No Deja Vu for Badger Fans
Wisconsin rightfully caught some flack for nearly blowing a 17-point halftime lead last time out versus Ohio State. So, Badger fans may have had some flashbacks when they entered the break ahead by 17 points Saturday.
Those flashbacks grew into legitimate fears midway through the second period, when a 20-4 USC run which featured several successful dribble-drives from USC's guards slimmed Wisconsin's advantage to three points with 10:44 to play.
However, Wisconsin wouldn't let the Trojans hang around, scoring on six of their next eight possessions to extend the lead back into double figures. Kamari McGee capped off the Badgers' burst, making a fastbreak layup and a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions.
USC wouldn't get their deficit back into single digits the rest of the way.
Leading scorers go quiet
John Tonje (18.2 ppg) and Desmond Claude (16.4 ppg) both rank in the top 12 in points per game among Big 10 players and pace their respective teams in scoring. Yet, Tonje and Claude were invisible during the first half Saturday.
Tonje was the only Badger starter to enter the break scoreless, as he took a backseat while John Blackwell erupted for 16 points. The sixth-year wing attempted merely two shots in the first 20 minutes -- one of which came from beyond the arc -- while turning the ball over twice. Tonje finished the game without scoring a point, marking his first scoreless outing as a Badger and not scoring in double figures for the second time in 18 games.
Claude had averaged 20.6 points per game since the start of December and had been especially hot during USC's previous two games. He dropped 31 points against Illinois and 25 against Iowa, but missed all three of his field goals and committed two turnovers in the first half against Wisconsin.
Unlike the Badgers, USC didn't have a secondary option step up, resulting in a poor offensive half overall. Claude looked to hit his stride to start the second, scoring back-to-back buckets to open up the period but finished with just nine points on the day.
Blackwell, Klesmit Shine
Blackwell's excellent January got even better Saturday, as he dropped 28 points on 10-16 shooting. It was the sophomore guard's third game of more than 25 points, and his second in the last five games.
He was utterly dominant to start the contest, scoring 11 consecutive points for Wisconsin to open up the Badgers early lead. While Blackwell cooled off as he became the focus of USC's defense, he still paced the Badgers in points and also racked up five rebounds, and assist and two steals.
The inverse of Blackwell, Max Klesmit came on strong in the second half. The Neenah, WI native helped drag Wisconsin out of their offensive slump during the period, getting into the paint and collapsing the defense to score or dish it off to an open teammate. Klesmit notched 13 of his 18 total points in the second half and tied for the team high in assists with four. Additionally, Klesmit looks to be fully healthy following an ankle injury that forced him to miss Wisconsin's home win against Minnesota on Jan. 10