John Tonje scores 27 to lead No. 17 Wisconsin over Northwestern 75-69

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — John Tonje had 27 points and 17th-ranked Wisconsin beat Northwestern 75-69 on Saturday.

Down 52-50, the Badgers (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) went on a 14-3 run just after the halfway point of the second half to take the lead for good. Reserve Carter Gilmore scored seven points during the decisive run and finished with 15 and seven rebounds. The Wildcats were just 1 for 6 from the floor during the spurt.

The Badgers had lost two of three after a seven-game winning streak.

Jalen Leach had 23 points and seven assists for Northwestern (12-10, 3-8), which found out Saturday that second-leading scorer Brooks Barnhizer is out for the season with a foot injury.

Barnhizer was scratched before the game, and coach Chris Collins announced afterward he requires surgery.

John Tonje scores 27 to lead No. 17 Wisconsin over Northwestern 75-69 | iNFOnews.ca — Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) reacts after Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore, left, scored a three-point basket as Northwestern center Matthew Nicholson, right, watches teammates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Nick Martinelli added 15 points and Ty Berry had 14 for the Wildcats, who have lost three straight and seven of nine.

Takeaways

Wisconsin: The Badgers started the day with the nation’s best free-throw percentage and went 14 for 16 from the stripe — including 11 for 12 in the final 10 minutes — in the second half to keep the Wildcats at bay.

Northwestern: Martinelli, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, found shots hard to come by in the first 25 minutes but Leach and Berry helped keep them in the game by making five and four 3-pointers, respectively.

Key moment

Gilmore’s alert lay-in of a Tonje miss with 9:24 to play gave the Badgers their first lead and forced a Northwestern timeout. The shorthanded Wildcats stayed close but never threatened the rest of the way.

Key stat

Wisconsin had just one second-half turnover after giving up the ball nine times in the opening 20 minutes.

Up next

Wisconsin hosts Indiana on Tuesday night. Northwestern hosts Southern California on Tuesday night.