MADISON, Wis. — In a decisive matchup on Tuesday night, John Tonje led the way with 15 points as No. 21 Wisconsin triumphed over Indiana with a score of 76-64, maintaining their impressive home record against the Hoosiers.
This victory marked the 21st consecutive home win for the Badgers over Indiana, a record that stands as the longest road losing streak for the Hoosiers against any team. The last time Indiana secured a win in Madison was on January 25, 1998, coinciding with the opening of the Kohl Center.
Indiana, struggling with a series of losses, fell to 14-9 on the season and has now lost four games in a row.
For Wisconsin (now 18-5, 8-4 in the Big Ten), Max Klesmit contributed 13 points, while Nolan Winter scored 12, and Carter Gilmore rounded out the scoring with 10 points. Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako led his team with 15 points, followed by Luke Goode with 11.
Wisconsin quickly established dominance at the beginning of the game, racing to a 19-2 lead within the first 4½ minutes. The Badgers showcased their sharpshooting skills, making 5 of 6 attempts from beyond the arc and 6 of 7 overall during that span. They then built their lead to 26-4 shortly after.
The takeaway from the game for Indiana is that while their previous three losses were narrowly contested—decided by a total of just 15 points—the contest against Wisconsin was never in doubt. The Hoosiers recently suffered close defeats to Maryland (79-78) and No. 7 Purdue (81-76), but this game didn’t follow suit.
For Wisconsin, while they continue to dominate at home, their active streak against Big Ten teams does not end here; they have also claimed victory in their last 22 home encounters with Penn State, who is scheduled to visit the Kohl Center on March 8.
A key moment in the game occurred when Klesmit scored back-to-back 3-pointers within a brief 30-second span, capping off the Badgers’ early 19-2 run.
Statistically, Carter Gilmore has been impressive, scoring a total of 25 points in his last two outings; 15 of those came in a previous victory against Northwestern that ended 75-69. Remarkably, prior to this stretch, Gilmore had never recorded more than eight points in a single game.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to play again on Saturday. Indiana will host No. 24 Michigan, while Wisconsin will travel to face Iowa.
