by MADISON, Wis. — Frank Kaminsky had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 6 Wisconsin relied on tough defense to rout No. 25 Iowa 82-50 on Tuesday night.
Sam Dekker added 17 points and eight boards for the Badgers (17-2, 5-1 Big Ten), who won their second straight since losing starting point guard Traevon Jackson to a foot injury.
Jackson’s replacement, Bronson Koenig (Ho-Chunk Nation), shot 3 of 6 from 3-point range and finished with 13 points.
Fast Facts
• Wisconsin posts largest win over Big Ten opponent since defeating Northwestern by 32 points (1/23/11).
• UW out-rebounded Iowa, 37-24, the largest edge since out-rebounding Northwestern, 47-22 on 2/20/13.
• Badgers held Hawkeyes to season-low 17 points in first half, marking fifth time this season UW has held a team below 20 points in the first half.
Iowa (13-6, 4-2) trailed by 18 at halftime in its first road loss of the season. Jarrod Uthoff, a Wisconsin transfer, led the Hawkeyes with 12 points.
Dekker, Kaminsky and Nigel Hayes combined for 46 points in a strong showing by the Badgers’ front court.
Iowa’s front line, which had been averaging about 35 points a game, couldn’t keep up. Forward Aaron White had seven points, while center Adam Woodbury scored just one. The Hawkeyes were held to 28 percent shooting (7 of 25) in the first half.
Wisconsin opened up a 23-11 lead with 6:35 to go in the first half on Dekker’s second 3.
Iowa turned to a 2-3 zone, trying to slow down the shooters. But the Badgers are pretty good against the zone, too, since their forwards also can handle the ball well.
On the next two possessions, the Badgers got the ball to Hayes, who was stationed near the foul line in the middle of the zone. Hayes found cutters to the basket who were fouled each time for free throws.
Dekker had a scooping layup later off a baseline move, before Kaminsky riled up the Kohl Center crowd with a dunk to make it 35-17 with 6 seconds remaining in the half.
Uthoff then had one of the few highlights of the night for Iowa, hitting a one-handed, running shot from near midcourt just before time expired.
Wisconsin had a better night from 3-point territory, going 6 of 14 in the first half and 9 of 22 for the game.
