Badgers Win NABC Championship
November 16, 2002 | Men's Basketball
The Badger men's basketball team (2-0) won the NABC Classic Championship with an 84-56 victory over Northern Illinois (1-1). The victory marks the first time since 1998-99 Wisconsin has opened the season 2-0. Freddie Owens exploded for 19 points in the championship contest and was named NABC Classic Tournament Most Valuable Player. Owens averaged 16 points per game for the Classic.
Senior Kirk Penney joined Owens on the All-Tournament team and finished the two game tournament with an average of 22.5 points per game. The team captain had a strong showing in the title game scoring 19 points and racking up seven rebounds.
The Badgers jumped out to an early lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the game in front of a Kohl Center crowd of 16,347. Alando Tucker provided a spark off the bench in the early going scoring six points in the first six minutes of the game. The freshman finished the game with a career-high 11 points.
The Wisconsin defense held the Huskies to only 20 first-half points on 36 percent shooting. The Badgers scored nine points off nine first-half Northern Illinois turnovers. Devin Harris was once again a key factor in the Badger defense recording four steals to go along with his nine points.
For the second night in a row the Badgers extended their lead coming out of the locker room after half. Wisconsin went on a 7-2 run to start the half that was capped off by an Owens three-pointer from the top of the key.
As the Badgers began to pull away Owens took over the game scoring 12 second-half points. The junior finished the night shooting seven for 12 from the field. Fellow all-tournament team member Penney scored 14 second half points helping the Badgers stretch the advantage to a game-high 31-points late in the second half.
In the consolation game of the NABC Classic, Eastern Washington (1-1) defeated Winthrop (0-2) 75-61. EWU, who lost to Wisconsin Friday night 81-55, recovered behind Alvin Snow's 19 point performance. Snow was named to the All-Tournament team. Winthrop's Tyrone Walker averaged 11 points and nine rebounds per game to receive All-Tournament team honors. Northern Illinois' Marcus Smallwood rounded out the All-Tournament squad averaging 14 points and 8.5 rebounds for the second-place Huskies.
The Badgers next play Head Coach Bo Ryan's former team UW-Milwaukee Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center. For tickets log onto www.uwbadgers.com or call 1-800-GO-BADGERS.
