Five stats that defined Wisconsin basketball’s 21-point win over Minnesota

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Wisconsin basketball earned an impressive 80-59 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday night at the Kohl Center.

After falling behind 15-5 early in the first half, Wisconsin punched back with an extended 15-2 run to establish an edge and discover its rhythm. After regrouping, the Badgers ultimately outscored Minnesota by 20 points in the second half, leaning on its offensive and defensive depth to snatch its fifth consecutive triumph and third straight Big Ten win.

Wisconsin was fueled by 18 and five rebounds and a block from veteran big man Steven Crowl, 16 points and six rebounds from wing John Tonje and 15 points, five rebounds and three steals from standout guard Kamari McGee. The team shot over 57% from the field and 53% from deep in the second half as it reached the 80-point threshold for the tenth occasion this season.

The outcome is all the more impressive given the absence of perennial starter Max Klesmit (ankle). Outside of its 31-point blowout win over Iowa, Wisconsin’s offense flowed as well as it has against any Big Ten this season. All five of UW’s starters scored at least eight points, plus eight total points found the scoring sheet.

Here are five stats that defined UW’s big win over Minnesota:

1. 50-30 second half differential

Wisconsin’s offense was clicking on all cylinders during the second frame. Gard’s crew connected on 15 field goal attempts in the second half and eight three-point field goals to establish a 30-tally lead in the game’s waning minutes. UW also reached the free throw line 17 times in the second half, a sizable difference compared to its six attempts in its win over Rutgers.

2. 15 points from Kamari McGee

In his first start for Greg Gard, Kamari McGee set career-bests in points (15), rebounds (five), steals (three) and minutes (33). McGee has already proved his worth in crunch time on several occasions this season. On Friday, McGee manufactured arguably his most complete 40-minute game of his tenure in Madison. The point…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/five-stats-defined-wisconsin-basketball-033034410.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-11 03:30:00

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