Wisconsin blitzes UCLA early, bounces back for Big 10 triumph
Nick Boyd scored 20 points and Nolan Winter added 18 as Wisconsin held off visiting UCLA, 80-72, in a Big Ten Conference matchup on Tuesday night in Madison, Wisc.
John Blackwell added 17 points and Andrew Rohde 12 for Wisconsin (10-5, Big Ten 2-2), which bounced back from its only home loss, 89-73, to fifth-ranked Purdue on Saturday.
Eric Dailey Jr. tallied 18 points, Tyler Bilodeau added 16, and Trent Perry posted 15 for UCLA (10-5, Big Ten 2-2), which has dropped two consecutive conference road games.
UCLA, which trailed by 20 points midway through the first half, pulled within 63-56 on a 3-pointer by Perry with 8:41 remaining, but Wisconsin answered with 9-1 run to extend the lead to 72-57.
Perry hit two free throws to pull the Bruins within 74-65 with 2:02 left.
UCLA had 28 field goals to 25 for Wisconsin, but was just 1 of 17 from 3-point range. The Badgers were 10 of 30 beyond the arc to offset a 36-26 deficit in points in the paint.
Wisconsin gained separation early with a pair of double-digit scoring runs en route to a 45-31 halftime lead.
Winter's 3-pointer from out top capped a 13-0 run that put the Badgers in front 16-4.
Perry converted a three-point play to pull the Bruins within 17-9, but the Badgers responded with an 11-0 spurt, going in front 28-9 on Boyd's 3-pointer from the right corner just inside the midpoint of the half.
Wisconsin tied its biggest lead of the half at 33-13, but UCLA rallied within 33-19 as the Badgers went more than three minutes without scoring.
The Badgers shot 53.6% in the first half, including 8 of 16 beyond the arc, with 10 assists on 15 field goals.
Dailey Jr. scored a dozen second half points and Bilodeau tallied 10 as UCLA attempted to rally. All of Dailey Jr.'s eight rebounds occurred in the final 20 minutes. Bilodeau led all rebounders in the game with nine, while Donovan Dent scored 13 points and added a game-best seven assists.
Wisconsin reserve forward Austin Rapp, averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds, was out with an undisclosed injury.