Wisconsin uses long ball to snap Breakers

Photo by: Patrick Herb

Wisconsin uses long ball to snap Breakers

August 17, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Badgers Down Under VIDEO: Highlights, Reaction VIDEO: Bonus practices a hidden benefit of international trip <i class="icon-video"></i>Lucas: Tour could help define what Badgers have Down Under Ready to take a step forward Wisconsin to travel to Australia/New Zealand

Badgers hit 15 3-pointers en route to runaway win

• Box Score | Highlights | Badgers Down Under

TAURANGA, New Zealand – The international 3-point line is about a foot and half further than the NCAA arc, but the Wisconsin men's basketball team had no trouble adjusting on its foreign tour. Connecting on 15 3-pointers, the Badgers ran away with an 87-53 win over the New Zealand Breakers in Tauranga, New Zealand on Tuesday night.

Wisconsin, which improved to 2-0 on its five-game trip, had to come from behind for an 85-75 win over the Breakers just two days earlier, but controlled Tuesday's rematch from start the finish.

"I thought we were much more relaxed from the start," head coach Greg Gard said. "I thought defensively we were really good the whole game for the most part. I thought we could make some monumental jumps from game one to game two. That was really the challenge to the players, that we've got to be better tonight than we were two days ago. For the most part we were."

Highlights and reaction from the #Badgers rematch with the New Zealand Breakers. (hint: the 3-ball was workin' ??)
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) August 17, 2017

UW jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the opening minutes and rode hot shooting to extend the cushion to 45-24 by halftime. Junior forward Andy Van Vliet made all three of his 3-pointers in the first half and finished with a game-high 14 points (4-5 3FGs) and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard D'Mitrik Trice hit both of his 3s in the first half before totaling 12 points and two assists.

For the game, the Badgers shot 45.3 percent overall, including a blistering 50.0 percent (15-for-30) from 3-point range. Through two international games, Wisconsin is now 25-for-50 (50.0 percent) from behind the arc.

The Breakers never found their rhythm, converting just 25.7 percent from the field and 3-for-23 from long range.

"I think our defensive energy was better tonight than the first game," freshman guard Kobe King said. "We learned in film today how to get around screens and guard the pick and roll and we really focused on trying to neutralize their best player. Aleem (Ford) and many others did a really good job of that."

Gard explained before the trip that he would be experimenting with lineups and combinations and followed through with a dramatically different starting lineup on Thursday. The Badgers started true freshman Brad Davison and Brevin Pritzl in the backcourt, accompanied by Van Vliet, Aleem Ford and Charles Thomas in the frontcourt.

"Everybody contributed, even the guys who were in the last four or five minutes of the game shared the ball," Gard added. "If you have 15 made 3s, you've got to be sharing the ball in order to get that many open shots. I thought this group really played unselfishly, which is a trademark of our program. I was happy to see everyone get a chance to get into the game and get into the scoring column."

In all, 15 of the 17 Badgers scored. In addition to double figures from Van Vliet and Trice, UW got nine points each from freshmen Kobe King and Nate Reuvers, as well as eight points and five rebounds from Pritzl.

In the final four minutes, Wisconsin's reserves hit six 3-pointers to close out the Breakers. Sophomores Trevor Anderson and Michael Ballard each connected on two triples, while junior Matt Ferris and freshman Walt McGrory both tallied one.

"We all trust each other and we all trust our talent, so if you have an open shot, we're all confident to knock it down and let it fly," King said.

Dear Mum, Can't to wait show my roommates the Haka I learned yesterday. Not sure the neighbors below us will care for it tho. Love, Charlie
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) August 18, 2017

The Badgers travel next to Australia for the final three games of their foreign trip. Game action in Australia begins on Aug. 19 against the Hawthorn Magic in Melbourne. Tip is set for 4 p.m. local time, which is 11 p.m. CT on Aug. 18 back in Madison.