[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]Back in 1962 was the last time Wisconsin started off the Big Ten season 4-0, but on Saturday, the Badgers resembled a team from that year. There was no Bob Cousy, Bill Russell or Red Auerbach and the only victory cigars were in the form of late substitutions, but the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team was able to employ fast breaks to perfection in taking care of the Northwestern Wildcats 68-52.

The win was convincing enough that Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody was left shaking his head — with only one concrete explanation.

"I think they are just better than we are," Carmody said.

Wisconsin (14-2, 4-0 Big Ten) streaked to score 10 fast-break points and drew numerous fouls in transition to offset the spirited attempts of the Wildcats (9-6, 2-2 Big Ten) to force turnovers.

"We talked about [the fast break] before the game. We wanted to challenge Northwestern and them getting back [on defense]," said junior Alando Tucker, who scored a game-high 20 points. "The best way to break a zone is to get the ball up as quickly as possible, before guys can set up and match up with you."

Along with Tucker, junior Kammron Taylor and senior Ray Nixon led the way for UW, scoring 14 points and 13 points, respectively. Taylor also snared eight rebounds and dished out four assists, both game highs.

Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan often makes a point of saying how difficult it is to accumulate fast-break baskets in the Big Ten, citing the tough fundamental defense evident throughout the league. Northwestern was unable to keep the Badgers from accumulating transition lay-ups against their attacking zone defense.

"When all five people are aggressive, the zone is easy to break," Taylor said, attributing the easy baskets to an attacking attitude the Badgers displayed throughout the game.

Northwestern was able to keep the score close throughout much of the first half, playing an aggressive trapping zone and using a variety of presses to try to disrupt the Badger offense, which had a season-high 22 turnovers against Minnesota and their press Tuesday night.

"I think in the beginning we got a little too anxious, and that got us into some bad turnovers that we didn't like," Taylor said.

"I thought there were some [opportunities] there in the first half," Carmody said, "but we really didn't capitalize."

With 3:11 left in the first half, Wisconsin broke the game open with a 16-5 run, pushing a tenuous 21-18 lead into a 14-point advantage. A trio of 3-pointers — two from Nixon and one by freshman Marcus Landry — and a pair of coast-to-coast fast-break baskets fueled the run. After the trifeca by Landry, junior Kammron Taylor was able to pick the pocket of Northwestern's Bernard Cote and take it the distance for an uncontested lay-up, prompting a timeout from Carmody.

The teams then traded baskets and misses before Nixon hit a deep 3-pointer to push the Badgers' lead to 32-20.

"They just made plays, and that's what basketball is — you have to make plays," Carmody said.

Following a block of sophomore Greg Stiemsma's shot, Tucker supplied the play of the game, intercepting the Northwestern inbound pass and flying down the court for two more points. After Craig Moore hit a jumper from beyond the arc to stem the Badger momentum, Nixon hit his second 3-pointer to give Wisconsin a 14-point lead, its biggest of the game at that point.

From that point on, Northwestern never drew closer than seven points in large part due to a defense that forced 19 turnovers.

"I like the way our defense got some turnovers today, some deflections, good rotations, took some charges. With a game like today, when bodies are flying are there are hands in the lane, you are going to have turnovers."

The Wisconsin defense also kept the Big Ten's leading scorer, Vedran Vukusic (21.8 ppg), under wraps for most of the game. Vukusic went 6-15 from the field and was held to 15 points, his second-lowest output of the season — remarkable considering that two freshmen, Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft, were responsible for guarding him most of the game.

"I thought they did an excellent job. They made him work. You have to make him work because he is such a good player," Ryan said.

The win kept Wisconsin the lone undefeated team in the conference. Next, Wisconsin will head into a pivotal matchup against No. 18 Ohio State Tuesday.