MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Blackwell scored 24 points, Nick Boyd added 22 and No. 23 Wisconsin closed a four-game, season-opening homestand by defeating SIU Edwardsville 94-69 on Monday night.
Wisconsin has scored at least 85 points in each of its first four games for the first time since the 1975-76 season. Blackwell and Boyd led the way, with Blackwell going 5 of 6 on 3-point attempts and Boyd making 4 of 7.
Wisconsin plays its next three games away from Kohl Center as its schedule gets tougher. The Badgers have started 4-0 for the second straight year and the third time in four seasons.
Austin Rapp scored seven of his 15 points during a 16-0 run early in the second half that broke open a close game. Rapp also had eight rebounds to match Nolan Winter for the team lead.
Wisconsin committed just four turnovers.
Jordan Pickett had 12 points to lead SIU Edwardsville (3-2), which was playing three nights after a 61-59 victory at Drake. Myles Thompson and Jo Valrie added 10 points each.
Ring Malith, who had been SIU Edwardsville's top scorer in each of the Cougars’ first four games, had six points. Malith played just nine minutes in the first half after he picked up two early fouls.
SIU Edwardsville’s Arnas Sakenis scored the first basket of the second half to cut Wisconsin’s lead to 48-43. The Badgers followed with their 16-0 spurt.
SIU Edwardsville: At Air Force in the first round of the Air Force Classic on Friday.
Wisconsin: Faces No. 9 BYU in Salt Lake City on Friday in a rematch of the Badgers' 91-89 loss to the Cougars in last season's second round of the NCAA Tournament.
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