John Tonje scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half Saturday and Max Klesmit added 17 points and six assists to help No. 16 Wisconsin beat No. 7 Purdue, 94-84.
Tonje scored 10 straight points during a key second-half stretch that gave Wisconsin a lead it never relinquished.
The Badgers (20-5, 10-4) won their fourth straight despite losing backup guard Kamari McGee late in the first half when a replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 call and an ejection after McGee’s hand hit Trey Kaufman-Renn below the waist as he tried to guard Purdue’s Braden Smith.
Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with a career high 30 points. Fletcher Loyer scored 15 and Smith had 12 assists for the Boilermakers (19-7, 11-4), who lost their second straight for the second time this season.
Purdue honored All-American forward Caleb Swanigan at halftime. The 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Portland Trail Blazers died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 2022 at age 25. The local coroner ruled that Swanigan died from natural causes.
Takeaways
Wisconsin: After a sluggish start, the Badgers showed what they’re capable of by nearly outscoring Purdue in the first half and playing much better defense in the second.
Purdue: The Boilermakers struggled to find a second scoring option in the second half when Kaufman-Renn had 21 of Purdue’s 47 points. The result: A rare second home loss.
Key Moment
Tonje’s four-point play with 15:47 left in the game not only gave the Badgers their first lead since 16-14, it spurred an 11-0 run that put Wisconsin in control for the rest of the game.
Key Stats
Wisconsin made 18 of 25 shots and 6 of 12 3s without turning the ball over in the second half.
Up next
The Badgers begin a three-game homestand Tuesday against Illinois. The Boilermakers visit No. 11 Michigan State on Tuesday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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