The Badger men's basketball team rebounded from a mid-week loss at Penn State with a 61-53 victory over the Hawkeyes at Iowa Saturday. UW improves to 19-6 overall and 9-4 in Big-Ten play.
Wisconsin struggled in the first half making only nine of 25 shots for a 36 percent mark from the field. The Hawkeyes started the game on a 16-4 run to take the lead in the opening eight minutes.
After trailing 29-21 at the half, Wisconsin was led by sophomore forward Mike Wilkinson's 20 points and seven rebounds in the comeback victory.
The Badgers started the second half on an 8-0 run sparked by a pair of lay ins from freshman guard Alando Tucker. With 15:50 remaining in the game, junior guard Freddie Owens made a three pointer from the corner to give UW its first lead of the game, 32-31. Owens finished the game with 13 points on five -of-10 shooting.
Midway through the second half, Wilkinson scored eight straight points for the Badgers, including two three pointers, to put Wisconsin up 42-38 at the 11:55 mark. From that point on, UW only increased the margin of victory.
A 10-4 Badger streak gave Wisconsin a game-high nine-point lead, 54-45, with 5:15 to go in the game. Iowa responded with a streak of their own, eventually cutting the deficit to 57-53 with 1:51 remaining.
The Badgers held the Hawkeyes scoreless in the closing two minutes and made four free throws to seal the win.
With the score 29-17 in the final minute of the first frame, the Badgers scored the final four points of the half to make the score 29-21 at the break.
UW returns home Wednesday, with revenge on their minds, as they host the University of Michigan Wolverines. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. On Jan. 8 Michigan won the first meeting between the two teams 66-65 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
With the victory against Iowa, the Badgers have moved into second place in the Big Ten,
