Five stats that defined Wisconsin basketball’s tough road loss to UCLA

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Wisconsin basketball’s seven-game win streak concluded with an 85-83 road loss to the UCLA Bruins on Tuesday.

Fueled by a breakthrough 22-point performance from 7-foot-3 bench center Aday Mara and 15 second-half points from bench guard Sebastian Mack, the Bruins overpowered the Badgers down low in the second half. Wisconsin had established a nine-point edge in the first half, but UCLA’s relentless two-point attack in the closing frame, driven by 30 second-half bench points, proved too much for Greg Gard’s group to overcome.

Veteran wing John Tonje finished with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. Sophomore star John Blackwell also dropped 23 points, plus Steven Crowl notched 11 points and five rebounds in the losing effort.

The Badgers shot efficiently from all three levels — 51.0% from the field, 50.0% from deep and 85.7% from the foul line. Yet the team committed 13 turnovers and 23 personal fouls. In a a hostile road environment, those totals are a guaranteed way to lose.

Still, the experience is valuable. This is Wisconsin’s first late-game loss since its 67-64 loss to Michigan on Dec. 3. It should help the team continue to improve as Big Ten play continues.

Here are five stats that defined UW’s fourth loss of the season, and first in over a month:

1. 22 points from Aday Mara 

For a player who averages just over four points on the season, 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara’s 22-point outburst was shocking for Badger fans. The Spaniard shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and nailed eight free throws in 21 minutes in his best game as a Bruin.

While Wisconsin center Steven Crowl has been playing phenomenal basketball during UW’s recent win streak, Mara looked like the best big on the floor. Mara is unlikely to replicate this performance regularly. But Crowl has well-chronicled struggles against elite opposing big men — those struggles showed up on Tuesday.

2. UCLA’s 30 points in the paint

Specifically, UCLA shot 14-of-20 from…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/five-stats-defined-wisconsin-basketball-133838915.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-22 13:38:00

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