Wisconsin bounced back from a two-point loss at UCLA on Tuesday with a statement 83-55 win over the Cornhuskers. The Badgers were effective on both ends, shooting 47.6 percent from the field and holding Nebraska to its second-fewest points in a game this year.
Still, it was Wisconsin's suffocating defense that grabbed headlines. The Badgers had a sour taste in their mouths after scoring 83 points in the loss to the Bruins, and they made sure to leave no doubts regarding their defensive prowess.
"We knew after Tuesday's game that we had to step it up defensively," Kamari McGee said, "so... we just locked in."
Nothing was easy for the Cornhuskers offense, even for the Big 10's sixth-leading scorer Brice Williams. Williams tallied just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting and committed four of Nebraska's 12 turnovers. Juwan Gary and former Badger Connor Essegian -- Nebraska's second and third leading scorers -- combined to shoot 5-for-22 from the field.
As a team, Nebraska made merely 33.9 percent of their field goal attempts and 33.3 percent of their three-pointers.
Wisconsin's stellar defense boosted its already potent offense.
The Badgers scored 17 points off Nebraska turnovers, highlighted by a two-hand poster dunk by Jack Janicki over Nebraska forward Berke Buyuktuncel. The slam pulled the Badgers out of an offensive slump late in the first half and provided the spark that allowed Wisconsin to push their lead back into double figures by halftime.
John Tonje, an Omaha, Nebraska native, dropped 27 points with five made three-pointers. The veteran wing seems to have regained confidence after a slow shooting start to January that culminated in a scoreless outing at USC. Tonje credits the turnaround to a conversation with assistant coach Kirk Penney, which occurred after the matchup with the Trojans.
" Penney gave me a good talk," Tonje said. "(He) told me if I'm open, let it fly."
Tonje's confidence was infectious. His made three-pointer 90 seconds into the game spurred a monster 19-2 run for the Badgers that featured five makes from beyond the arc. Once Wisconsin saw the early jumpers fall, they didn't hesitate to fire.
Their willingness to shoot yielded 17 made three-pointers at a staggering 45.9 percent rate. It marked the second straight game Wisconsin had made at least 15 three-pointers and shot better than 45 percent from long distance.
If it weren't for a six-minute scoring drought midway through the first period in which Nebraska got back within five points, Wisconsin's gaudy offensive stats would have been even better.
John Blackwell served as a secondary option, tallying 14 points and four rebounds himself. Steven Crowl was subject to constant double teams and wound up with one point on no field goal attempts to go along with seven boards and three assists. Max Klesmit, who tweaked his ankle in the first half before getting retaped at the break, finished with eight points (3-9 FG), seven rebounds, and three assists.
Even the second unit got involved in the three-point barrage. Kamari McGee knocked down three triples as part of his 11-point outing. In total, the Badgers got 27 bench points.
Overall, it was an excellent showing for Greg Gard's crew and one that should get Badgers fans excited because, as Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg put it, "(Wisconsin) is one of the best teams in the country."
What's Next
Wisconsin, winners of 8 of their last nine, will travel to Maryland to take on the Terrapins on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 6:00 pm CT on Big Ten Network. Maryland is on a three-game win streak, headlined by a 21-point win over Illinois in Champaign. The Terrapins are led by a prominent frontcourt duo of Derik Queen (15.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and Julian Reese (13.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg).