Micah Potter paced five scorers in double figures with 14 points and Tyler Wahl notched a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds to boost No. 4 Wisconsin to an 82-42 rout of visiting Green Bay on Tuesday.
Wisconsin (3-0) led by as many as 43 points while connecting on 55.7 percent of its shots from the field. The Badgers' success included 9-for-20 (45 percent) accuracy from long range. Nate Reuvers drilled a game-high three treys and finished with 13 points, matching teammate Aleem Ford. Brad Davison added 10 points.
Josh Jefferson finished with 12 points to lead the Phoenix (0-2), while Amari Davis chipped in nine points. Paris Taylor scored eight points and snagged five rebounds, tying PJ Pipes for the team lead. Wisconsin outrebounded Green Bay 45-25, including a 9-7 edge on the offensive glass.
Potter added eight rebounds for the Badgers, and Wahl contributed two blocks and two steals.
The Phoenix shot 28.1 percent (16-for-57), including 3-for-17 (17.6 percent) from deep.
The game marked a homecoming for first-year Phoenix coach Will Ryan, the son of longtime former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan. Will Ryan, 42, was a Badgers assistant from 2002-07, serving on the same staff as Wisconsin counterpart Greg Gard.
Wisconsin led 34-12 at halftime behind 45.2 percent (14-for-31) shooting. Davison paced the Badgers with 10 points in the first 20 minutes, one more than Potter, while Wahl had six points and nine rebounds.
Green Bay struggled to 17.2 percent (5-for-29) shooting in the first half, at one point enduring a scoring drought of 8:14 that included 13 successive misses from the field. Although the Badgers eventually distanced themselves from the Phoenix, that stretch wasn't a primary catalyst.
Green Bay grabbed a 4-2 lead on Taylor's jumper at 16:55 of the first half, with Jefferson's trey at the 8:41 mark drawing the Phoenix to within 13-7.
D'Mitrik Trice had five assists for the Badgers.
--Field Level Media
Green Bay | Wisconsin | |
Josh Jefferson 12 | Scoring | Micah Potter 14 |
PJ Pipes 2 | Assists | D'Mitrik Trice 5 |
PJ Pipes 5 | Rebounds | Tyler Wahl 15 |
Amari Davis 2 | Free Throws Made | Brad Davison 2 |
Amari Davis 1 | Steals | Tyler Wahl 2 |
Amari Davis 1 | Blocks | Nate Reuvers 2 |