Top-Ranked Illinois Ends Wisconsin’s Home Win Streak

MADISON, Wis. – Top-ranked Illinois ended Wisconsin’s 38-game home winning streak, the nation’s longest, beating the Badgers 75-65 last night by scoring 14 of the game’s final 15 points.Led by Luther Head’s 18 points, Illinois (20-0, 6-0 Big Ten) snapped a five game losing streak in Madison and became the first team to beat the Badgers at the Kohl Center since Wake Forest on December 4, 2002.The 18th-ranked Badgers (13-4, 4-2), who led by eight points midway through the second half, fell to 53-3 at home under coach Bo Ryan, including 26-1 in the Big Ten. The Badgers’ most recent home win came when they scored the final 11 points of the game to beat Michigan State 62-59.Wisconsin took at 64-61 lead on Alando Tucker’s drive to the basket with 4:31 left. But dreams of Wisconsin’s first win over a top-ranked opponent since beating Ohio State in 1962 soon faded.James Augustine, who was limited by foul trouble to 4 minutes in the first half, made two free throws with 4:11 left and Jack Ingram did the same at 3:39, putting the Illini ahead for good, 65-64.Augustine, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, added consecutive dunks to make it 69-64.The only break in Illinois’ run came when Kammron Taylor made one free throw with 1:07 left to make it 71-65.Deron Williams added 13 points for Illinois and Roger Powell Jr. had 11.Tucker had 16 points for Wisconsin and Sharif Chambliss added 14 and Mike Wilkinson 13.The Badgers, who trailed 35-33 at halftime, were just 5-of-12 from the free throw line and Illinois was 17-of-20.***NO. 19 UCONN TOPS WEST VIRGINIA Rashad Anderson, a non-starter for the first time this season, scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half to lead no. 19 Connecticut to a 68-58 victory over slumping West Virginia last night in Morgantown, W.Va.Connecticut dominated the inside game, holding a 47-27 advantage against the Big East’s worst rebounding team, and watched West Virginia miss long shot after shot.But the Huskies were sloppy on offense and shot just 39% from the floor in the second half to enable the Mountaineers to stay close until late.Charlie Villanueva added 16 points and Marcus Williams scored 12 for Connecticut (12-4, 4-2 Big East).Tyrone Sally scored 16 points and Patrick Beilein had 10 for West Virginia (11-6, 1-5).West Virginia trailed the entire game, trimming an 11-point deficit to 33-28 early in the second half after a three-point play by Sally.Anderson, benched by UConn coach Jim Calhoun despite scoring a team high 19 points in a loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday, had four points during an 8-0 run that put the Huskies ahead 43-30 midway through the second half.***NO. 6 KENTUCKY ROMPS OVER TENNESSEE Patrick Sparks scored 19 points and Kelenna Azubuike added 17 to lead no. 7 Kentucky to an 84-62 victory over Tennessee last night.The Wildcats (15-2, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) took control with aggressive rebounding on both ends to remain the only undefeated team in league play.The Volunteers (10-9, 3-3) went ahead twice in the first half, when Kentucky lost top rebounder and second leading scorer Chuck Hayes, who was hit in the nose. Kentucky officials said at halftime his nose was broken. But it didn’t stop the Wildcats from putting together a decisive 19-5 run before halftime.Tennessee missed starting center Brandon Crump, who sprained his left ankle Saturday in an 85-62 loss at Louisville. All he could do was cheer on his teammates from the bench.

Top-Ranked Illinois Ends Wisconsin’s Home Win Streak

Top-Ranked Illinois Ends Wisconsin’s Home Win Streak

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