MADISON, Wis. – A two-game homestand in late February was a critical moment for the University of Wisconsin.

Playing two conference foes who physically dominated them earlier in the year, the Badgers needed to grind out a pair of wins to keep pace in the crowded Big Ten standings and prove they weren’t the meager bunch they were earlier in the year. Mission accomplished.

Led by Wisconsin’s low-post combination of Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin pushed its winning streak to four games with a 79-71 victory over Rutgers Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center.

Potter scored 18 points while Reuvers scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half to move into a four-way tie for second place in the Big Ten with four games remaining.

Brevin Pritzl added 17 points the Badgers (17-10, 10-6 Big Ten), which shot 48 percent from the floor and 11-for-22 from 3-point range.

The homestand started against a Purdue squad that outrebounded Wisconsin by 26 in a season-worst 19-point road loss in late January. While there were still areas rough around the edge, the Badgers outmuscled Purdue down the stretch when it mattered most to squeak out a 69-65 victory. It was much better against the Scarlet Knights.

UW closed the final 11:20 of the first half Sunday on a 19-8 run, including scoring the final eight points to lead 39-26 at the break.

The Scarlet Knights (18-10, 9-8) shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and dominated the low post to the tune of 20 points in the lane, but the Badgers were stingy with their perimeter defense (Rutgers was 0-for-6 from 3-point range) and were aggressive on loose balls. Rutgers had offensive rebounds on only two of its 13 misses in the first half and didn’t attempt a free throw.

After finishing with 14 offensive rebounds and outscoring Wisconsin, 23-5, in second-chance points in the first meeting, Rutgers managed just seven offensive rebounds and six second-chance points, missing an advantage considering it scored 42 points in the paint.

Trailing by as many 16 points, Rutgers managed to cut the lead to seven with 6:41 remaining, but Brad Davison hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to double digits. Davison finished with 15 points to give him 1,006 for his college career, the 43rd player in school history to hit that milestone.

Ron Harper’s 3-pointer with 2:50 remaining got the Scarlet Knights back within six but point guard D’Mitrik Trice didn’t let Rutgers get much closer. Having scored only three points on three shots up to that point, Trice went 3-for-4 from the line, hit a mid-range jumper with 1:51 remaining after the UW lead was cut to five and drew an offensive foul on guard Geo Baker on the ensuing possession. The Scarlet Knights never got closer than two possessions after that, as Trice finished with eight points and nine assists.

Harper Jr. had 21 points while Baker scored 16 for Rutgers, which has lost five of seven in the month of February.

Wisconsin returns to action Thursday with its only matchup of the season against Michigan. Tipoff in Ann Arbor is scheduled for 6 p.m.