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Final stats, analysis: No. 11 Wisconsin rolls past Illinois, Tonje goes for 31

The Badgers continue to pile up wins, this time handling Illinois at home
Dana Becker|
Wisconsin hosts Illinois on Tuesday night in Big Ten Conference action.
Wisconsin hosts Illinois on Tuesday night in Big Ten Conference action. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin BadgersIllinois Fighting Illini

The No. 11 Wisconsin men have been on fire as of late, climbing the charts while also moving into contention for the Big Ten Conference regular season title.

Now, the Badgers look to handle business when they host Illinois on Tuesday night live on FS1. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. CT. 

The ESPN BPI gives the Badgers a 62 percent chance to win. 

Check out our live updates and in-game analysis of Wisconsin vs. Illinois below:

(Refresh for the latest updates)

Final Stats, Analysis

What a performance by the Badgers, as John Tonje continues to make a strong case for Big Ten player of the year. After scoring just 10 in the first half, Tonje dropped 21 on Illinois, finishing with a game-high 31 points. He also had four steals while sinking three 3-pointers anoing 10 of 12 from the charity stripe.

Steven Crowl added 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, shooting 70 percent from the field with three made triples. John Blackwell added 16 points, six boards, four assists and two steals as the Badgers shot 52 percent from the floor.

Illinois was never really in this one, as Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn had 17 off the bench with two others reaching double figures.

Final score: Wisconsin 95, Illinois 74

Live Second Half Updates

Wisconsin 84, Illinois 67, 5:03 left in second: The Badgers have taken over this game behind Tonje, as the budding superstar is up to 31 points. Crowl has 20 with seven rebounds and five assists, as both players have hit three 3-pointers. Tonje had 10 at the half, just like in the win over Purdue this past weekend when he went over 30.

Tonje/Crowl with a 40-piece! This has been the John Tonje and Steven Crowl show, as Tonje has 22 and Crowl 18 with just under 10 to go. Crowl is a perfect 3-for-3 from deep, adding seven rebounds and five assists while Tonje is 7 of 11 from the field with three steals.

Wisconsin 64, Illinois 53, 13:39 left in second: Badgers are handling business, as Tonje is up to 20 points after a slow start. Steven Crowl has 13 and both Nolan Winter and John Blackwell have seven each.

Illini keeping it close: Illinois is making sure to draw this one out, as they have knocked down eight 3-pointers and are staying within striking distance of the Badgers.

Wisconsin 56, Illinois 48, 16:39 left in second: Fast start by the Badgers out of the break, denying Illinois any chance to gain momentum. John Tonje is up to 16 points with Steven Crowl sitting at 13.

Halftime stats, analysis

The Badgers have dominated this one on the glass, holding a decisive edge over the Illini. John Tonje got hot late, getting to the free throw line to record 10 total points. Steven Crowl leads the way for the Badgers with 12 as John Blackwell has six with three others each adding five.

For Illinois, they have sank six triples including two from Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis. Humrichous leads the way with 10 points while the bench has added 14 total.

Halftime score: Wisconsin 47, Illinois 41

Live First Half Updates

Tonje coming alive! Finally, John Tonje is getting going, as he is using his athleticism to get to the free throw line. Tonje is up to nine helping Wisconsin hold a 38-26 lead late in the first half.

Badgers heating up! Wisconsin has caught fire here late in the opening half, building a 12-point cushion. Crowl has seven, Blackwell five and Klesmit five to help overcome a slow start by Tonje, who has yet to attempt a field goal.

Wisconsin 24, Illinois 17, 8:33 left in first: A 3-pointer by Steven Crowl gives the Badgers a seven-point lead. The Illini aren’t going away, but Wisconsin is doing a good job of controlling the action. 

Bullying on the glass! Wisconsin is dominating this one in the rebounding column, holding a 12-4 advantage on the glass. Four of the five starters each have two with Kamari McGee adding two off the bench.

Wisconsin 15, Illinois 13, 12:37 left in first: The Illini have done a nice job on John Tonje, but the rest of the Badgers are supporting him well despite struggling from the 3-point line. Carter Gilmore has five off the bench.

Wisconsin 11, Illinois 8, 16:00 left in first: Strong start for the Badgers, as they hold a slim lead on the Illini. Nolan Winter leads the way so far with four points as four different Wisconsin players have scored.

Live Pregame Updates

We could be in for an offensive showcase, as both teams are scoring over 81 points per game. Illinois is coming in off a loss to Michigan State and is 3-2 over the last five. 

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in north-central Iowa.

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