Banton helps Western Kentucky beat No. 15 Wisconsin 83-76

   BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -- Dalano Banton nearly had a triple-double and Western Kentucky rode the freshman to an 83-76 win over No. 15 Wisconsin on Saturday.

   Banton had eight points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, helping the Hilltoppers catch fire in the second half and beat an AP Top 25 opponent for the second time this season. Western Kentucky beat then-No. 13 West Virginia in November.

   No. 15 Wisconsin (10-3) visited a mid-major school for the first time since the 2014-15 season and couldn't contend with the Hilltoppers' 67.8 percent shooting in the second half.

   Taveion Hollingsworth led Western Kentucky (7-6) with 22 points, and Charles Bassey had 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting while mostly guarded by preseason All-American Ethan Happ.

   Brad Davison led Wisconsin with 26 points, and Happ had 20 points and 12 rebounds, although Western Kentucky outworked the Badgers 38-31 on the glass.

   The Diddle Arena crowd of 7,614 wasn't necessarily welcoming of Davison, who was greeted with a chorus of boos any time he touched the ball. Davison drew a charge and hit a free throw with two seconds left in Wisconsin's 81-80 win last year in Madison, Wisconsin.

   The Badgers led 34-30 at halftime before Western Kentucky roared out of the second half with a 9-0 run.

   Josh Anderson finished with 15 points and made a three-point play that pushed Western Kentucky to its largest lead of 11 points with 1:06 left.

   UP NEXT

   Western Kentucky: Starts a three-game road swing at Charlotte on Thursday

   Wisconsin: Opens Big Ten play at home against Minnesota on Thursday.

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