Badgers beat Arkansas State in season-opener behind 20 points from Chucky Hepburn
MADISON, Wisc. (AP) — Chucky Hepburn scored 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting and Wisconsin beat Arkansas State 105-76 in a season opener for the teams on Monday night.
AJ Storr scored 15 points, Max Klesmit 14, and reserve John Blackwell 12 for Wisconsin, which had 12 players enter the scoring column. The Badgers made 39 of 60 shot attempts (65%) including 6 of 12 from 3-point range.
Wisconsin scored 56 points before halftime. A year after averaging 65.3 points per game, the Badgers reached 50 points before halftime for the first time in almost three years not making a 3-pointer.
Freddy Hicks scored 21 points, Caleb Fields 17 and reserve Dyondre Dominguez 14 for Arkansas State.
The Red Wolves have a roster that has 337 career starts but is still learning a faster offensive pace under former Alabama assistant Bryan Hodgson. Arkansas State shot 4 for 21 from 3-point range and had 17 turnovers.
Wisconsin hosts No. 9 Tennessee on Friday.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Maryland’s Fatts Russell, left, pressures Wisconsin’s Chucky Hepburn in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)