The Wisconsin Badgers (15-3) continued to play consistently sound basketball on Saturday, solidly defeating the USC Trojans (11-7) 84-69 in Los Angeles. More than halfway through the season, the Badgers seem to be firing on all cylinders.
Playing against Ohio State on Jan. 14, Wisconsin almost squandered their 17-point halftime lead, allowing the game to stay close until the very end. Wisconsin faced a similar predicament against USC, leading by 15 at the half before a 13-0 USC run brought the game within six points.
But this time, Wisconsin responded with more than enough poise, burying the Trojans late in the second half and winning their seventh straight game.
During an afternoon in which leading scorer John Tonje went scoreless, Wisconsin had no problems offensively. Guard John Blackwell continued his torrid sophomore season with a dominant offensive performance, leading all scorers with 28 points, shooting 10-16 from the field and grabbing five rebounds.
Wisconsin also received heavy contributions from guard Max Klesmit. With 18 points, Klesmit reached double figures for the first time in over a month. Guard Kamari McGee scored 10 points from the bench, providing an energy-boost the Badgers needed to pull away from USC. Forwards Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl scored 13 and nine points.
“We score 84 points and John (Tonje) doesn’t score,” head coach Greg Gard said after the game. “There’s been so many nights he’s carried us. He’s helped us. I think that’s what makes this team really, really good is we have a lot of pieces and a lot of weapons."
The Trojans, who started slow and couldn’t muster enough momentum for a comeback, were led offensively by forward Saint Thomas, who scored 19 points on 7-11 shooting, with four rebounds and three assists. Forward Rashaun Agee scored 15 points, while guard Wesley Yates III added 11.
Wisconsin’s defense, which continues to improve as the season progresses, held the Trojans largely in check Saturday, which allowed them to build their first half lead.
After committing three straight turnovers to begin the game, Wisconsin calmed down and got off to a fast start. In another early-game firestorm, Blackwell scored ten straight points for Wisconsin, and the Badgers made seven of their first ten shots to build an 18-10 lead.
With first half three-pointers from Winter and Crowl, the Badgers created offensive space and soon had a 15-point advantage with 9:14 remaining in the half. Wisconsin kept pressure on USC to maintain their 15-point lead into the break. But with nine turnovers, Wisconsin squandered any opportunity to put USC into a deeper hole.
Early on in the second half, it seemed as though Wisconsin’s onslaught would continue, as a Klesmit three-pointer with 17:54 left put Wisconsin up by 19 points. But the Trojans quickly rattled off a 13-point run, and with 14:51 remaining, Wisconsin suddenly had a dogfight on their hands.
USC hung around for the next eight minutes, but after back-to-back possessions ending in McGee buckets, Wisconsin began to pull away with an 11-point lead.
Put in almost the same situation they were in on Jan. 14, Wisconsin did what they weren’t able to do so easily against Ohio State and handled business firmly.
