LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Jon Leuer scored 16 points and Josh Gasser added 12 as Wisconsin overcame a lackluster start to beat Manhattan 50-35 Thursday in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic.
Leuer had seven points during a 12-4 run that put Wisconsin up 31-16 with 15 minutes to play. The Badgers later scored 10 consecutive points, including a 3-point play by Gasser, to put away the game.
Wisconsin (3-1), which was coming off a 68-65 loss at UNLV last Saturday, shot just 36.2 percent (21 of 58). The Badgers averaged 83 points in their previous three games.
Manhattan (2-2) got 15 points from Michael Alvarado. Since last season, Leuer has scored in double-digits in 11 straight games.
Wisconsin struggled en route to an 17-10 halftime lead. The Badgers made 7 of 30 shots, including 1 of 13 from 3-point range, in the opening 20 minutes.
Manhattan didn’t fare much better, hitting just 5 of 25 shots during the first half. The Jaspers, however, trailed just 10-8 almost 14 minutes into the game.
Wisconsin will play Boston College in the winner’s bracket on Friday.
Manhattan will face Texas A&M, which lost 67-65 to Boston College Thursday, in Friday’s second round.
