Field Level Media
Jan 15, 2021
D'Mitrik Trice scored the last eight points in a game-breaking, 12-0 Wisconsin run Friday night as the No. 9 Badgers notched a 60-54 win over Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.
With Wisconsin clinging to a 46-44 lead and 7:04 left in the game, Trice sank consecutive 3-pointers late in the shot clock, then drove through the defense for an open layup. The surge upped the Badgers' cushion to 54-44 with 4:19 remaining.
Trice finished with 13 points, making him one of four players in double figures for Wisconsin (11-3, 5-2 Big Ten). Aleem Ford and Brad Davison each scored 14 to lead the balanced attack while Micah Potter added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Jacob Young scored a game-high 17 points for the Scarlet Knights (7-5, 3-5), but it wasn't enough to keep them from losing for the fifth time in six games. Leading scorer Ron Harper Jr., who entered the night averaging 20.1 points per game, made only 2 of 13 shots from the field and finished with just four points.
Rutgers lost despite dominating the rebounding 50-35 and grabbing 20 offensive boards. The Scarlet Knights hit just 25 of 67 (37.3 percent) from the field, but the Badgers were even worse, 19 of 54 (35.2 percent).
The difference came at the foul line, where Wisconsin was 16 of 21 and Rutgers was 2 of 7.
After Rutgers scored on its first two possessions for a 4-0 lead, it endured a scoring drought of 5:16 while Wisconsin pumped in 13 consecutive points. The Scarlet Knights missed eight straight field goals at one stage before Caleb McConnell scored on a put-back.
The Badgers' lead reached 17-7 after a Jonathan Davis layup before Rutgers finally pushed back. A 9-2 burst, capped by Harper's driving layup, brought the home team within 19-16.
Another Wisconsin spurt upped its advantage to 27-18 on a 3-pointer by Nate Reuvers, but the Scarlet Knights tightened up defensively and ended the half with momentum. Young's steal and layup in the last seconds enabled the hosts to head for the locker room trailing just 33-32.
--Field Level Media