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14th-ranked Badgers rout Savannah State

Dec 16, 2011 - 5:27 AM Madison, WI (Sports Network) - Jared Berggren scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, leading No. 14 Wisconsin to a 66-33 win over Savannah State on Thursday.

Ryan Evans and Jordan Taylor both added 12 points, while Josh Gasser finished with 10 for the Badgers (10-2), who have won four straight.

Arnold Louis and Cedric Smith both scored eight points to pace the Tigers (4-8).

The Badgers, who entered Thursday's contest allowing a nation's-low 45.7 points per game, were true to form against Savannah State.

They rode their suffocating defense to a 32-14 halftime advantage, allowing the Tigers to shoot just 31.8 percent, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc, over that span.

"I know our defense made them work to get a good shot," said Badgers coach Bo Ryan. "That's all you can ask for, no matter who the opponent is."

Berggren steadied the offense with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting over the opening 20 minutes of play, while Evans added seven points and a pair of rebounds.

Early in the second half, a mini 8-2 run pulled Savannah State within 41-26, but the Badgers finished strong, extending their lead to 30-plus points in the closing minutes.

In the end, the Tigers' 33 points were a season-low. It marked the 10th time in 12 games this season that Wisconsin has held its opponent to a season-low scoring output.

"They don't put themselves out of position, and as you get close to the basket they play really tough and really physical," Tigers coach Horace Broadnax said of Wisconsin's defense. "They don't burn a lot of energy, which almost makes me want to rethink my own philosophy."

Game Notes

The Badgers lead the series 2-0 and improved to 12-0 all-time against teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference...Wisconsin has held seven of its 12 opponents under 45 points this season