Arkansas St. Red Wolves vs Wisconsin Badgers Box Score on Nov 06, 2023

Chucky Hepburn scored 20 points and transfer AJ Storr added 15 as Wisconsin dominated visiting Arkansas State 105-76 on Monday night in Madison, Wis., in the season opener for both teams.

Wisconsin, which returned all five starters and added St. John's sophomore transfer Starr, hit its first four shots to jump out to a 9-0 lead. The Badgers used a 7-0 run to push the lead to 27-13 midway through the first half.

The Badgers, picked fifth in the Big Ten preseason media poll, extended the lead to 56-41 at the break, shooting 64.7 percent in the first half. Wisconsin went to its bench early, with 10 players scoring in the opening half.

Hepburn scored seven consecutive points to put Wisconsin in front 68-43 with just under 17 minutes remaining. The Badgers hit six of their first seven shots out of intermission, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, after missing all three first-half 3-pointers.

Wisconsin finished at 65 percent on 39-of-60 shooting. The Badgers also poured in 56 points in the paint, 24 points off 17 Arkansas State turnovers, and 39 points off the bench.

Max Klesmit added 14 points for Wisconsin, making all five of his shots from the floor, and freshman John Blackwell had 12.

Freddy Hicks scored 21 points and Caleb Fields added 17 for Arkansas State, picked to finish ninth in the 14-team Sun Belt Conference under first-year coach Bryan Hodgson.

The Badgers averaged 65.3 points while allowing 63.6 last season, finishing 20-15 and missing the NCAA Tournament for just the second time since 1997 and first since 2018.

--Field Level Media