After a relatively easy 103-81 win over the EA-Sports All Stars in the exhibition opener, the Wisconsin Badgers received their first test of the 2003-04 season from the NBDL’s Charleston Lowgators. Despite a sluggish start, UW pulled out a 102-95 victory Monday night.

“We knew once they started putting that league together and we could get an opponent from that league, we knew we’d get a heck of a game,” Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said.

After falling behind 22-15 midway through the first half, Wisconsin scored 10 unanswered points to take a 26-25 lead after a layup by Mike Wilkinson. The Lowgators rallied back to grab a four-point lead, but a three point field goal from freshman Kammron Taylor and a layup from Boo Wade gave the Badgers a 35-34 lead, which they would never relinquish.

“The first five minutes were a little different,” Badger guard Devin Harris said. “The tempo of the game was a little quicker than I thought.”

A pair of Freddie Owens 3-pointers closed out the first half, with UW holding a 49-38 advantage. In the half, Charleston turned the ball over 10 times, double Wisconsin’s total.

UW had to fight off a one-man show from former McNeese State star Tierre Brown in the second half. Brown, who appeared in 40 games with the Houston Rockets in 2002, scored 25 of his game-high 29 points in the half, causing headaches for multiple Badger defenders.

“I’m sure he’ll be back (in the NBA),” Ryan said. “He’s one of those guys who is ready all the time for a call-up.”

The Badgers enjoyed a double-digit cushion for the majority of the second half, leading by as many as 16 before the Lowgators made a run in the closing minutes. Three-straight layups cut the UW lead to four with 1:41 to play, and after a pair of Harris free throws, Brown buried a 3 to pull Charleston within three at 94-91 with a little over one minute remaining. That, however, was as close as the NBDL challengers would come.

Wisconsin secured the exhibition win by sinking eight of 10 free throws in the final 1:16. For the game, the Badgers attempted 42 free throws to the Lowgators’ 19.

Harris led Wisconsin with a near-triple double of 28 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while Wilkinson contributed a workman 18 points and six rebounds.

“We’d love to have him in our league next year, but I don’t think we’ll get him,” Charleston head coach Doug Marty said of Harris. “He’ll probably be an NBA draft pick. He’s really good, he’s so quick off the dribble — very hard to contain and very active. He’s a great athlete and a super basketball player. He’s going to have a great year; he was tough.”

In his first action of the season, Boo Wade notched 15 points and five rebounds. Wade sat out the exhibition opener after straining his MCL in practice.

“Boo did a nice job,” Ryan said. “He’s long, he’s a tough matchup inside for guards; he makes good decisions with the ball; he’s a player.”

Owens scored 14 points, giving the Badgers four players in double figures.

Alongside Brown’s 29, Ime Udoka tallied 21 points for the Lowgators.

“For us, it was a great privilege to come and do this; it’s super preparation for us,” Marty said. “Coach Ryan said after the game it was the best exhibition he’s had here, so we’re glad to hear that. We were competitive.”