Wisconsin basketball 18-10 (11-6 Big Ten) got their revenge on Michigan in the Crisler Center thanks to D’Mitrik Trice and their three-point shooting efficiency.
As the 2019-20 college basketball season is nearing the finish line, Wisconsin Basketball and the Michigan Wolverines are playing to win that double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan’s Isaiah Livers is back and playing well. In the last four games prior to this one, he has averaged 15.4 points per game and has shot 46 percent from the field.
Micah Potter was also going to be a player to watch for the Badgers. He had 18 points against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He scored 10 points in the first two minutes of this game.
Both teams have been playing really good basketball down the stretch. Michigan got the upper hand on Wisconsin last year in the Crisler Center.
Trice scored the first basket of the game with a dribble-drive layup. The Wisconsin Badgers jumped out to an 8-2 run.
The Wolverines weren’t far behind as Zavier Simpson scored seven of their nine points. He took over for the Wolverines in this game with one dribble-drive after another. The Badgers could not stop him in attack mode.
Midway through the first half, the Wisconsin Badgers had a 22-15 lead thanks to the play of Trice, Potter and the team’s shooting efficiency from the perimeter. They were 4-of-6 from out there early.
A pair of free throws from Livers cut the Wolverines deficit to four, 24-20. Franz Wagner got his first basket making this a one-possession game for the moment.
Wisconsin basketball went on a 12-0 run as the first half was winding down and Michigan’s offense was faltering. They were down 36-22 under five minutes to go. Potter and Trice combined for 23 points.
The Badgers went into halftime up 43-33. The starting point guards for both teams were putting on a show. Simpson had 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting for the Wolverines and Trice had 13 points.
The Wisconsin Badgers managed to get out to this lead because they shot the ball well from the outside and were able to lock up defensively. Michigan needed Jon Teske, Livers and Wagner to raise their level of play in order to make this a game.
Teske put Michigan on the board first in the second half. A Simpson free throw and Livers three-pointer started an 8-0 run for them. They cut the Badgers lead to four, 43-39.
Foul trouble for Wisconsin was also a factor. They committed three fouls in two and a half minutes.
After their lead was cut to one point, the Badgers turned it up a notch by continuing their hot shooting from the perimeter and getting good shots in the paint when possible.
Midway through the second half, Simpson had 23 points for the Wolverines who were down 59-47. After their strong start, they were stagnant.
Simpson’s dribble-drive layup cut the Badgers lead for the moment to 61-55. That basket gave him a new career-high of 25 points.
Under four minutes left in the game, Wagner hit a three to bring the Wolverines within five, 70-65. Simpson followed that up with another dribble drive to make this a one-possession game.
Trice was five points away from his career-high of 31 points after a made three gave his Badgers a 73-67 lead.
The game came down to free throws as Simpson made the front end of a one and one at the line. Simpson scoring 32 points with six assists and five rebounds wasn’t enough to get the home win. Wisconsin basketball beat Michigan 81-73.
Trice got the better of his counterpart with 28 points and four assists. Potter and Aliem Ford combined for 36 points and 15 rebounds.
The Badgers play Minnesota at home on March 1 at 8:30 pm ET on the Big Ten Network. The Wolverines play No. 23 Ohio State the same day at 4 pm ET on CBS.