The numbers, so striking, jump off the page like sparks from a fire.
Wisconsin, which had shot 35.3 percent in its last three games, shot 61.5 percent against Iowa on Friday. Wisconsin, which had hit 33 percent of its three-point attempts in its last three games, hit 60 percent against the Hawkeyes.
Wisconsin, which had averaged 56.6 points in its last three games, scored 51 points in the second half of its 74-60 victory over Iowa. And Wisconsin guard Sean Mason, who had averaged 11.6 points in his last three games, scored 17 in the second half to finish with a game-high 22.
But those numbers fail to tell the full tale of the Badgers’ quarterfinal victory in the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center. This one was no rout, no matter the final margin. With just 9 minutes 34 seconds remaining, the Hawkeyes were up 49-48.
Their full-court pressure had effectively disrupted Wisconsin, and behind forward Jess Settles (21 points), they had led from the start. But clinging to that tenuous lead, Iowa’s half-court defense switched from man-to-man to zone, and everything was about to change.
“Any time a team plays a zone against us, my eyes get real big,” Badgers guard Jon Bryant said later, describing his three-pointer from the right wing that pushed his team up two. Following a Hawkeyes miss, he converted a fast-break layup off a Mason pass. Then came a Mason free throw and a three-pointer from running mate Ty Calderwood, who had 14 points, that put Wisconsin up eight.
“Right now that’s just a blur,” Iowa guard Dean Oliver said of the 14-2 Badgers spurt. “Right now I’m thinking how we got our butts kicked. But obviously they took it to us there.”
With the Badgers up by eight, Mason appeared to score on a driving layup that would have stretched the lead. But he was called for charging, and Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett responded by twirling and punishing the scorers table with both fists. That was enough to earn a technical, and suddenly the Badgers sagged. The Hawkeyes had a chance to climb back in it.
“But when that happened, I said to myself, `We can’t get too emotional here. We’ve got to get back and play defense,’ ” Mason said.
That is what they did after Iowa guard Kent McCausland made two free throws. Badgers forward Maurice Linton stripped Iowa’s J.R. Koch at half court, earning two free throws. He made both to restore Wisconsin’s eight-point lead with 4:55 left, and the rout began.
The Badgers hit 10 of 14 free throws in the final minutes and held Iowa to 3-of-10 shooting. The Hawkeyes didn’t score during the last 2:50.
“We’re a pretty good ballclub, but today Wisconsin was a little better,” Iowa coach Tom Davis said after coaching perhaps his last Big Ten game.
