Wisconsin shoots its way into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals
The Wisconsin men showcased the kind of superior shooting that can lead a team to a deep NCAA Tournament run on Friday.
Behind 19 made 3-pointers and 52 percent shooting overall from the field, the Badgers eliminated UCLA to advance to the Big Ten Conference Tournament semifinals, 86-70. Wisconsin will square off with top-seed Michigan State at noon Saturday on CBS. The Spartans topped Oregon, 74-64.
John Tonje had six of those 19 triples, finishing with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. He was 9 of 10 from the field and buried all six of his 3-point attempts as the Badgers tied a tournament record for made triples.
John Blackwell contributed 18 points with five rebounds and four assists, making four 3-pointers. Six different Wisconsin players sank a shot from long-range.
For UCLA, Sebastian Mack had 18 and Kobe Johnson added 14 points.
Wisconsin took control of the contest early, leading 49-28 at the break while showing no signs of fatigue despite playing for the third straight day. A dozen of those 3-pointers went in during the first half including a stretch of five straight that turned the game in favor of the Badgers.
During the regular season, Michigan State posted a victory over Wisconsin on its home floor.
