Badgers Use Balanced Scoring to Beat UWM
November 23, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Behind double-digit efforts from five players, the Wisconsin Badgers (3-0) downed in-state rival UW-Milwaukee 83-72 tonight at the Kohl Center in front of a sellout crowd of 17,142. UW rode a 24-10 run at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half and held on for the win. The Badgers led by as many as 23 points in the second half to beat the Panthers for the 10th straight time.
Sophomore Devin Harris led the way with his second career 'double-double,' scoring 19 points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. His 10 rebounds and 37 minutes played were the most by a Badger in a game this season. Junior Freddie Owens had 17 points, senior Kirk Penney scored 15, freshman Alando Tucker added 13 and sophomore Mike Wilkinson had 10.
UWM made it interesting down the stretch when it pulled to within five late in the game, but an Owens three-pointer all but sealed the win for the Badgers with 2:19 remaining. Harris made also made a crucial basket with less than a minute to go.
Harris hit back-to-back threes early in the first to put the Badgers up 12-6 with 14:31 to go in the first half. A pair of Owens free throws gave Wisconsin a 23-12 lead, but UWM went on an 8-0 run to bring the score to within three with 6:03 remaining.
However, the Badgers broke it open to end the half, finishing with a 14-6 run that started with Penney draining all three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt.
The Badgers took a 37-26 lead into halftime, led by Owens who scored 12 points in the first 20 minutes.
Wisconsin kept on firing to start the second, starting with a Harris three-pointer to make it 41-28. Three-pointers from Penney and Tucker put the Badgers up by 17 less than four minutes into the half.
UW maintained a large lead throughout most of the second half. With 6:54 to go, a basket by freshman Boo Wade gave Bucky a 23-point advantage. The Panthers battled back in the closing minutes and cut the lead to single digits after back-to-back three-pointers by Clay Tucker.
After the key baskets by Owens and Harris, the Badgers took advantage of late fouls and went 6-6 from the line to close out the game.
Wisconsin is now 16-0 (2-0 this season) under Bo Ryan when four or more players score in double digits. The Badgers have also won their last 14 games at the Kohl Center, the longest current streak in the Big Ten.
The Panthers had four players who scored in double digits, led by Tucker's 18.
