The Wisconsin men's basketball team (6-3 Big Ten, 16-5 overall) completed a season sweep of Northwestern (1-8, 9-11), winning 74-59 Saturday. Senior guard Kirk Penney had a team-high 23 points, including 13 in the first half. Penney was seven for 15 from the field for the day.
The contest was close in the early going until the Badgers rallied, making five consecutive field goal attempts midway through the first frame to take a 19-14 lead. Sophomore guard Clayton Hanson came off the bench late in the first half, adding a three-pointer to give Wisconsin a 31-22 advantage. Hanson scored a career-high 12 points, sinking all four of his three-point attempts.
The Wildcats responded by going on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 31-29 in the final minute of the first half. Penney had four consecutive points to close the half and give the Badgers a 35-29 lead at the break.
The UW extended its lead to start the second half. Penney made a three-pointer 10 seconds into the half and sophomore guard Devin Harris made a jumper for a 5-0 UW rally to start the second.
The Badgers eventually increased their lead to 21 points late in the game after a Hanson three-pointer made it 69-48. Hanson made three three-pointers in a four- minute span to seal the victory. He was 4-4 from three-point range and scored a career-high 12 points. The Wildcats' junior guard Jitim Young led all scorers with 25 points.
Wisconsin held Northwestern to a 44 percent mark from the floor. In the first meeting between the two teams on Jan. 29, the Badgers beat the Wildcats 69-50 at the Kohl Center. Northwestern falls to 9-11 overall and 1-8 in conference play.
The Badgers face Michigan State at home on Tuesday
