Badgers win exhibition opener
November 06, 2002 | Men's Basketball
The Wisconsin men's basketball team won its opening exhibition game 71-52 over the EA Sports All-Stars at the Kohl Center Wednesday night. The win extends the Badgers exhibition winning streak to 20 games.
Senior Kirk Penney and freshman Alando Tucker led the Badgers in scoring with 14 points apiece. Penney made three of six three-point attempts and added six rebounds in the winning effort. In his first game for Wisconsin, Tucker sparked the Badgers off the bench scoring 12 of his 14 points in the second half. The first-year forward also added eight rebounds in his debut.
EA Sports started the game off strong, jumping out to a 10-0 lead. After the slow start, Wisconsin fought back and tied the game at 14 on a Ray Nixon free throw with 8:36 left in the first half. The first half ended with both teams knotted at 26.
After Tucker made a free throw to put the Badgers up 33-32 with 14:00 in the second half, Wisconsin maintained the lead for the rest of the game.
With 7:15 remaining in the second half the Badgers went on a 7-0 run holding EA Sports scoreless for over three and a half minutes. Freddie Owens totaled 10 second-half points and Wisconsin made 18 of 23 second half free throws to seal their first victory of the preseason.
With the loss, EA Sports drops to 0-4 on their current exhibition tour.
The 1-0 Badgers close out their exhibition season against Gallos de Pelea Saturday Nov. 9 at the Kohl Center. Tip-off is 7 p.m.
