MADISON, Wis. (December 15, 2020)
 
In Short
Twelfth-ranked Wisconsin (5-1) used a 21-3 run in the second half to break a stalemate and earn a 77-63 victory over Loyola University Chicago (3-1) tonight at Kohl Center. The Badgers won for the 20^th straight time at home versus nonconference opponent and the loss was the Ramblers' first against a non-league foe in nearly a calendar year (Dec. 22, 2019). 
 
How It Happened
Loyola opened the game by scoring the first seven points, while at the same time using a smothering defense to force Wisconsin to misfire on its first eight field goal attempts. The Badgers finally connected from the field when Brad Davison drained a three-pointer five and a half minutes into the game to spark a string of 10 unanswered tallies that was part of a larger 17-3 Badgers run that resulted in a 17-10 lead for the hosts.
 
Loyola closed the gap to a single possession (17-15) thanks to a pair of freebies from Lucas Williamson and Braden Norris' second triple of the night, only to see Wisconsin build its lead back up to five points, its largest advantage of the period, three more times, taking a 31-26 edge into the break.
 
The Ramblers shot just 37.5 percent (9-for-24) from the field in the opening 20 minutes but limited the Badgers to a pedestrian 30.3 percent (10-for-33) accuracy rate, although the hosts benefited from hot shooting from beyond the arc, where they drained 5 of 10 tries.
 
A three-pointer from Lucas Williamson opened the second-half scoring and two more buckets from Cameron Krutwig were part of a 7-2 spurt to open the half, the second of his baskets drawing Loyola even at 33-33.
 
Wisconsin countered by scoring 21 of the next 24 points though, to break open a 54-36 lead, the widest margin of the contest. But, that wasn't the last of the Ramblers, as the veteran group dusted itself off and scored seven straight points as part of an 11-2 run capped by a four-point play from Keith Clemons, that sliced the deficit to 56-47 with 8:08 left to go.
 
After the Badgers extended their lead back to double digits, at 63-49, Williamson accounted for Loyola's next five points and his three-pointer with 4:26 remaining got the Ramblers back within 10, at 64-54. However, Loyola would get no closer than 10 points the remainder of the game.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Loyola entered the game having won four of its last seven contests versus nationally ranked opponents.
• Krutwig led all Ramblers with 19 points and added five boards and a pair of assists. With his 19 points, the senior center has now totaled 1,455 tallies in his career and needs just 148 more to crack the program's all-time top 10 in scoring.
• Williamson tossed in 15 points, hitting a trio of threes, in addition to snagging five boards.
• After holding Wisconsin to 30.3 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes, Loyola couldn't contain the Badgers as they connected on a sizzling 62.5 percent (14-for-25) of their attempts in the closing stanza. 
• The efficient Badgers committed just four turnovers and buried 10 of 18 tries (.556) from beyond the arc.

 
Up Next
Loyola faces No. 19 Richmond in Indianapolis on December 18. Game time is set for 5 p.m. CT