Johnny Davis scored 15 points and freshman Chucky Hepburn added 13 as Wisconsin rolled past St. Francis (Brooklyn) 81-58 in the nonconference season opener for both teams on Tuesday night in Madison, Wis.
Steven Crowl, a 7-foot sophomore center, added 11 points and eight rebounds for Wisconsin, which has won 23 of its last 24 home openers. Chris Vogt, a 7-foot graduate transfer from Cincinnati, had a team-high nine rebounds in 17 minutes as the Badgers had a 48-31 advantage on the boards.
Patrick Emilien, a graduate transfer from Western Michigan, had 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Terriers. Michael Cubbage, a graduate transfer from Marist, and Trey Quartlebaum each added 10.
Wisconsin missed its first six field-goal attempts, but then took control with a 12-0 run. The Badgers hit five straight shots, including 3-pointers by Hepburn and freshman Lorne Bowman II for a 14-3 lead with 6 1/2 minutes gone.
The Badgers ran off 15 consecutive points to stretch the lead to 34-12 before Emilien hit consecutive baskets for the Terriers.
Emilien, who had 11 first-half points, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 42-21 as Wisconsin missed its final five shots before the break.
The Badgers scored 14 points off nine St. Francis turnovers in the first half and had a 10-0 advantage in fast-break points.
The Terriers scored the first six points of the second half, but the Badgers led comfortably the rest of the way.
Hepburn’s 3-pointer put Wisconsin up 63-33 with 9:05 remaining.
Wisconsin, which returned starters Brad Davison and Tyler Wahl, along with top substitute Davis, a 6-5 sophomore guard, has 12 underclassmen on its roster — seven sophomores and five freshmen. The Badgers used 15 players against the Terriers, with nine getting at least 15 minutes.
The Badgers host in-state rival Wisconsin-Green Bay on Friday, while the Terriers, picked to finish seventh in the Northeast Conference in the preseason coaches poll, host St. Thomas (Minnesota) on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
