Wisconsin dominates Chicago State with a 74-53 victory
- John Tonje led Wisconsin with 22 points, and Nolan Winter added 12.
- Wisconsin executed a strong second-half performance, resulting in a decisive victory.
- As a result, Wisconsin improves to 8-0, while Chicago State remains winless at 0-9.
On Saturday, November 30, 2024, in Madison, Wisconsin, the No. 15 ranked university basketball team demonstrated their prowess by defeating Chicago State University with a score of 74-53. This match saw John Tonje leading the scoring for Wisconsin with 22 points, while his teammate Nolan Winter contributed 12 points to the victory. Chicago State struggled offensively, only able to secure one player, Jalen Forrest, who reached double figures with 10 points. The Cougars, starting the match without any wins this season, faced further challenges as they missed their initial ten three-point attempts. The Badgers took control of the game midway through the second half with an impressive 17-3 run, which helped them establish a significant lead of 49-30 after Winter executed a dunk with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game. Throughout this stretch, Chicago State’s performance dwindled, as they could only convert 1 of 13 shooting attempts, which underscored their ongoing offensive difficulties. The Cougars had earlier pulled within five points at 30-25 due to a three-pointer by Greg Spate, but Tonje made a crucial layup just before halftime, giving Wisconsin a slight cushion of 32-25 at the break. Wisconsin entered this game having faced criticism for slow starts in previous matches, where they trailed early against teams like Holy Cross and Appalachian State. However, this time, they managed to avoid that pattern and maintained a commanding presence on the court throughout the second half. Their ability to draw fouls and convert free throws was pivotal, as they ranked first in the nation for free-throw percentage coming into this game, hitting 18 of 21 attempts during the match. Looking ahead, Wisconsin’s schedule reveals that they will host Michigan next, marking the beginning of the Big Ten conference play. Meanwhile, Chicago State will continue to search for their first win of the season when they play against St. Thomas (Minnesota). Overall, this game reflects Wisconsin’s strong start to the season and highlights the struggles that Chicago State continues to face.