Badgers top Northwestern in Big Ten battle

Saturday, January 13

Madison, WI

11 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

13-3,5-0Big Ten

Northwestern

12-4,3-2Big Ten

Northwestern

Wisconsin

Photo by: Nolan Kromke

Badgers top Northwestern in Big Ten battle

January 13, 2024 | Men's Basketball

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Klesmit scores UW career high 24 points

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Max Klesmit scored a career-high 24 points and A.J. Storr added 14 to help No. 15 Wisconsin hold off Northwestern 71-63 on Saturday.

Wisconsin (13-3, 5-0) has won six straight games and is the only undefeated team in the Big Ten Conference. The Badgers' 5-0 start in league play is the first since the 2007-08 season.

Klesmit shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range and 9 of 13 overall in the win.

Boo Buie scored 22 points, including 15 in the first half, for the Wildcats (12-4, 3-2). Brooks Barnhizer finished with 13 points for Northwestern. The Wildcats never led in the second half but tied the game twice with less than 4:12 left in the game.

Wisconsin led 67-63 with 1:19 left. The Wildcats were forced to foul in the final minute, and Chucky Hepburn and Storr combined for four free throws to seal the victory.

In the first half, Klesmit's jumper at the 4:06 mark capped a 10-0 run that gave the Badgers a 29-19 lead with 4:06 remaining. Wisconsin led 32-25 at intermission.

Barnhizer scored two field goals early in the second half to keep Northwestern close.

Up next, Wisconsin plays at Penn State on Tuesday.

The AP contributed to this article.