NCAA News Wire
Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 55
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin got back on the winning track with senior forward Frank Kaminksy’s return to the lineup.
Kaminsky scored 22 points to lead No. 7 Wisconsin to a 70-55 Big Ten Conference win on Thursday against Nebraska at the Kohl Center.
With Kaminsky on the bench after suffering a concussion last week at Purdue, the Badgers had an eight-game winning streak snapped four days ago in their first Big Ten loss of the season, a 67-62 setback at Rutgers.
Sophomore forward Nigel Hayes scored 13 points and sophomore guard Bronson Koenig and junior forward Sam Dekker added 11 each for the Badgers (16-2, 4-1 Big Ten), who shot 50 percent from the field. Koenig started his second career game, and started at the point guard spot in place of senior guard Traevon Jackson, who broke his right foot Sunday in the second half against Rutgers.
Senior forward Duje Dukan came off the bench to score 10 points for Wisconsin.
The Huskers opened the second half with a 9-3 run that trimmed Wisconsin’s lead to four at 40-36. But in short order, Wisconsin built its lead with a 22-4 run as Nebraska was mired in a scoring drought of 8:59.
Junior guard Terran Pettaway scored a game-high 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting for Nebraska (10-8, 2-3 Big Ten), which beat Wisconsin last season in the only meeting between the teams.
The Huskers shot 42 percent (21 of 50) in the setback, and the loss snapped a two-game winning streak.
Kaminsky scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first half to push the Badgers to a 37-27 halftime lead.
The game between the Badgers and Huskers showcased two of the Big Ten’s top players in Kaminsky and Petteway.
Petteway scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting in the first half. He entered the game as the Big Ten’s second-leading scorer with an 18.9 average.
Hayes scored nine points and sophomore guard had eight for Wisconsin, which shot 62.5 percent (15 of 24) in the first half.
The Huskers hit four of their first five shots to take an early lead. Guard Shavon Shields’ jumper gave Nebraska an 11-7 edge, but the Huskers cooled off and shot 40.7 percent (11 of 27) in the first.
NOTES: Wisconsin senior G Traevon Jackson, who had surgery Thursday on his broken right foot, had started in 84 straight games. Jackson is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks. … The Huskers didn’t arrive at their Madison hotel until 4 a.m. Thursday, due to travel problems, including mechanical issues with a charter plane. … Nebraska hosts Minnesota on Tuesday to begin a two-game homestand. … Wisconsin plays Iowa on Tuesday to conclude a two-game home series. … Wisconsin F Frank Kaminsky became the 40th Badger to score 1,000 points. He entered the game needing four points to reach the milestone.
