Badgers can savor icing this cupcake

Finally, Wisconsin had a breather.

The 16th-ranked Badgers dominated back home against an overmatched team following a sevengame stretch versus power conference foes.

Brad Davison scored a season-high 24 points, and Wisconsin had a schoolrecord 69 first-half points to overwhelm Savannah State 101-60 on Thursday night in Madison.

“Every game is an opportunity. It doesn’t matter what the team is, we’re focused on trying to get better,” Davison said. “But definitely, we’ve had a little bit of a grind.”

It was just the kind of confidence-building rout that Wisconsin needed after a 74-69 loss in overtime last week to Marquette. That game was also preceded by mostly down-to-the-wire contests against more evenly matched schools.

The Badgers (9-2) took care of Savannah State in a hurry on Thursday.

Davison was 6 of 9 from 3-point range. Preseason all-American Ethan Happ had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and freshman Tai Strickland added a careerhigh 14 points.

The Badgers shot 71 percent in the first half to take a 37-point lead on their way to their first 100-point total since 2013. Savannah State (3-9) is the only team in Division I allowing 100 points a game.

“We try to do it and play the game the right way that will reinforce (good) habits,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “We don’t change our demands regardless of scores or opponents.”

Jaquan Dotson had 20 points to lead the Tigers, a team that likes to shoot 3s. Second in the NCAAs in hitting 13 3s a game, Savannah State managed to shoot 11 of 39 (28 percent) from the arc. But Wisconsin put on a first-half clinic, hitting 24 of 34 from the field, including 69 percent (11 of 16) from 3-point range.

Strickland’s night exemplified the Badgers’ early fortune after two of his three 3s banked off the backboard.

“It definitely helped me get a lot more comfortable. It’s different from practice where it’s a closed gym,” Strickland said.