Tallying 20 assists to just seven turnovers in Wednesday night’s 76-50 thrashing of Michigan, No. 20 Wisconsin translated a solid performance in the ball-control game into offensive productivity distributed around the floor. Forwards Zach Morley (12), Ray Nixon (10), Mike Wilkinson (22) and swingman Alando Tucker (10) all put up double-digit scoring totals on the night.

Throughout the game, the Badgers attempted to get inside baskets with dribble penetration and post feeds, but often ended up kicking it back out after running into the towering Wolverine frontcourt. With Michigan pressing the ball and frequently utilizing double-teams, Wisconsin’s excursions inside often resulted in a bevy of open looks to Badgers on the perimeter, which ran up the assist total.

According to Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan, the heavy ball distribution was in response to this difficulty breaking inside, rather than an implicit design.

“It was tough to get to the rim on dribble penetration,” Ryan said. “That’s what sticks out the most, is if you’re passing the ball and attacking gaps, then you try to make ’em pay for their pressure.”

At no point in the game did the ball-control game appear more solid than toward the beginning of the first half. In the opening 10 minutes of play, Wisconsin players recorded assists on all of the Badgers’ first seven baskets.

The first Wisconsin turnover of the game came with 9:33 left in the period on a Nixon charge. A second turnover drought began with 4:33 left in the half and extended 7:03 into the second stanza. Wisconsin also managed to siphon eight steals off Michigan, contributing to the Wolverines’ 10-14 assist-to-turnover ratio.

“It’s one of the most complete performances that we’ve had,” Tucker said.

Feisty on the glass: Fighting through a notable size disadvantage in the frontcourt, Wisconsin managed to out-rebound Michigan 39-28 in the game. With Wilkinson grabbing nine boards to lead the way, Tucker and sophomore guard Kammron Taylor snatched seven and six, respectively. Wisconsin also claimed a 15-8 advantage on the weak-side glass.

“There were a lot of times [when] we were right there to get the ball and it went right through our hands,” Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker said. “When your team struggles, it seems like those kind of things become very hard things to do and accomplish.”

Shortly after tip-off, the Wolverines lost one of the squad’s better rebounders — 6-foot-11 center Chris Hunter — when the junior reaggravated a high-ankle sprain sustained earlier in the year. Despite the loss of Hunter up front, Amaker believed the rebounding differential occurred because Wisconsin out-scrapped his team on the glass.

“Anytime you take a guy with [Hunter’s] size and athletic ability out of the game, it makes a difference,” Wilkinson said. “But we did a pretty good job getting to a lot of loose balls that were kind of tipped around.”

Downward spiral: In addition to giving up the season sweep to Wisconsin, the most recent loss makes nine straight in Big Ten play for the Wolverines since opening the conference schedule 3-0. Now two games behind .500 overall, the prospect of an NCAA berth has become a veritable pipedream for the 2004 NIT Champions.

“We’re going to keep trying to find ways to end [the losing streak],” Amaker said. “We’re not going to walk around with our heads down. Obviously it’s a tough time for our team and our kids.”