For the second time in as many games, Wisconsin's opponent shot the lights of the Kohl Center out. Monday, it was Winthrop's Torrell Martin who was on fire.

"Everything he put up went in," UW senior forward Alando Tucker said. "It was like throwing a rock in the ocean, they were falling."

Martin scored a game-high 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting, 7-of-11 from three-point range.

With Eagle guards Michael Jenkins chipping in five three-pointers and Kyle Moore hitting three more from beyond the arc, Winthrop set a Kohl Center record with 15 three-pointers made. It was also the most three-pointers Wisconsin has ever given up to an opponent.

But it was Martin's shooting that kept the Eagles in the game.

Whether he was coming off screens, pulling up or just finding himself open, Martin was shooting the ball whenever he got his hands on it, and shooting it well.

And while Martin was hitting them, his shots weren't the easiest to make.

"He had to work for those," UW head coach Bo Ryan said. "He hit some tough ones."

Maybe the toughest shot Martin took came at the end of regulation.

After Wisconsin guard Michael Flowers put back an Alando Tucker miss with 10.6 seconds remaining, Winthrop's last play went to none other than Martin. The Badgers guarded him tightly as the best shot Martin could get off was a falling-away three-pointer at the buzzer.

Nevertheless, some of Wisconsin's players feared the shot would go in, given the way Martin was shooting the ball all game.

"My heart sank," Flowers said of Martin's shot. "I literally thought I was about to have a seizure on the court. I thought it was going in."

While Winthrop's three-point shooting certainly kept it in the game, it may have turned out to be its Achilles' heel in the end.

"Shots fall and [Winthrop] lived and died by the three-pointer," Flowers said. "And they died on that (last) shot."

Flowers blossoms

Whereas Martin had a big night for Winthrop, so did the man who was guarding him on Wisconsin's side of the court.

Flowers scored a career-high 21 points, tying Tucker the team-high Monday. Flowers also dished out a team-best five assists.

"Unbelievable," Tucker said of Flowers' performance. "I was waiting for this to come out, and this was the night for him."

Wisconsin's starting point guard Kammron Taylor may have had an off-night — scoring six points on 2-of-8 shooting, but his back-court sidekick picked up the slack for him.

"We needed everything he gave us on defense, offense, making big shots, making key plays," Tucker said. "That's what he's capable of doing, but this was his come-out night."

But where Flowers made his mark Monday night was at the free throw line. Not only did the junior guard get to the line more than any other Badger, he was efficient from the stripe, shooting 7-of-8.

"They shot a lot of free throws," Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall said. "And [Flowers] knocked his down."

And just as Martin hit some tough shots for the Eagles, Flowers hit his fair share for the Badgers.

Flowers' first field goal came just under five minutes into the game when he drove the baseline, but then found himself behind the hoop when he went up for the shot.

No problem, Flowers thought, and he shot the ball over the glass and in for a bucket.

"I practice that shot when I play horse," Flowers joked after the game.

Yet, Flowers was quite nervous right after he took the shot, but not necessarily because he felt as though he would miss it.

"As soon as the ball left my hand, I was like, 'Coach is going to sub me,'" Flowers said. "I did not think the ball was going to go in, but when it went through the net, I was just so happy."

Home-court advantage

For the first time all year, Wisconsin experienced a close game at home. Thus, it was also probably the loudest the Kohl Center crowd has been so far in the young season.

With the game coming down to the wire, the Badgers certainly needed the extra boost to pull out the victory.

"People around here know basketball, and they knew that we needed a little help [Tuesday]," UW junior forward/center Brian Butch said. "And they gave it to us."

N.D. State strikes again

Last year, Wisconsin was upset by a widely unknown team in North Dakota State. The loss came as such a shock to many of the Badger players that it is still used as an example as what not to do in these non-conference games against smaller schools.

However, North Dakota State isn't so unknown any more. This past weekend, the Bison defeated then-No. 9 Marquette.

The reason for North Dakota's recent upsets may lie in a former UW assistant coach who is now a Bison assistant.

"They have a thing against Wisconsin teams," Tucker said of North Dakota State. "Saul Phillips, he's not playing over there. He knows all the ins and outs of Wisconsin teams."