Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Late Night Snacks: Wisconsin, Colorado pick up wins

Ryan Evans, Keifer Sykes

Wisconsin’s Ryan Evans, left, shoots past Green Bay’s Keifer Sykes during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, in Madison, Wis. Evans had a team-high 13 points in Wisconsin’s 65-54 win. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

AP

Game of the Night

Wisconsin 65, UW-Green Bay 54: The Phoenix looked pretty good for the first 15 minutes, controlling the Badgers defensively and getting some easy buckets in transition. But in about 10 minutes of game time that spanned both halves, Wisconsin used a 31-8 surge to take a 45-29 lead and never looked back. The most important performance -- other than Jared Berggren once again shutting down a touted frontline, helping to hold Brendan Cougill and Alec Brown to 6-22 shooting -- was Ryan Evans. He finished with 13 points, seven boards, three assists and two blocks, looking like a much more aggressive player than he was the last couple of games, but more importantly Evans was 3-6 from the charity stripe. That’s notable because, well, he was shooting 31.8% from the line on the season and had hit just one of his last 12 attempts.

Important Outcomes

Colorado 50, Fresno State 43: Is it time to question whether or not Colorado is actually a good basketball team? We all fell in love with them after they went to the Charleston Classic and beat Dayton, Baylor and Murray State, but what have they done in their last five games that says they’re more than just another middle of the pack Pac-12 team? Get taken to two overtimes by Texas Southern? Lose to Wyoming? Lose by 36 to Kansas? Struggle to beat Fresno State? Beating up on Colorado State was impressive, but nearly blowing a 25 point lead wasn’t.

The Buffaloes get Northern Arizona and Hartford before kicking off conference play with a trip to Arizona. They have some issues that are going to need to be worked out before then.

Starred

Jerelle Benimon, Towson: Temple beat the Tigers to move to 7-1 on the season, but Benimon was the best player on the floor, something that’s happened quite often this season, as he went for 30 points and 18 boards. Over his last three games, Benimon is averaging 23.3 points and 14.7 boards.

Keith Clanton, UCF: How about this line: 30 points, 13 boards, four assists, 14-15 FGs. Solid night. Too bad it came against Bethune-Cookman.

Struggled

Campbell: The Camels lost to Rio Grande, which is an NAIA Division II team. Rio Grande should sound familiar to you, however. Bevo Francis went there. Do you know who that is?

Jahii Carson, Arizona State: Carson was 5-16 from the floor and committed six turnovers as the Sun Devils lost 78-61 to DePaul. At home. Yuck.

The Rest of the Top 25

- No. 7 Ohio State 85, Savannah State 45

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.