MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Veterans and young players made crucial contributions to keep No. 8 Wisconsin near the top of the Big Ten standings.
D’Mitrik Trice scored 21 points and Tyler Wahl made consecutive 3-pointers in the second overtime to spark Wisconsin to an 80-73 victory over Indiana on Thursday night.
Wahl finished with a career-high 12 points as Wisconsin (10-2, 4-1 Big Ten) won for the seventh time in its last eight games. Nate Reuvers added 14 points and Micah Potter had 10.
Trice, a fifth-year senior, said Wahl puts in extra work to improve his game.
“We’re the last two players in the gym after shootaround,” Trice said. “(Assistant) coach (Alando) Tucker is always working with him on catch and shooting. He does that after every shootaround.”
Coach Greg Gard said he expects Wahl, a sophomore, to keep working hard.
“The one thing with young players is it’s always about confidence, and he needs to continue to rep his shooting, hit the routine and release (his shot) consistently,” Gard said.
Wahl had been 2 of 9 on 3-point attempts before Thursday.
The Badgers have won 18 consecutive games at the Kohl Center against the Hoosiers.
Trice said the hard-fought victory will yield benefits heading into a difficult trip next week to No. 10 Michigan and No. 15 Rutgers.
“Getting this win in double overtime is a big help and momentum booster for us to get back where we need to be,” Trice said. “We just know that we’re a hard-nosed, gritty team. We’ve got to continue to play Wisconsin defense, and that’s what’s going to get the job done.”
Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Aljami Durham added 15, Jerome Hunter had 12 and Rob Phinisee 10 for the Hoosiers (7-5, 2-3).
Jackson-Davis, who entered the night averaging 20.3 points, scored 16 in the second half. But he had only one point in the extra sessions.
Durham made a layup and free throw to complete a three-point play and put Indiana ahead at 69-67 with 27 seconds left in the first overtime.
Trice hit a step-back jumper with 7.7 seconds left to tie the game.
The Hoosiers failed to get a shot attempt in the closing seconds as Wisconsin’s Brad Davison forced a jump ball.
Davison’s 3-point attempt rolled off the rim at the buzzer in regulation.
The Hoosiers were without sophomore guard Armaan Franklin, who rolled his left ankle in the team’s victory over Maryland on Monday. Franklin, who traveled to Madison, is averaging 12.7 points per game.
Jackson-Davis didn’t spend a single minute on the bench. Hoosiers coach Archie Miller said exhaustion impacted the star player down the stretch.
“He ended up playing 49 minutes in a double-overtime game, so fatigue is definitely going to play a role,” Miller said. “He did a great job all game long.”
Jackson-Davis contributed three blocks and four assists. He scored his last field goal with 6:47 to go in regulation, and when Gard configured Badgers players in what he called a “defensive lineup,” Jackson-Davis didn't make another basket.
BIG PICTURE
Indiana: The Hoosiers fed the ball inside throughout the game to stay in contention. They scored 44 points in the paint.
Wisconsin: Trice has shown time and again that he can come through in clutch situations. Trice hit a floater in the lane to tie the game at 61 with 21 seconds left in regulation. He had a jumper with 1:42 left in the second overtime to give the Badgers a 79-70 lead.
UP NEXT
Indiana begins a two-game road swing with a game at Nebraska on Sunday.
Wisconsin plays at No. 10 Michigan on Tuesday.
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