No. 9 BYU Beats No. 23 Wisconsin 98-70

No. 9 BYU defeated No. 23 Wisconsin 98-70 on Friday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, handing the Badgers their first loss of the season in a matchup that doubled as a rematch from last year's NCAA Tournament second round.

The Cougars, now 4-1, secured their first victory against a ranked opponent this season by dominating from the outset. BYU built a 45-33 halftime lead behind efficient shooting, including 53 percent from the field in the first half, and pulled away in the second with a barrage of three-pointers. The team finished 14 of 34 from beyond the arc, outshooting Wisconsin 41 percent to 24 percent. Richie Saunders led the way with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including five three-pointers. He echoed his performance from the tournament game, where he scored 25 points against the Badgers. AJ Dybantsa added 18 points and six rebounds despite foul trouble that sidelined him for much of the second half, while Rob Wright III contributed 10 points and a game-high 11 assists, nearly three times as many as Wisconsin managed as a team.

Wisconsin, dropping to 4-1, struggled offensively throughout, shooting just 38 percent from the field and missing 9 of...