Jordan Taylor’s 22 points led Wisconsin to an ugly 52-45 home win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The Badgers offense was abysmal in the first half, scoring only 16 points on 4-20 shooting. Taylor’s three-point field goal with 12:36 left in the half was the last shot the Badgers would make before the break. 16 points is the fewest they scored in any half this season.
Typical Wisconsin defense kept the Badgers in the game as the Gophers only shot 5-19 from the field in the first half. Free throws were the difference as the Gophers shot thirteen free throws to the Badgers seven, which gave the Gophers a 23-16 lead at the break.
After halftime, the Badgers came out on a strong 9-2 run to tie the game at 25. The Badger defense continued to hold firm, holding the Gophers to just six points in the first ten minutes of the second half. From there, the Badgers coasted to a seven point win.
Taylor was the star of the game finishing with 22 points including 11-12 from the charity stripe. Andre Hollins scored 18 points, 13 of them in the first half, to pace the Gophers.
With the win, the Badgers clinch a first round bye in the Big Ten tournament. They wrap up the regular season with Senior Night at the Kohl Center against Illinois this Sunday. Tip is scheduled for noon central time.
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE