(11) Wisconsin 73, Nebraska 65: Last word

No. 11 Wisconsin got a big scoring night from Brad Davison and held off Nebraska to get a 73-65 win Thursday night in Lincoln.

Player of the Game: Brad Davison

There is something about playing in Nebraska that brings out the best in Davison, especially when it comes to shooting from the outside. The senior went 5-for-8 on 3-pointers to lead Wisconsin with 23 points. In five games in Lincoln, Davison finished 19-for-38 (50%) from deep. His third 3-pointer of the night gave him 371 for his career, which set a new Wisconsin record for the most in school history formerly held by Bronson Koenig.

He added seven rebounds, a team-high four assists and tied a season-high with three steals.

The good: Ben Carlson

The sophomore forward has struggled to find his footing this year but has now turned in a couple solid efforts in back-to-back games. After posting six points and two rebounds in a start against Michigan State, Carlson had six points and five rebounds against the Huskers. Four of those rebounds came on the offensive end where he also seemed to be playing with more confidence.

A major add in Wisconsin’s 2020 recruiting class, getting increased production from Carlson and other members of the bench are crucial to the Badgers future prospects.

The not so good: 2-point shooting

Wisconsin was dreadful from inside the 3-point line. They hit just 32.6% of their 2-point shots and were an ugly 10-for-20 on layups. That included a 3-for-10 effort in the first half.

Stat of the Game: 45.5

That is what Wisconsin shot from beyond the arc. The Badgers went 10-for-22 on the night, including 9-for-14 in the first half. It was the fourth straight game where Wisconsin shot above 40% on 3-pointers after doing it just three times in the first 15 games.

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In Case You Missed It

— The game was originally scheduled to be played Tuesday but a COVID-19 related pause within the Nebraska program forced it to be pushed back to Thursday. It also had a unique 4 p.m. start time due to the Wisconsin women’s team facing the Nebraska women at 8 p.m. in Lincoln.

— Chucky Hepburn made his return to the state where he starred as a prep. The point guard hit Wisconsin’s first 3-pointer of the game and finished with 13 points. He was playing with a heavy heart just days after a close friend, Vincent Burns, was shot and killed in Omaha. Hepburn will stay in Nebraska for the funeral.

— After missing Friday’s loss to Michigan State with an ankle injury, Tyler Wahl made his return to the court for the Badgers. He came in averaging close to 30 minutes of action per game but played just 22 against the Huskers. The junior looked a little rusty, finishing just 1-for-5 from the field and turning it over three times. He did lead the team with 10 rebounds.

— Johnny Davis scored a season-low 13 points (5-for-12 FGs), all in the second half. He did add nine rebounds and a couple assists.

— The Badgers moved to 7-2 in Big Ten play, pushing them into a tie for first with Illinois. Wisconsin is also 4-1 away from the Kohl Center.

What’s next?

Wisconsin (16-3, 7-2) will host Minnesota (11-5, 2-5) on Sunday in Madison.