MADISON, Wis. — In an impressive display, John Tonje and Steven Crowl each contributed 17 points, leading the Wisconsin Badgers to a decisive 87-56 victory over Appalachian State on Sunday, capping off a busy opening week of the season.

The Badgers, now with a record of 3-0, previously secured wins against Holy Cross and Montana State. Appalachian State, sitting at 1-2, faced Wisconsin as part of its own challenging stretch of games within a week.

Wisconsin initially found themselves trailing 17-8 within the first eight minutes of play. However, they quickly turned the momentum in their favor with an impressive 24-0 scoring spurt, establishing a 32-17 lead just under three minutes before halftime.

In the first half, Tonje contributed significantly with nine points, six rebounds, and four assists, helping Wisconsin to a 36-20 advantage as they headed into the locker room. The Badgers demonstrated dominance in the paint, outscoring their opponents 26-6 while shooting 45% overall. Meanwhile, their outside shooting consisted of 3-for-10 from beyond the arc and just one free throw out of four attempts.

Wisconsin continued their strong performance in the second half, adding 51 points to their tally. Max Klesmit was particularly effective, scoring 12 points, while Xavier Amos chipped in with 10. Klesmit ended the game with a total of 15 points, and both Amos and Nolan Winter finished with 10 points each.

The Badgers showcased their efficiency, committing only six turnovers throughout the game, contrasting sharply with Appalachian State’s 18 turnovers, with 13 of those occurring in the first half.
For the Mountaineers, CJ Huntley led the scoring with 13 points, and Jackson Threadgill added 11 points.