College Basketball

Postgame Notes

Wisconsin 89, Penn State 72

Dec. 31, 2014

TEAM NOTES

• Wisconsin improved to 13-1 on the season, marking the third time UW has begun the year 13-1 or better under Bo Ryan (also in 2006-07 and 2013-14).
• Bo Ryan is now 334-122 (.732) during his 14 years at Wisconsin, including a mark of 203-22 (.902) at the Kohl Center.
• Ryan also improved his career Big Ten record to 157-66 (.704), the highest win percentage in conference history. UW also improved to 98-14 (.875) at home against Big Ten teams under Ryan.
• Ryan is now one win short of the Wisconsin career Big Ten wins record, trailing only Walter Meanwell, who had 158 career conference wins.
• Wisconsin racked up its sixth win over an RPI top-50 team, tied with Kentucky for the most in the country.
• The Badgers won their 12 consecutive Big Ten opener dating back to 2004.
• UW has now won 13-of-14 Big Ten home openers under Bo Ryan.
• Wisconsin is now 32-10 all-time against Penn State and improved to 14-0 vs. the Nittany Lions at the Kohl Center.
• The Badgers shot a season-high 63.8 percent (30-47) from the field, including 70.0 percent (14-20) in the second half.
• UW’s 89 points equaled the Badgers’ second-highest scoring output of the season and is the team’s most-ever scored against Penn State.
• The Badgers scored 89 points on 63 possessions, good for an average of 1.44 points per possession.
• Wisconsin had four players score in double figures for the fifth time this season. This was the second time this season the Badgers had four players with 15+ points in a game.
• The Badgers started the game 0-for-6 from 3-point range but would go on to make 6 of their last 7.
• UW went 23-for-28 at the free throw line, marking the fourth time the Badgers have attempted at least 25 free throws in a game this season.
• Over the last three games, the Badgers have gone 52-for-59 (.881) from the charity stripe.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sophomore Nigel Hayes led the Badgers with 21 points, going 7-for-9 from the field, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 at the free throw line. This was the second-highest scoring game of his career, behind his 25-point effort against Green Bay (Nov. 19, 2014).
• Senior Frank Kaminsky racked up his Big Ten-leading sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds, one shy of his career high. Kaminsky has scored in double figures in each of the last 8 games.
• Junior Sam Dekker contributed 17 points and 5 rebounds, going 7-for-10 from the field. He has reached double digits in 5 straight games.
• Senior Traevon Jackson chipped in 16 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line. He also notched 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals.