie the game at 20, Wisconsin went on a 14-4 run that was a combination of attacking the lane, dribble pull-ups, 3-point shots and aggressive low-post defense, all areas that were lacking in the first meeting and were sporadic over the last several games.

- Wisconsin entered the locker room at halftime after a dominant half. Not only did the Badgers lead 39-27, UW shot 53.8 percent, hit 5 of 7 3-pointers, was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line and had six players score. Michigan shot just 34.4 percent, attempted only two free throws and averaged .931 points per possession.

- Livers scored 13 of Michigan’s 27 points in the first half, as the Wolverines other four starters were a combined 5-for-18.

- The game’s momentum started to shift early in the second half after the Michigan bench was whistled for a technical foul protesting an elbow to the head of guard Mike Smith. Trice went 1-for-2 from the line, making the score 43-32, but Smith delivered a 3-point play at the other end and UW had four straight empty possessions that included two turnovers. The 10-2 run, coupled with UW starting 2-for-8, shrunk the lead to 45-42 with 14:12 remaining.

- A critical juncture in the game, Potter blocked a driving layup by Smith and hit a long jump shot on the next possession. Michigan came up empty on its next three possessions, too, all finishing with no offensive rebound opportunities. UW pushed the lead back to seven.

- The Badgers’ offense went cold and bounces went array after that. A 10-2 Michigan run put them back in front with 5:04 remaining, the first Wolverines lead since the early minutes of the first half. The Badgers went through seven empty possessions, one offensive rebound and three turnovers during the push.

- A haymaker for the Badgers was Dickinson’s offensive rebounding. Dickinson had one field goal but his four offensive rebounds led to nine Michigan points – three coming from a 3-pointer by Livers to give Michigan a 59-57 lead with 2:48 remaining and another was his own put back to put Michigan up 61-59 with 1:46 left.

- In the last seven minutes, UW secured only one offensive rebound, forcing the Badgers to foul to extend the game. As a result, Michigan closed the game on an 8-0 run.

- Wisconsin continues its homestand with a matchup against No.15 Iowa Thursday. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.