© Dane Sheehan
Wisconsin Basketball, John Tonje Dominate #9 Arizona Wildcats
Madison, WI - Save for a brief stretch in the second half when an 8-0 Arizona run tied it, the Wisconsin basketball team led wire-to-wire in its marquee matchup with the #9 Arizona Wildcats. The Badgers created plenty of fanfare for their premier non-conference game and lived up to the billing.
A pregame ceremony to celebrate the 10th anniversary of back-to-back Final Four teams, memorializing Badgers head coach Bo Ryan in the rafters, and a Stripe Out, Wisconsin found a way to eclipse all the fanfare by improving to 4-0, matching its best start of the last six seasons, with a 103-88 victory over Arizona.
John Tonje Etches His Name in the Badgers Record Books
Wisconsin basketball players extend high-fives to University of Wisconsin students following an 87-56 victory over the App State Mountaineers on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
Mandatory Credit: Dane Sheehan
John Tonje shone through a slugfest in which the officials called 63 personal fouls. Tallying 22 points on only 4-7 shooting from the field, the transfer from Missouri made all 13 shots from the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes. The North Omaha native added another 19 in the second half, finishing with 41 - fourth all-time for a single-game scoring output by a Badger.
That free throw shooting prowess also landed Tonje in the Wisconsin basketball record book. Wisconsin's Dale Koehler had been the record-holder for the most free throws made in a single game for the Badgers since December 6th, 1975, when he made 17 against Loyola Chicago. UW's Nigel Hayes tied the record in a game against the Indiana Hoosiers on January 26th, 2016, but Tonje now stands alone after making 21 from the charity stripe.
Wisconsin Basketball Does Not Lose Banner-Raising Games
Feb 15, 2018; Madison, WI, USA; Former Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky stands by the banner commemorating his number during halftime ceremonies in the game between the Badgers and the Purdue Boilermakers at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-Imagn Images
Perhaps it is the roar of the crowd, something special Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard says pre-game, or just an unexplainable cosmic force, but the Badgers have a knack of winning games with big names in the building.
In the 2017-18 season, Wisconsin hosted the Purdue Boilermakers, who eventually earned a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, when the Badgers retired 2015 National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky's jersey. Despite UW failing to make the Big Dance that season, students spent that night dancing on the court after the Badgers upset the Boilermakers 57-53.
In February 2022, Wisconsin basketball retired Michael Finley's jersey, honoring him as the first Badger to score 2,000 points and leading UW to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 47 years. Most Wisconsin fans will remember that game for a post-game scuffle sparked by Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard striking Badgers assistant Joe Krabbenhoft in the head.
On Friday night, the Ab Nicholas Court inside the Kohl Center was stormed again. I suppose it was a fitting result after Bo Ryan and the back-to-back Final Four teams beat Arizona twice in the Elite Eight a decade ago.
Stay in the loop with all things Wisconsin Badgers by visiting AllBadgers.com for more updates.
Ready to join the community? Follow Athlon Sports on YouTube, Facebook, and X to join in on the conversation.
You can also follow Kedrick Stumbris at @KedrickStumbris on X
What's Trending
