Nov. 29, 2000

Box Score

By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE - Kirk Penney scored five of his 18 points in overtime as No. 23 Wisconsin held off 13th-ranked Maryland 78-75 Wednesday night in an ACC-Big Ten Challenge game at the mostly empty Bradley Center.

Penney, a sophomore who was 0-for-13 from the field in the Badgers' opener, hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of overtime and Wisconsin (2-1) never trailed again.

The Terrapins (1-3) lost for the third straight time despite holding an opponent to less than 39 percent shooting for the fourth consecutive game. They turned the first meeting between the schools in 68 years into a foulfest after falling behind 70-63 on Penney's free throw with 56 seconds left.

The Badgers' victory seemed secured when Maryland's Drew Nicholas misfired on a long 3-pointer with 10 seconds left and Roy Boone was fouled on the rebound. His two free throws gave Wisconsin a 78-71 lead.

But the pesky Terrapins scored on Byron Mouton's basket, stole the ball and Terence Morris made two foul shots with a second left.

Mouton led the Terrapins with 14 points.

Wisconsin senior guard Mike Kelley, coming off a career-high 17 points against Northern Illinois, was held scoreless until 2:48 of overtime, when he hit a 12-foot jumper that gave the Badgers a 67-62 lead.

Kelley did have 12 assists, one short of the school record.

The game was tied at 62 after regulation.

Charlie Wills' two free throws with 51 seconds left in regulation put Wisconsin ahead 62-59, but Steve Blake, who hadn't scored since the first half, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 36 seconds left.

The Badgers worked the ball for a final shot, but Boone was badly out range when he fired up a 3-pointer that didn't come close.

Mike Vershaw scored six points in an 11-0 run the Badgers used to take a 50-42 lead with 10 minutes left. But Nicholas made four foul shots, Mike Mardesich made a nifty basket underneath and Tahj Holden's wide-open 3 with six minutes left gave Maryland a 51-50 lead and ensured an exciting finish.

The Badgers jumped out to leads of 11-2 and 21-10 before the Terrapins settled down.

Juan Dixon, who scored 11 of his 12 points in the first half, gave Maryland its first lead at 32-31 with a layup at 2:49 of the first half.

Wisconsin trailed 37-34 at halftime.

The 19,150-seat Bradley Center was only about one-third full. The late start, the fact the game was on television, higher ticket prices than at the Kohl Center and snow falling along the 90-mile trek from Madison kept the walk-up crowd down.