COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Do-everything center Frank Kaminsky called it a statement game. If that’s the case, then the point clearly was: Watch out for Wisconsin.
Kaminsky scored 20 points and Bronson Koenig touched off a 16-0 second-half run with two 3-pointers to help the sixth-ranked Badgers cruise to a 72-48 victory over No. 23 Ohio State on Sunday.
“This was kind of a statement game for us going into the Big Ten Tournament, beating a good team on their home floor,” said Kaminsky, a 7-foot senior who’s a leading candidate for national player of the year. “We’re really excited about what’s next.”
The Badgers (28-3, 16-2) had already clinched the regular-season title and top seed in the conference tournament. In a hostile environment, they tied a school record for league wins while extending the best start in team history.
“I’m proud of them,” coach Bo Ryan said. “You look at the last four games that we had and we knew that we had to get at least two of them to clinch it and we get three out of the four.”