• Recap
• Bleachers

Nankivil, Leuer pace Wisconsin over PSU

Feb 21, 2011 - 3:14 AM Madison, WI (Sports Network) - Keaton Nankivil and Jon Leuer both finished with 22 points as 10th-ranked Wisconsin topped Penn State, 76-66, at Kohl Center.

Leuer also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Badgers (20-6, 10-4 Big Ten), who bounced back from their 70-62 loss to Purdue on Wednesday.

"Losing leaves a sour taste in your mouth. You just want to get rid of that as quickly as possible," Leuer said. "The group of guys that we have, have done a great job of refocusing after a loss, picking up things that they didn't do well, and correcting them."

Jordan Taylor added 13 points and seven assists while Josh Gasser scored 11 in the win.

Talor Battle scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to pace the Nittany Lions (14-12, 7-8), who had won back-to-back games entering Sunday. Jeff Brooks and Tim Frazier scored 16 and 12 points, respectively, in the loss.

Leuer and Taylor opened the game with back-to-back baskets and Wisconsin never trailed. After Frazier responded with a three-pointer, the Badgers added a Nankivil three and Leuer jumper to create some distance.

The Wisconsin lead reached 20-10, with another three-pointer, this time from Mike Bruesewitz, and the Badgers took a 32-19 lead into halftime. Nankivil and Leuer both supplied 11 points in the first half as Wisconsin shot 52 percent from the field.

Battle, who averages 20 points a game, was held to 1-of-6 from the field and only three points in the half. Frazier led the Nittany Lions with seven points as Penn State went 8-of-21 from the field.

"For us it seems that we've got somebody who takes turns screwing up. It's one guy this possession, another guy next possession, next thing you know, we have three or four possessions where defensively we messed up or offensively we didn't execute," Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis said.

The Badgers continued their pace in the second half and after Nankivil was fouled on a three-pointer with 17:11 remaining, he added the free throw conversion to widen the Wisconsin advantage to 41-24. The Badgers' lead remained around 15 until Taylor's two free throws at 5:41 widened it to a game-high 19, 62-43.

Penn State cut its deficit to as low as nine in the final minutes, with most of Wisconsin's starters watching from the bench, and the Badgers held on down the stretch to remain perfect at home (15-0).

Game Notes

Wisconsin leads the all-time series 26-9...The Badgers have won five of six overall dating back to their loss at Penn State on January 29...Wisconsin scored 17 points off 10 Penn State turnovers...The Badgers made 18-of-21 from the line...The Nittany Lions shot 64.3 percent from the field in the second half.