The No. 5 Wisconsin men’s basketball team will have to wait a little longer to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title, following their upset loss against Maryland Tuesday that broke their 10-game winning streak.
Behind the efforts of Dez Wells — who scored a game-high 26 points — No. 14 Maryland upset the Badgers 59-53 in College Park, Maryland, putting Wisconsin’s goal of winning a conference championship on hold for the time being.
Wisconsin (25-3, 13-2 Big Ten) started the first half 2-for-3 from the floor but fell into a cold spell thereafter, making only two of its next 11 shots as Maryland (23-5, 11-4 Big Ten) opened up a 25-14 lead.
The Badgers’ efforts from beyond the arc in the first half didn’t help in cutting the Terrapin lead as they were just 1-for-11 from deep as they settled for shots outside of the paint. UW made only eight of its 27 shots (29.6 percent) in the first half overall.
When the first half closed, Maryland trotted to the locker room with a 31-20 lead over the Badgers.
But in the second half, the Badgers began to attack the paint and quickly trimmed Maryland’s lead. Wisconsin started the half on a 13-4 run behind six straight points from UW senior forward Frank Kaminsky.
The Badgers would remain within five for the majority of the first half before tying the game at 47 with six minutes and 43 seconds left after a Bronson Koenig three-pointer.
But Wisconsin could never take back the lead due in large part to Wells who, once Koenig hit the three, rattled off six straight points of his own including a dunk that put Maryland on top 53-48 with just over four minutes remaining. The Badgers made only one field goal after Koenig’s three, going 1-for-10 over the final six-plus minutes of the game.
Ultimately, Wisconsin could not come back, snapping its 10-game win streak in the process while sending Maryland to its fourth-straight win and improving its home record this season to 17-1. The Badgers’ two Big Ten losses this season have now come to both conference newcomers, Maryland and Rutgers.
Wisconsin had three players score in double figures Tuesday night and was led by Kaminsky who had 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Junior forward Sam Dekker (14) and sophomore forward Nigel Hayes (10) joined Kaminsky in double-figures while Dekker (9) and Kaminsky (8) led Wisconsin in rebounding.
Terrapin freshman guard Melo Trimble was the only other Maryland player in double-figures with 16 points on 7 of 14 shooting.
Overall, the Badgers were only 20 of 52 (38.5 percent) from the floor and 6 of 22 (27.3 percent) from three.
Maryland went 24 of 50 (48 percent) over the course of the game but just 2 of 7 (28.6 percent) from three-point.
Wisconsin now has a two-game lead over second place Maryland in the Big Ten standings with three regular season games remaining. The Badgers can still clinch at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a win over Michigan State Sunday and can win the title outright with two wins over the final three games, regardless of how any other team does.
The Badgers will return to action Sunday when they return to the Kohl Center to take on the Spartans. Tip off is scheduled for 3 p.m. with the game televised on CBS.
