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Balanced Badgers hammer Bowling Green

Nov 22, 2013 - 5:53 AM Madison, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Ben Brust scored a game-high 19 points on 5- of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker added 14 points apiece, and No. 12 Wisconsin defeated Bowling Green, 88-64, on Thursday night.

Every Wisconsin (5-0) starter finished in double figures as Traevon Jackson and Josh Gasser scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

The Badgers used a 21-6 run to end the first half after Bowling Green's JD Tisdale made a jumper to pull the Falcons within one, 23-22, with 8:25 left. Wisconsin maintained a comfortable double-digit lead throughout the second half.

"We've always tried to push the ball," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said when referring to his team's up-tempo start to the season. "If you don't have anything, you run half-court offense. That's never changed."

Known for its slow pace over the past couple of years, Wisconsin has eclipsed the 80-point mark in three games this season, including a 103-86 win over North Dakota on Tuesday.

Spencer Parker led Bowling Green with 17 points while Jehvon Clarke and Cameron Black netted 15 and 10, respectively, for the Falcons (1-2), who have lost two straight.

Bowling Green entered the Kohl Center and was not intimidated in the early going, hanging tough through most of the first half as the two teams exchanged 10 lead changes and six ties in the opening 10:42 of the game before the Badgers' run.

Dekker started the spurt with a 3-point play which was followed by a Jackson 3-pointer and Brust triple to extend the lead, 32-24.

Brust made two triples during the spurt, which extended his streak of at least two 3-pointers in five straight games and 22 of his past 23 dating back to last season.

"We got away from getting the ball inside," said Bowling Green head coach Louis Orr. "They are a tough, tough cover. They spread you out. They hit threes."

Wisconsin jumped all over the Falcons to open the second half, outscoring the visitors 16-7 to take its largest lead of the game, 60-35, after a Gasser layup.

Bowling Green cut the deficit to 16, but Wisconsin slowly built the lead back to a 20-point margin when Dekker made a layup with 7:51 left in the game for a 74-53 difference.

Game Notes

This game, as well as Saturday's home tilt vs. Oral Roberts, is part of the Cancun Challenge. Wisconsin travels to the islands next Tuesday with an opening round matchup against St. Louis ... Bronson Koenig also chipped in with double figures for the Badgers, scoring 10 points off the bench ... Bowling Green travels to St. Louis for a matchup with the Billikens on Saturday.