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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin found somebody who could stop Texas 7-footer Chris Mihm. To everybody's surprise, it was 6-foot-3 Mike Kelley.
Jon Bryant scored 16 points and Wisconsin's aggressive,
unconventional defense baffled Texas' high-powered offense as the
Badgers upset the No. 10 Longhorns 61-45 Tuesday night.
|  | | Chris McColpin scoops in two points for Texas. |
Kelley set a Big Ten record with 10 steals, and he stood out
among many Badgers who gave sterling defensive efforts. Texas' 45
points were the school's fewest since Jan. 26, 1985, when the
Longhorns lost 53-45 to Texas Christian.
Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett's game plan against Mihm made the difference, but Bennett credited Kelley's outstanding effort with changing the game. Kelley's constant double-teams in the post against Mihm threw Texas' offense into disarray.
"I've not seen many efforts like that," Bennett said. "I've never seen a guard take over a game like that. That might be the best performance by a guard I've ever seen."
Texas (4-2) has lost two straight since winning the Puerto Rico Shootout in late November. Mihm had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Longhorns, who turned in a lackluster effort marked by poor
shooting and turnovers.
"If you don't do the little things, Wisconsin will expose you," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "If you let your guard down for one second with the schedule we play, you're going to get hit real hard. That's what happened tonight."
The Badgers (5-2) ran away with the victory thanks to the
marksmanship of Bryant, who hit three 3-pointers, and the inside
play of 6-foot-9 Mark Vershaw, who scored 11 points and outplayed
Mihm in the post.
But Vershaw and his fellow big men got plenty of help from
Kelley, who swatted the ball away at any opportunity. Instead of
double-teaming Mihm with two post players, like most teams do,
Bennett sent Kelley to harass Mihm, which he did superbly.
"It was frustrating for (Mihm), because even when he had good
position, he had to watch out for Mike, and he never got in a
groove," Vershaw said.
Wisconsin is ranked eighth in the nation in total defense,
allowing just 55.3 points per game. A game after holding Rhode
Island to 25.5 percent shooting in a 66-43 win, the Badgers saw the
Longhorns miss their first six shots and finish with 39 percent
shooting, including 1-for-10 on 3-pointers.
"We were never able to get into the stuff we wanted to do on
offense," Mihm said. "It seemed like we were fighting from behind
the whole time."
Before the season, most thought the Longhorns' biggest
weaknesses would be in their perimeter play. That diagnosis was
painfully accurate at the Kohl Center, as Texas missed its first
seven 3-point attempts and starting guards Ivan Wagner and William
Clay combined for just eight points on 3-of-9 shooting and two
assists.
"We just really had no perimeter game to speak of," Barnes
said.
Texas started exceptionally slowly, going scoreless in the
game's first 4:44 and enduring another first-half scoreless skid of
more than six minutes. Though the Badgers weren't shooting much
better, they took a 17-4 lead on Travon Davis' 3-pointer midway
through the first half.
But Texas held Wisconsin scoreless for the next eight minutes
while making a 13-0 run. Vershaw's free throws gave the Badgers a
19-17 halftime lead, the lowest first-half point totals for either
team this year.
Texas briefly led early in the second half, but Wisconsin went on an 18-5 run behind big baskets from Vershaw and Andy Kowske, who finished with 11 points. The Badgers coasted to the victory after Bryant hit a 3-pointer and a long 2-pointer from the corner with five minutes to play.
Six of Kelley's steals came in the second half as the Longhorns faded.
"I have to say I enjoyed playing with Mike," Wisconsin guard Travon Davis said. "I didn't have to do anything except pick the ball up when he slapped it away."
Gabe Muoneke had 12 points and nine rebounds for Texas.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Wisconsin Clubhouse
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