Wisconsin 81, California 56: Ben Brust scored a season-high 22 points and Jared Berggren added 18 points and eight rebounds as the host Badgers handed the Bears their first loss of the season.

Berggren’s free throw with 5:02 left in the first half capped a 12-0 run and put Wisconsin (5-3) ahead 31-12. Ryan Evans had 13 points and Sam Dekker added 10 for the Badgers, who shot 51.7 percent from the field.

Allen Crabbe paced California (6-1) with 25 points and seven rebounds, and Justin Cobbs had 11 points on 3-for-10 shooting. The Bears were outrebounded for the first time this season, 34-27.

Wisconsin bounced back from a rare home loss to Virginia last Wednesday by recording 16 steals and holding the Bears to 38.3 percent shooting. The Badgers led by 26 after Mike Bruesewitz’s 3-pointer with 10:56 remaining. Bruesewitz finished with eight points and as many rebounds.

California, which had won five of its first six games by double digits, committed 23 turnovers and set a season-low in points scored.

GAME NOTEBOOK: California was looking to start the season 7-0 for the first time since 1959. … The Badgers improved to 170-16 at the Kohl Center since Bo Ryan became coach in 2001-02. … The Bears entered the contest with 40 or more rebounds in each of their last four games.