World News – USA – Wisconsin 92, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 58: Badgers score the first 25 points of the game with another easy win

MADISON – One of the many adjustments college basketball coaches had to make due to the coronavirus pandemic was the loss of the annual closed scrimmages and exhibition games.

Well, Wisconsin’s manager Greg Gard and his players essentially took advantage of those events in the first two games of the season.

As at the start, Gard was able to rate individual employees and various lineups against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday evening.

The No.. 7 Badgers took the first 25 points of the game, increased his lead to 34 points at break, only turned in in the second half and encountered little resistance en route to a 92-58 win.

« I think it helped in some ways, » said Gard when asked about the value of wins over Eastern Illinois and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. « But I think we’re still trying – and maybe a few more games – to find out who we are, especially on the offensive. « . I think we’re starting to create an identity more and more. « 

The balance UW (2-0) showed in the opener against Eastern Illinois was evident against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, especially in the first 20 minutes when UW built a 53-19 lead.

In combination with the opening game against Eastern Illinois, UW surpassed its opponents in the first half with 96-39 points.

Gard used 10 players in the first half of Friday. Seven players scored one goal and seven players had at least one assist when UW finished half time with 12 assists and zero turnovers.

According to UW representatives, it was the sixth time in program history that UW failed to generate revenue in half and for the first time since the 2014-15 season when UW did so in an 82:50 win over Iowa.

UW hit 7 of 12 three-pointers (58). 3%), with an open appearance thanks to good ball movement and 20 of a total of 33 strokes (60). 6%).

Micah Potter (12 points), Nate Reuvers (10), Aleem Ford (8), Jonathan Davis (8), D’Mitrik Trice (7), Tyler Wahl (5) and Brad Davison (3) combined for the 53-point half when UW recorded 12 assists on 20 field goals.

« As long as we can keep getting that many contributors, it would be a great thing, » said Ford. « Because one night it could be someone’s night and another night we could have a different top scorer. « 

The Golden Lions (0-2) missed their first 11 shots and flipped the ball five times before Nicholas Jones scored 10 minutes and 5 seconds in the half.

UW’s first turnover was 17:22 in the game. The Badgers finished with 17 assists and seven turnovers.

Seven UW players scored at least six points in the opener, including three in the double digits, in a sometimes sloppy 77-67 win over eastern Illinois.

The Badgers broke that balance on Friday when eight players scored at least five points, four of them in double digits.

Potter finished the race with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Trice added 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers. Trice through two games has eight assists and zero turnovers.

« He’s running the show like a senior, » Gard said of Trice. « He takes what is available. For the most part, he’s not trying to force it.

« It undoubtedly gets tougher as the competition increases. But I think he ran the ship really well as a senior. « 

Reuvers overcame the fouls in the first half, adding 14 points, two rebounds, a block and a steal. For the second year running, Potter was in a productive tandem.

« I think we played together a lot more at the end of last year, » said Potter. « We really started to feel better together.

Ford, who missed all four field goal attempts in the opener, added 10 points, four rebounds and a steal.

Davis hit only 3 out of 10 shots but ended up with nine points, eight rebounds and two assists. Trevor Anderson added seven points, four rebounds and two steals. Wahl and Davison finished with five points each.

« I think the most important thing is that we stayed true to the way we had to play, » said Gard. « For the most part we have not become loose and sloppy. And that’s a challenge, especially when the score slips in one direction.

« It was good to bring a lot of people into the game, to gain experience and (evaluate) different combinations. « 

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