Badgers defeat Milwaukee 71-49 to snap losing streak

Published Nov. 24, 2017 11:27 p.m. ET

MADISON, Wis. -- Brad Davison scored 19 points and Ethan Happ had 14 points and eight rebounds to lead Wisconsin to a 71-49 victory over in-state rival Milwaukee on Friday night.

The Badgers (3-3) used an 18-4 run that spanned intermission to take a 39-25 lead on a long 3-pointer by Kobe King.

Milwaukee (4-2) would not get within single digits the rest of the way despite shooting 48.0 percent in the second half and 45.1 percent for the game.

Wisconsin used a 7-0 run to take a 28-21 lead, but Jeremiah Bell hit a jumper at the buzzer to snap a scoreless streak of 5 minutes for the Panthers.

Brevin Pritzl scored 12 points and D'Mitrik Trice added 10.

Bryce Nze led Milwaukee with 10 points and seven rebounds. Bryce Barnes, Brock Stull and Bell all finished with nine points.

After hitting just a pair of 3-pointers in the first half, Wisconsin went 8 for 11 from beyond the arc in the second half. Davison finished 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 from distance.

BIG PICTURE

Milwaukee: After pulling out a 68-67 win over Wisconsin in Madison when the teams last met Dec. 9, 2015, the Panthers hung with the Badgers for the majority of the first half.

Wisconsin: The young Badgers entered having dropped three straight close games to ranked opponents. With Virginia looming before Big Ten play begins, Wisconsin needed this win.

UP NEXT

Milwaukee will travel to face Northern Illinois on Wednesday. The Huskies downed fellow Horizon League foe Green Bay, 85-65, on Nov. 14.

Wisconsin will play at Virginia in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Monday. The Cavaliers moved to 6-0 with a win over Rhode Island in the championship game of the Preseason NIT on Friday.