RECAP: Wisconsin basketball explodes in second half for 21-point win over Minnesota

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Wisconsin basketball (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) stretched its win streak to five with a dominant 80-59 triumph against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday.

With senior guard Max Klesmit sidelined due to an ankle injury, the Badgers opened the contest sluggishly. They then exploded offensively once the second half began, outscoring the Golden Gophers 50-30 to clinch an easy victory.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s blowout win over Minnesota

Wisconsin veteran center Steven Crowl showed out once more for the home fans with a team-high 18 points off an efficient six-of-seven from the field, two-of-two from deep and four-of-four from the foul line. Wing John Tonje also showed off his aggressiveness with 16 tallies and six rebounds on seven made free throws, while point guard Kamari McGee dropped 15 points, five rebounds and three steals in Klesmit’s typical starting role.

The Golden Gophers opened the game with a 15-5 edge courtesy of seven quick points from veteran forward Dawson Garcia, Greg Gard’s group fought back with a 15-2 run over the ensuing seven minutes to capture a 20-17 advantage. The two squads traded hoops for the remainder of the first half, but Wisconsin never looked back after intermission.

The Badgers appeared completely reenergized in the second stanza. The group converted on 57.7% of its field goal attempts and 53.3% of its looks from outside to blow the game open. By the 10:07-minute mark, Wisconsin built a 16-point edge courtesy of seven free throws and four three-pointers.

Wisconsin led by as many as 30 points before gliding to the 21-tally victory. Minnesota’s lack of offensive depth and inefficiency plagued the Golden Gophers. Yes, the border rival opened with a powerful offensive display, but the team could not maintain that type of consistency for a 40-minute game.

Minnesota drops to 8-8 on its season and 0-5 in Big Ten play. Wisconsin, meanwhile, notches its third straight Big Ten win and should inch closer toward an appearance in the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/recap-wisconsin-basketball-explodes-second-022445511.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-11 02:24:00

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