8-5 Oakland

While the Badgers will have more success this year, the Golden Grizzlies present a tough matchup tonight.

Wisconsin still playing a clean game

Turned it over but got back quickly on the other end to prevent an easy layup. Bad offense, good defense.

Jon Leuer with another easy bucket

Since the game is not on TV

Clanked an open look from inside the arc off the rim

Makes the first…

11-10 Badgers

Took it fearlessly to the hole

Hughes, Evans, Taylor, Bohannon and Nankivil on the floor

Takes a nice feed from Bohannon, who was being double-teamed in the paint

Timeout on the floor, Badgers up 16-12 nearly halfway through the first half

Everson, it’s clear after just nine minutes of play the Golden Grizzlies are not the Mastodons

Takes a nice feed from Hughes and lays it in for the easy deuce

Pass from Leuer and the Badgers up 20-12

Two questionable long shots on that possession led to nothing

Takes it right down the lane and floats it into the bucket. Badgers up 10, timeout Oakland.

Easy basket makes it 22-14

And an easy rebound for Nankivil. These teams have two very different styles

Badgers have it, Leuer can’t hit the three though.

Or there’s some type of promotional night. Lots of students with posters tonight.

Nankivil comes up with it, Hughes fouled on the other end

Badgers back up by 10, 24-14

Badger ball as one the Grizzlies deflected the rebound out of bounds

Draws a foul and will go to the line for two

And taken a lot of bad three-point attempts

26-14 Wisconsin. Trevon has 9 points so far

The big center couldn’t contain it, ball goes out of bounds, Grizzlies have it

Leuer just backed his man down, put it in EASILY. Badgers doubling up on the Grizzlies now, 28-14. Roar from the KC crowd as Oakland calls timeout.

Right near the free-throw line

They are 0-of-8 in that department tonight. This one was airballed over the rim from the baseline

But Oakland seems to have no answer for Leuer’s size and Hughes’ penetration, other than to keep hacking away

30-14 Wisconsin it remains

Now 1-of-9 in that category

Jones converts the easy layup on the other end

30-19 Badgers

He makes his first free throw and scores his first point in the process

30-21 Wisconsin

Jarmusz was trapped close to the near sideline with nowhere to pass the ball

Got a large round of applause during pregame introductions

Oakland unable to convert the turnover into points

Backs him down, floats it in. 32-21

Drains both and it’s 34-23

One-second difference shot clock to game clock

It doesn’t go, Bohannon tries one at the buzzer, it doesn’t go either.

Wisconsin leads Oakland 34-23.

I got into the elevator on the lower level after picking up my media notes and two large Diet Cokes before the game…(they don’t give us free food anymore so I take full advantage of the free drink)…a lady and her husband come into the elevator on the first floor, and I then had the following conversation with the lady.

Lady: Is there liquor in those drinks?? (clearly excited by the prospect)
Me: [laughs] No, I wish, just Diet Coke, ma’am.
Lady: Well, you never know what goes on down there. I thought maybe it was something good, like a nice Brandy/Coke.

Welcome to Wisconsin.

Amazing how a coach can go from the hot seat to a potential Big Ten Coach of the Year candidate in one season.

Moreso than the 8-2 record, the way they’ve played this year with so many underclassmen in key roles has been impressive. Dramatically cutting down the penalties, reestablishing the run game, playing with more heart/toughness on defense… all good signs for Wisco.

Score the first points of the second half, 36-23 Wisconsin

That’s right

Badgers up 15

There is a sign-making stand set up in the Kohl Center concourse tonight

But he can’t make the short-range bucket. Still 38-25 Wisconsin

Jones now injured and unable to get up off the floor

Injury timeout

Flames just lost to Central Michigan

Keaton makes both free throws

And a struggle for the loose ball at center court. Badgers grab a hold of it and call timeout quickly…. Large cheer from the crowd. Wisconsin is playing solid fundamental basketball tonight, up 40-26

This one barely grazed the far side of the rim. They are an astounding 1-of-12 from beyond the arc

Nankivil lays it in, easy bucket, Wisconsin up 42-26

I would lay off but it’s amazing how bad their shooting has been and how good the Badgers’ perimeter defense has been

Jumper goes in and it’s 46-26 as Oakland takes a timeout

Two fans had to name Badger basketball players in alternating fashion until one hesitated or got stuck…

The first contestant started out with Tim Jarmusz, which I thought was a little odd…

The second said Marcus Landry and lost.

I’m sure Barry has no designs on using this as part of any promotional materials about Wisconsin’s knowledgeable fan base

Badgers up by 23

Jarmusz in for Wilson

Ryan Evans banks in a jumper to make it 51-29

Keaton has 10 points, many of them late

Jarmusz misses a wide-open three.

Northwestern down by 17 to #10 Butler

Badgers up 22

Nankivil with a block!

Ball almost got lodged between the rim and the backboard

Hughes, Bohannon, Jarmusz, Nankivil, Bruesewitz

Wright, Hudson, Eackles, Jones, Benson

Badgers up 56-42

They haven’t taken as many bad shots in this half, but not enough good ones, either.

With just four seconds left on the shot clock. 58-42

They have eight tonight, after recording 11 against IPFW

Still 58-42 Wisconsin

Wisconsin wins 58-42 in Madison!

The Badgers are now 2-0 on the season!

The next time this team plays in this building will be two weeks from tonight, when Duke comes to the Kohl Center! It is sure to be an atmosphere unlike any other!

The Badgers head to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, which begins Monday. Wisconsin faces Arizona in the first round.

Heading down for interviews now… we’ll have more up later tonight!

Thanks for being with us on Bucky’s Fifth Quarter!