Wisconsin basketball: Badgers defeat UW-Platteville in exhibition

The Wisconsin Badgers spread the minutes around the roster in Sunday’s exhibition game against Division III UW-Platteville at the Kohl Center, winning 86-58 in a preseason tune up.

Next up for the Badgers is the regular-season opener at home on Nov. 11 against Central Arkansas (which, thankfully, is not the same as Western Illinois).

Unsurprisingly, the Badgers opened up with their same starting lineup as last season with Bronson Koenig, Zak Showalter, Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ and Vitto Brown. Koenig led the team with 12 points on 5-for-10 (2-for-3 three-point) shooting in 19 minutes. Hayes and reserve guard Jordan Hill added 10 points apiece, while Khalil Iverson went 4-for-4 from the field for nine points.

Ten Badgers saw double-digit minutes, with none getting more than 22. As a team, Wisconsin shot 48.3 percent from the field and 40 percent (8-for-20) from three-point range.

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard went up against his brother and head coach of Platteville, Jeff. The game took place on the one-year anniversary of the passing of their father, Glen, to glioblastoma multiforme.

The Badgers led just 44-34 at halftime, thanks in large part to shaky shooting from the stripe. For the game, Wisconsin went just 22-for-39 from the stripe, including a 2-for-8 outing for Happ, who finished with six points and nine boards.

In terms of notable developments, Charlie Thomas grabbed 10 boards in 15 minutes, Iverson and Alex Illikainen were the first two off the bench and Iverson drained his lone triple attempt.