With a 74-54 win over Michigan tonight at the Kohl Center, Bo Ryan's Badgers claimed the Big Ten conference title for the first time since 1947, the same year Ryan was born. The Badgers blew away records tonight, including Kohl Center marks for team three-pointers and points in a half.
The game belonged to the Badgers (18-11 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) from the opening tip-off to the last seconds, when freshman Devin Harris stole the ball with nine tics remaining and passed it to teammate Kirk Penney who dribbled away what was left on the clock. As the buzzer sounded the floor was covered with fans and the Badgers were rewarded with the Big Ten Championship trophy.
Four Badgers scored in double-figures, and Penney and Harris led both teams with 21 points. Penney was 8-16 from the field, including four threes, and Harris added four three-pointers of his own. Freddie Owens contributed 11 points with three treys, while Mike Wilkinson's two threes contributed to 10 points. Wisconsin shot 68 percent from behind the arc, and their 13 threes marks a new Kohl Center team record. Michigan's leading scorer was Chris Young with 19 points, followed by Bernard Robinson Jr. who earned 17.
The Badgers opened the first half with a bang, tying a Kohl Center record for first-half points with 48. Penney and Harris were nearly unstoppable behind the arc, shooting 4-5 and 3-4, respectively. Wilkinson added another trey to give the team an 80 percent first-half three-point efficiency.
In the second half the Badgers started where they left off, increasing their lead to nearly 30 points. A three-pointer by Penney at 16:14 started UW on a 14-2 run, including a trey by Wilkinson and a pair from Owens. The Badgers led 64-35 with 11:36 left to play.
The Wolverines cut the lead down to 16 after a three by LaVell Blanchard at 2:43 made the score 70-54. Harris responded for the Badgers. He stole the ball from Avery Queen with 21 seconds to go and took it in for the dunk, his second of the night. The slam ended the scoring with the Badgers on top 74-54.
Harris, celebrating his 19th birthday, opened the scoring with a three-pointer about 30 seconds into the game. A successful three by Wilkinson at 14:42 opened up a Badger 14-4 run, capped off by another Harris trey, making the score 25-14 with 11:05 to go in the first. Harris upped the lead to 16 after stealing the ball at half-court and running it in for a one-handed slam, drawing a foul in the process.
The Badgers and Harris refused to slow down. With three seconds left in the half Harris nailed a three off the in-bound right in front of the Michigan bench. With the basket Wisconsin took a 25-point lead into the locker room at 48-23.
The Badgers committed only one turnover in the first half, and Davis contributed seven rebounds and four assists with no turnovers. The senior grabbed 10 total boards and managed seven assists by the end of the game.
With the conclusion of the regular season the Badgers now prepare for the Big Ten tournament where they will be the first seed. The action begins March 7 in Indianapolis. Ind.
