[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]

The outcome was never in doubt for the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team in its season-opening exhibition game against Edgewood College Sunday night. Playing against the Division III opponent and Madison neighbor, the Badgers were able to cruise to a 77-48 victory.

Though the Eagles enjoyed a brief lead after forward Charlie Averkamp hit the game’s first basket (a 3-pointer), the Badgers, led by freshman Jon Leuer who scored 15 points in his Kohl Center debut, held the visitors to just 34.7 percent shooting for the game and shut down the opposing offense en route to the blowout win.

By halftime Wisconsin led 42-17 and the game was well out of Edgewood’s reach.

“We gained a chance to play,” head coach Bo Ryan said of what the team got out of the first of Wisconsin’s two scheduled exhibition games. “In a game like this, [the team gained exposure to] how to play with composure, how to take care of situations.”

Senior guard Michael Flowers was active for the contest, having returned Wednesday from his unexplained two-week medical leave, and looked good finishing with eight points, three assists and four steals.

“Steals, defense, hustle — that’s Mike Flowers,” Ryan said. “That’s what he does and he does well. He can score, too.”

Though he didn’t start the game, Flowers entered early on and immediately made his presence felt, breaking away for a steal, driving to the basket and hitting the shot while drawing a foul.

“I think everybody had a big smile on their face to see him out there,” junior Joe Krabbenhoft said of Flowers. “He has so much energy and so much passion for the game no matter who we’re playing. “