Wisconsin 67 - 63 6Illinois
Final
  for this game

Wisconsin hands No. 22 Illinois another loss

Jan 23, 2012 - 2:50 AM Champaign, IL (Sports Network) - Jordan Taylor posted 19 points and nine rebounds to go with five assists and Wisconsin used a late-game burst to get by No. 22 Illinois, 67-63, at Assembly Hall.

Jared Berggren totaled 18 points for the Badgers (16-5, 5-3 Big Ten), who have won four in a row.

"We have to do those little things up and down the floor to be successful each time out," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said of his team's recovery from three straight conference defeats. "We don't strike fear in a lot of hearts when we show up."

Meyers Leonard had 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Illini (15-5, 4-3), who have dropped two in a row after a three-game win streak. Joseph Bertrand added 15 in a losing cause.

Ben Brust hit a jumper with 5:02 to play that put the Badgers up 55-53, then Berggren extended the lead to five on the next possession.

Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson hit buckets to pull Illinois to 58-57 with 2:55 showing, but Berggren again created distance with a layup. Taylor then added a jumper for a 62-57 game with 32 seconds on the clock, and iced the game from the free-throw line, making 5-of-6 attempts in the final moments.

"They made the plays when they needed to late, and you have to give them credit," Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said. "They continued to out-tough us and outhustle us to the end."

Illinois raced out to a 7-2 lead but Wisconsin recovered and took an 18-11 edge. The tight first half closed at a 26-26 deadlock after Bertrand hit a bucket with two seconds to go.

A Ryan Evans basket put the Badgers up 39-35 early in the second half, and the game was tight from then on. Leonard's free throw with 11:14 left gave Illinois its largest lead of the half at 46-43.

Game Notes

Wisconsin has won four of its last six games at Illinois, after the Illini won eight in a row from 1998-2005...Brust ended with nine points and four rebounds...Paul totaled 10 points and five boards in defeat.






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