Potter’s play bolsters Badgers

TOP 25 MEN NO. 6 WISCONSIN 71, NO. 21 MINNESOTA 59

MADISON, Wis. — For Wisconsin, the difference between losing to Maryland and routing Minnesota all came down to energy.

“That was lacking in the Maryland game,” the Badgers’ Micah Potter said. “I’m sure it was visible from where you guys are, where you watch the game. That was the biggest thing, just keeping the same energy that we had in the first half.”

Bouncing back from the loss to the unranked Terrapins, Potter had 18 points and 11 rebounds Thursday to lead No. 6 Wisconsin to a 71-59 victory over No. 21 Minnesota that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.

The Gophers (9-2, 2-2 Big Ten) scored a season-low 22 points in the first half with a brutal shooting performance before the Badgers (9-2, 3-1) opened the second half on a 16-5 run. Potter added the exclamation point with a dunk off a pick-and-roll from D’Mitrik Trice that put Wisconsin up 45-27.

Wisconsin pushed the lead to 26 and Minnesota didn’t get the deficit under 15 points until the final minute.

Trice and Aleem Ford added 14 points apiece for the Badgers.

The Gophers missed their first nine three-point attempts and started the game 3 for 20 from the field. Minnesota, which shoots 31% from threepoint range on the season, finished just 7 of 31 from behind the arc (23%).

Minnesota Coach Richard Pitino credited Wisconsin’s physical style of defense and ball pressure, along with the Gophers settling too often for three-pointers. The Gophers shot 31% from the floor overall.

“We didn’t respond well by moving the ball. We were not where we were versus Iowa,” Pitino said, referencing a 10295 win on Christmas Day. “We’ve got to get that thing flowing and moving side to side. Plus we got some good looks. We just didn’t knock them down.”

Gabe Kalscheur led Minnesota with 15 points. Brandon Johnson and Liam Robbins each had 12 points and nine rebounds.

NO. 16 MICHIGAN 84, MARYLAND 73

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Freshman Hunter Dickinson had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Franz Wagner scored 19 and No. 16 Michigan remained unbeaten by defeating Maryland.

The Wolverines (8-0, 3-0 Big Ten) trailed 54-50 with 15 minutes left before Dickinson scored nine points in a 23-5 run that turned a close, contentious contest into a runaway.

Four technical fouls were called during a first half that ended with Michigan up 46-44. After the Terrapins clawed back, the Wolverines emphatically answered behind Dickinson, a 7-1 center, leading the charge.

Dickinson went 10 for 11 from the floor and 6 for 7 at the line in reaching a season high in points.

Donta Scott scored 19 for Maryland, Eric Ayala had 16 and Jairus Hamilton added 15. The Terrapins (6-3, 1-3) were trying to build on Monday night’s upset at No. 6 Wisconsin, but didn’t have enough muscle in the middle to handle Dickinson.