John Tonje Goes Off For 27 In Thrilling Wisconsin Victory

John Tonje had 27 points and reserve Carter Gilmore added a career-high 15 as No. 17 Wisconsin overcame a sluggish first half to salvage a 75-69 Big Ten victory over Northwestern on Saturday in Evanston, Ill.

Max Klesmit added 11 points for the Badgers, who improved to 15-4 overall and 6-3 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin, which has won five of its last six games, also got 10 points from Steven Crowl.

Northwestern, meanwhile, fell to 12-7 and 5-5 despite getting 23 points from Chase Audige. The Wildcats were seeking their first victory over a ranked opponent this season.

The first half was a dismal one for Wisconsin, which managed just 25 points on 10-of-29 shooting. However, the Badgers regrouped at the break and came out firing in the second half, shooting 61.5 percent and outscoring the Wildcats 50-44.

Tonje was the catalyst for the Badgers, scoring 17 of his 27 points in the second half. His three-pointer with 2:19 remaining gave Wisconsin a 68-64 lead, and the Badgers made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 1:15 to secure the victory.

Gilmore, a sophomore forward, provided a spark off the bench with his 15 points, which surpassed his previous career high of 11 points. His production was crucial, as Wisconsin battled through a tough shooting night from Tyler Wahl, who finished with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

For Northwestern, Audige did his best to will the Wildcats to victory, but it wasn't enough. The senior guard made 7 of 13 shots, including 4 of 7 from three-point range, and added five rebounds and three assists.

Despite the loss, Northwestern can take some positives from the game. The Wildcats outrebounded Wisconsin 33-29 and forced 13 turnovers, but they couldn't capitalize on those advantages due to their own shooting woes. Northwestern made just 41.9 percent of its field goal attempts, including 9 of 28 from beyond the arc.