LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Brad Davison scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half and fueled No. 24 Wisconsin’s decisive surge in the second half of a 62-51 win over Nebraska on Tuesday night.
The Badgers (15-6, 7-3 Big Ten) won their fourth straight game, frittering away a big first-half lead before pulling away in the second.
The Cornhuskers (13-8, 3-7), playing their first game without injured forward Isaac Copeland, lost their fourth straight and sixth in eight games. Their 51 points were a season low, and they made just two field goals over the last 8½ minutes.
Ethan Happ and Nate Reuvers scored 10 points apiece for Wisconsin.
Isaiah Roby, who moved from center to power forward in Copeland’s absence, had 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks for the Huskers. James Palmer had 14 points and Thomas Allen added 10.
Davison scored 10 points during an 18-4 run that turned Wisconsin’s 40-37 deficit into a 55-44 lead with 4½ minutes left. Roby drove the length of the floor for a lay-in that ended a five-minute field-goal drought and cut the lead to nine points.
The Huskers, who trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, tied it at 32-all when Roby spun around Happ for a left-handed lay-in. Nebraska coach Tim Miles went to one knee and pumped his fist as the ball went through the hoop and Happ was called for a foul.
The Huskers were up 40-37 before the Badgers began their decisive surge and Nebraska went into a long stretch with no field goals.
BIG PICTURE
Wisconsin: Any road win is good, and the Badgers have won six of their last seven in Big Ten play. This one wasn’t particularly pretty at times, but Davison and others stepped up on a night Happ was held mostly in check.
Nebraska: The Huskers are a mess as they try to adjust to the loss of Copeland and a crisis of confidence. Their habit of going on long scoring droughts was made worse by the fact they outrebounded Wisconsin 45-37 and a whopping 18-8 on the offensive end, but only mustered seven second-chance points.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin: Hosts No. 21 Maryland on Friday.
Nebraska: Visits Illinois on Saturday.