Badgers can’t get over the hump

LINCOLN, NEB. – Wisconsin fans should be used to this show by now.

The undermanned Badgers played well in spurts and stayed within striking distance for most of the game before their lack of personnel and scoring options led to another defeat.

Nebraska was the beneficiary Tuesday night as the Cornhuskers led by as many as 13 points in the second half, held off a late rally and escaped with a 63-59 victory at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Badgers (9-9, 2-3 Big Ten) suffered their second consecutive league loss and dropped back to the .500 mark overall as their dreadful season continued unabated.

Next up for UW? A road game against No. 7 Purdue (16-2, 5-0), which won at Michigan on Tuesday night.

Nebraska (12-6, 3-2) got 18 points from James Palmer Jr. and 12 from Isaac Copeland and outscored UW's reserves, 20-3.

UW needed a clean performance after committing 14 turnovers and shooting just 15.4% from three-point range (2 of 13) in a four-point loss at Rutgers.

The Badgers cut down their turnovers to 10 but were frigid from the three-point line. UW started out 2 for 4 but finished just 3 of 17.

Ethan Happ, who had seven turnovers and hit just 4 of 10 shots in the loss at Rutgers, contributed four points and seven rebounds in the opening half.

He took just five shots as Nebraska attacked him with double-teams close to the basket but came alive after halftime and finished with a game-high 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting. He made just 1 of 6 free-throw attempts, however,

and fouled out with nine-tenths of a second left.

Brad Davison, who had five turnovers against the Scarlet Knights, had just two Tuesday. He finished with 15 points but hit just 5 of 15 shots.

Brevin Pritzl added 10 points and seven rebounds for UW, which lost the freethrow battle decisively.

Nebraska hit 21 of 28 attempts; UW hit 4 of 10.

UW coach Greg Gard shuffled his starting lineup by re-inserting Pritzl for Aleem Ford, who had started the previous 13 games.

Freshman Nate Reuvers, who replaced Pritzl (concussion) against Indiana, started his third consecutive game.

Reuvers finished with eight points and Ford just three as he hit just 1 of 7 shots.

UW moved the ball well in the first half, particularly when the Cornhuskers double-teamed Happ.

The problem for UW was that the shots stopped falling midway through the half.

Reuvers hit a jumper to pull UW within 16-14 with 9 minutes 30 seconds left in the half, but UW then went scoreless for the next five-plus minutes.

Nebraska responded with an 8-0 run to build a 24-14 lead.

Davison finally ended the scoring drought with a three-pointer with 4:29 left to pull UW within 24-17.

Nebraska helped UW by taking quick, ill-advised shots.

Khalil Iverson scored off a steal, Happ scored inside and Pritzl hit 1 of 2 free throws to help pull UW within 26-22 at the break.

The Badgers remained close despite hitting just 3 of 11 three-pointers (27.3%) and 9 of 27 shots overall (33.3%). They compensated by scoring 12 points off seven Nebraska turnovers.

Nebraska was able to push the lead to 35-26 with 15:05 left thanks to six points from Palmer.

UW called a timeout with 14:52 left, but Nebraska got consecutive threepoint plays from Copeland and Palmer, in a span of 33 seconds, to build a 41-28 lead.

UW battled back to within five thanks to four points apiece from Pritzl and Reuvers.

A three-pointer by Anton Gill (eight points) – after Happ missed a contested shot in the lane – pushed the lead back to 46-38 with 8:41 left.

UW battled back to within 51-47 with 4:47 left on seven consecutive points by Happ.

With UW in foul trouble, the Cornhuskers hit 3 of 4 free throws to extend the lead to 54-47.

After a miss by Reuvers, Palmer hit a tough jumper to push the lead back to 5647 with 3:18 left.

Happ sandwiched consecutive baskets around two missed free throws to pull UW within 56-51 with 54.7 seconds left.

Glynn Watson Jr. hit 3 of 4 free throws to push the lead to 59-51 with 37 seconds left.

That wasn't nearly enough time for UW to rally for the victory.