MADISON, Wis. – A 12-point win over a mid-major team from Montana might generate some scoffs at those glancing for a box score. The University of Wisconsin coaches and players like to think they know differently.

Wisconsin’s 79-67 victory over Montana State was an improvement compared to the 24-point win on Monday. The Badgers (2-0) knocked off a team that has multiple multi-year starters, a program that has been to the NCAA Tournament the last three years and is picked in the preseason poll to go there again, and wasn’t afraid to shoot from the perimeter.

So, to emerge from a tug-of-war first half with a lead and build upon it over the final 20 minutes, is a sign of growth for a Wisconsin team that is slowly starting to figure out its chemistry and rhythm.

Here are my takeaways from the Kohl Center.

If Wisconsin had won and didn’t fall behind 21-5 at the start, the Badgers would have improved from game one to game two. They accomplished both tasks, but the growth from Monday to Thursday was intertwined in multiple areas.

Offensively, there was more balance with attempts and certainly more aggressive attacking. After taking open shots with regularity in the opener without touching the post, the Badgers showcased a balance in scoring that was prevalent from start to finish.

UW was 6-for-16 from two, 5-for-10 from three, and 12-for-13 from the line in the first half, never having a scoring drought longer than three minutes and averaging 1.258 points per possession. They were even better in the second half at 7-for-15 from two, 6-for-12 from three, and 8-for-8 from the line in 30 possessions (1.333).

Montana State is a three-point shooting program, finishing 26th nationally in three-point percentage (37.0 percent) and 35th in 3-pointers per game (9.1). UW’s defense saw the Bobcats miss eight of their first nine shots, did not score in the paint until 6:46 remained in the half, and forced four turnovers in a 2:26 span.

As Wisconsin pulled away in the second half, the Badgers made sure the three weren’t there to fuel a comeback. The Bobcats managed only nine attempts in the final 20 minutes after going 6-for-12 in the first half. It’s why the game went from six times and 10 lead changes to UW not trailing by less than nine for most of the second half.

With so many new players on his roster, head coach Greg Gard has said he needs to get more young, unproven guys game reps to allow them to get their feet underneath them. Thursday was not one of those moments.

Playing one of the oldest teams in the country, a program with nine players who have played at least four years of college basketball, Gard wasn’t about to see his inexperience players get burned by the Bobcats’ veterans.

Wisconsin stuck with its starting five and his two senior reserves throughout the game, as Markus Ilver (five minutes), Xavier Amos (four), and Jack Janicki (two) saw minimal time.

“Having to guard what they were running, you could tell anytime there was a mistake, usually younger inexperienced players tend to get caught on some of those things,” Gard said.

The results spoke for themselves. Max Klesmit found his shooting groove. His 26 points tied his UW career high while his six three-pointers were a new personal best and hit while open and in rhythm. He also registered a pair of steals for the second straight game.

John Tonje kept playing his aggressive style and was rewarded by going 8-for-9 from the free-throw line, and John Blackwell overcame a 4-for-13 night to contribute in other ways with six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

And while Steven Crowl continues to start the season slow (6 points, 1-for-4), forward Nolan Winter tallied six points and a career-high eight rebounds.

“It’s a culmination of good team basketball,” Klesmit said.

With that experience on the court, and knowing the high-percentage areas, UW had 15 assists on 24 baskets and all but four of UW’s 79 points were scored at the free throw line, dunks/layups, or from behind the arc.

“That’s what we want from an analytic standpoint,” Gard said. “We want things at the rim, dunks, layups, post moves, free throws, and good threes … Analytically, that’s what you want (to) try to miss longer twos and tougher jump shots.”

It’s become evident who the top seven players are in the eyes of the coaching staff, and crystal clear that the Badgers’ plan for the bench is working two games in.

The first sub to check in, Kamari McGee has been playing starter’s minutes and thriving not that he’s out of Chucky Hepburn’s shadow. The senior matched his UW high with 11 points, delivering multiple driving layups to the rim after breaking down the defense in the halfcourt and finishing with either hand, while adding three rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes (all of which are UW highs).

Having played just over 55 minutes at the point guard position, McGee has looked unflappable with seven assists to only one turnover

“He’s a spark plug off the bench,” Blackwell said. “He makes us great whenever he’s on the court. He’s always talking, always leading. Whether he’s scoring or not, he always has high energy … That’s a great point guard to have on the floor.”

Blackwell later lumped Carter Gilmore in the same category. Gilmore only scored four points but the senior consistently made the right plays. From read and passes on offense and delivered the hustle plays on defense, such as chasing down guard Patrick McMahon for a huge block on what looked like an easy layup.

“He knows the game, plays the game the right way, and plays his role,” Blackwell said. "He does his job.”

Gilmore also had a team-high two offensive rebounds and added two assists, looking surer of himself offensively than he has in past seasons while still being steady.

“I know he’s taken a lot of (expletive) over his career here and it’s quite frankly unwarranted,” Gard said. “If you have any idea what you’re looking at you can see he really anchors us defensively. He covers up a lot of stuff. He’s really good at the ball screen when we played him at the five. He’s driving it … He’s just a ball player.”

Gard knows he needs to develop a deeper rotation to keep things sustainable, but the Badgers have a one-two senior punch that it knows it can count on.

6 - The Badgers have started the season 2-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Badgers have opened 2-0 or better in six of Gard's nine full seasons.

11 – With 26 points against Montana State, Klesmit has scored at least 20 points 11 times in his career.

50 - The Badgers shot 11-for-22 from 3-point range, giving them double-digit triples in consecutive games to open the season for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

82 - UW is averaging 82.0 ppg on the season, having scored at least 79 points in each of the season's first two games for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

90 - Wisconsin has now posted back-to-back games shooting 90 percent or better from the FT line (min. 12 attempts) for the first time since December 2014, when it went 17-for-18 (.944) against California on 12/22/14, and 12-for-13 (.923) against Buffalo on 12/28/14. UW has outscored its first 2 opponents 36-to-13 at the free throw line.

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