Sophomore guard Brad Davison had 18 points and seven rebounds to help No. 22 Wisconsin notch a 64-58 victory over Illinois on Monday night in Big Ten play at Madison, Wis.
Senior guard Khalil Iverson added a season-high 16 points and collected nine rebounds for the Badgers (18-8, 10-5 Big Ten). Star senior center Ethan Happ had just six points and three rebounds but Wisconsin was still able to defeat the Fighting Illini for the 15th straight time.
Freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu scored 13 points and senior guard Aaron Jordan added 12 for Illinois (10-16, 6-9). Freshman power forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili had 10 points as the Illini saw their season-best four-game winning streak come to an end.
Wisconsin won despite shooting just 40 percent from the field, including 5 of 18 (27.8 percent) from 3-point range.
Illinois connected on 37.5 percent of its shots and was 6 of 19 (31.6 percent) from long range.
Davidson hit a wide-open mid-range jumper and converted a fast-break layup as the Badgers took a 56-52 lead with 2:55 remaining.
Dosunmu made two free throws to move the Illini within 60-58 with 49.7 seconds left, but Wisconsin sophomore power forward Nate Reuvers scored on a putback with 27 seconds left and Iverson stole an in-bounds pass after an Illinois timeout.
Iverson was fouled with 14.3 seconds remaining and split two free throws to make it 63-58 and Wisconsin closed it out.
The Badgers did not take their first lead until sophomore guard D'Mitrik Trice buried a 3-pointer 14 seconds into the second half to put Wisconsin up 28-26.
After Illinois took a two-point lead, Iverson scored consecutive baskets during a 6-0 run to give Wisconsin a 39-35 lead with 12:41 left.
Junior guard Brevin Pritzl knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 42-37 with 10:13 remaining.
Wisconsin led by six before Bezhanishvili outmaneuvered Happ to score on the inside and sophomore guard Trent Frazier got a high bounce off the rim that dropped in for three points as Illinois moved within 47-46 with 6:58 left.
Iverson followed with four straight free throws to push the lead back to five. Dosunmu hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play as the Illini scored six of the next seven points to tie it at 52 with 4:06 remaining.
Illinois sprinted out to a 10-2 lead and maintained it throughout the first half.
Iverson's putback dunk as time expired pulled Wisconsin within 26-25 at the break.
--Field Level Media
Illinois | Wisconsin | |
Ayo Dosunmu 13 | Scoring | Brad Davison 18 |
Ayo Dosunmu 3 | Assists | Brad Davison 3 |
Andres Feliz 6 | Rebounds | Brevin Pritzl 10 |
Ayo Dosunmu 4 | Free Throws Made | Brad Davison 6 |
Giorgi Bezhanishvili 2 | Steals | Brad Davison 2 |
Giorgi Bezhanishvili 3 | Blocks | Nate Reuvers 3 |