No. 12 Wisconsin knocks off Loyola of Chicago

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Brad Davison and D’Mitrik Trice each scored 17 points as No. 12 Wisconsin capitalized on its sizzling 3-point shooting to beat Loyola of Chicago 77-63 on Tuesday night.

Wisconsin (5-1) went 10 of 18 from beyond the arc and made four of those long-range attempts during a 19-2 run that helped the Badgers build an 18-point advantage in the second half.

The game was set up just two days earlier after both teams had scheduled Wednesday matchups scrapped due to the pandemic. Wisconsin had planned on hosting Northern Iowa, and Loyola was supposed to face Duquesne in Indianapolis.

Instead, these two midwestern programs squared off for the first time since 1998.

Micah Potter had 13 points and Jonathan Davis added 12 as Wisconsin earned its 13th straight home victory.

Cameron Krutwig scored 19 points and Lucas Williamson had 15 for Loyola (3-1).

Neither team could get much going offensively early on.

Loyola took a 7-0 lead as Wisconsin missed its first seven shots. Wisconsin responded with a 17-3 spurt while Loyola missed 10 of 11 field goal attempts.

Wisconsin couldn’t extend its lead beyond seven during a first half in which both teams struggled to score. Wisconsin was 5 of 10 from 3-point range but just 5 for 23 inside the arc in the first half, while Loyola shot 9 of 24 overall.

Loyola tied the game at 33 early in the second half on consecutive inside baskets from Krutwig. Trice’s jumper put Wisconsin back ahead with 17:41 left.

Krutwig made the second of two free throws to cut Wisconsin’s lead to 35-34. But the Badgers followed with three consecutive 3-pointers — two from Potter and one from Trevor Anderson.

The trio of 3s sparked a 19-2 spurt that also included a four-point play from Davison, who got fouled while making a 3-pointer and hit the ensuing free throw.

Loyola tried to rally and got the margin down to nine on Keith Clemons’ four-point play with just over eight minutes left, but the Ramblers didn't get any closer the rest of the way.

BIG PICTURE

Loyola: This marked the Ramblers' first major test after they had defeated Division II program Lewis, Chicago State and Illinois-Chicago by an average margin of 25.7 points. The step up in competition was most apparent from 3-point range. Loyola had allowed its first three opponents to hit just 26.9% (14 of 52) of their attempts from beyond the arc before getting blitzed by Wisconsin's perimeter shooting.

Wisconsin: The Badgers continue to do a good job of dealing with all the changes to their nonconference slate. Wisconsin won 73-62 over Rhode Island last week in a game that had been added to the schedule just two days beforehand and recovered from a slow start to beat Loyola.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

This game doesn't figure to have as much of an impact on Wisconsin's ranking as its Saturday matchup with No. 23 Louisville.

UP NEXT

Loyola faces Richmond on Friday in Indianapolis.

Wisconsin hosts Louisville on Saturday. The Badgers and Cardinals originally were scheduled to play on Dec. 9, but the game was postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing within Louisville's program.

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