Hayes scores big, leads Badgers past UW-Green Bay
MADISON, Wis. -- Nigel Hayes scored seven of his team-high 24 points in a 17-0 first-half run and five more in the final minutes as Wisconsin held off Wisconsin-Green Bay 84-79 Wednesday night, giving Greg Gard a nerve-wracking win in his first game as the Badgers' interim coach.
Gard spent 23 years as an assistant to Bo Ryan, including the past 15 at Wisconsin, before being named interim coach when Ryan abruptly announced his retirement immediately after the Badgers' victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi Dec. 15.
It looked like Wisconsin (8-5) would cruise in Gard's debut, as the Badgers led by 21 at halftime and were up 30 at 68-38 after two free throws by Hayes with 13:01 to play. But the Phoenix (6-5) used their full-court press to force turnovers in a stunning 33-6 surge and got as close as three on three occasions in the final 1:45. Carrington Love led Green Bay with 28 points.
The Phoenix led 16-15 early before the Badgers seemingly took control. Green Bay missed 16 consecutive shots, committed seven turnovers and went scoreless for 9:17 as Wisconsin opened up a 32-16 advantage.
One big change for the Badgers was in the backcourt. With starters Bronson Koenig and Zak Showalter saddled with fouls, Jordan Hill provided a huge spark. The sophomore had just seven points in 18 career appearances coming into the night, but scored eight points in the first half, 10 in the game.
Hayes threw down back-to-back dunks and Showalter and Koenig followed with 3-pointers after halftime as the rout appeared to be on.
The Phoenix, though, had other ideas. Love led the charge back with seven points, while Kenneth Lowe, Jordan Fouse and Turner Botz added five apiece. Green Bay forced Wisconsin into 14 turnovers in the run and a season-worst 26 on the night. Fouse finished with 17 points, Lowe with nine.
After the Phoenix got within 74-71, Hayes hit a pair of free throws and converted a three-point play. Love hit a 3 with 59 seconds left to pull Green Bay within 79-76, but his driving layup was blocked by Wisconsin's Vitto Brown with 17 seconds remaining. The Badgers went 8-for-9 from the foul line in the final 1:34 to seal the victory.
TIP-INS
Green Bay: The Phoenix narrowly missed hitting 80 points for the eighth time this season, but their 79 were the most allowed by Wisconsin this season -- the only other teams to score more than 70 on the Badgers are Virginia Commonwealth (73) and Georgetown (71).
Wisconsin: Hayes' free throw to complete a three-point play, which made it 79-73 with 1:02 left, was his 1,000th career point. The junior is the 42nd player in Badgers history to hit the milestone.
A LONG, LONG TIME AGO
The last time someone other than Ryan coached a Wisconsin game was March 15, 2001, when the Badgers -- under interim coach Brad Soderberg -- lost to Georgia State 50-49 in an NCAA tournament first-round game.
PHOENIX YET TO RISE IN MADISON
Green Bay is 0-18 against the Badgers in Wisconsin's capital city and 1-21 in the teams' all-time series. The Phoenix's lone victory in the series was 88-84 in overtime on Dec. 9, 2009.
WINNING DEBUT
Gard, the 16th coach in Wisconsin men's basketball history, is just the third Badgers coach since 1934 to win his debut. Soderberg in 2000 and Stan Van Gundy in 1994 are the others. Overall, Wisconsin coaches are 8-8 in their opening games.
