Badgers Drop Challenge Game to Duke
November 27, 2007 | Men's Basketball
The 20th-ranked Wisconsin men's basketball team (5-1) fell 82-58 to the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils Tuesday in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge in Durham, N.C. Duke improves to 7-0 on the season and a perfect 9-0 in the nine-year challenge.
Led by freshman Jon Leuer's career highs of 12 points and six rebounds, the Badgers fell to 3-6 all-time in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Trevon Hughes also chipped in 12 points, his sixth-straight double-digit scoring game.
The game got out to a fast start, falling right into the hands of the Blue Devils. Duke shot 9-16 from behind the arc in the first half, propelling them to a 48-25 halftime lead. The Badgers, who only shot 30 percent, were unable to get any momentum going on either end of the floor in the opening half.
The second half opened the same way the first half ended. Duke continued to shoot well and held the Badgers in check with pressure defense. Duke ended the night hitting 11 triples compared to UW's three. Duke also converted 19-23 free throws, out-shooting the Badgers 7-13 in a category UW is used to winning.
Wisconsin narrowly out-rebounded Duke 42-40, with Leuer and Landry grabbing six a piece, while Michael Flowers and Brian Butch both had five boards.
Duke was led by Greg Paulus who tallied 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Freshmen Kyle Singler and Taylor King added 13 and 15 points respectively. Paulus, Singler and King were a combined 15-30 shooting from the field and 11-20 from 3-point land.
With the loss, the ACC went up 5-1 after two nights of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
The Badgers are off until Dec. 3, when they host Wofford at 8 p.m. CT at the Kohl Center. Monday's game will be shown live on ESPN2 and will feature Wisconsin wearing its 1941 National Championship tribute jerseys which can still be bid on by visiting the mscssid=&dept_id=60"> --> UW Athletics Auction page on uwbadgers.com.
