John Blackwell scored a game-high 28 points to lead No. 24 Wisconsin to an 84-69 win over USC in Los Angeles on Saturday in a Big Ten contest.
Max Klesmit scored 18 points and Nolan Winter added 13 points for Wisconsin (15-3, 5-2), which has won seven straight following a three-game skid.
The Badgers were only 8 of 29 from 3-point range (32.1 percent) but went 22 of 27 (81.4 percent) on 2-pointers and 13 of 15 from the free-throw line.
Saint Thomas scored 19 points, Rashaun Agee chipped in 15 and Wesley Yates added 11 for USC (11-6, 3-4), which had won two straight.
The Trojans turned the ball over 16 times, shot 49.1 percent from the field overall (26 of 53) and 40 percent (6 of 15) from 3-point range.
Wisconsin held a 19-point lead in the second half, but USC whittled its deficit to three at 55-52 with 10:44 remaining following a three-point play by Desmond Claude.
The Badgers answered, going on an 8-2 run to take a 63-54 lead with 8:14 left. Wisconsin continued to rebuild its big lead, going up 70-57 following a 3-pointer by Kamari McGee and a basket by Blackwell with 6:13 remaining.
A Klesmit 3-pointer gave Wisconsin a 76-60 lead with 4:04 to go. USC couldn’t bring its deficit back to single digits the rest of the game.
Trailing 51-32 with 17:54 remaining, USC got back in it with a 13-0 run to cut Wisconsin’s lead to 51-45 with 14:51 left. Thomas led the Trjoans with eight points during that stretch.
Wisconsin gained some separation in the first half, going on a 13-2 run to grab a 25-10 lead with 9:14 remaining.
The Badgers led by as many as 17 in the first half at 42-25 with 26 seconds left until halftime.
–Field Level Media
The Orlando Magic will look to strengthen their grip on the Eastern Conference’s seventh playoff seed on Thursday night when they visit the Washington Wizards. The Magic have won all…
Tyler Herro scored a game-high 25 points and Bam Adebayo tossed in 21 as the visiting Miami Heat extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Boston Celtics…
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and James Harden added 21 points, 10 assists and three blocked shots to help the Los Angeles Clippers post a 114-98 victory over the visiting…
NBA roundup: Heat stay hot, halt Celtics’ win streak at 9
Clippers handle Pelicans, forge 3-way tie for 6th in West
Thunder top Pistons to tie team record for wins (64) in season
Brice Williams nets 28 as Nebraska beats Georgetown in Crown