Wisconsin again makes double-digit three-point attempts, improves to 2-0 on its exhibition basketball tour of France
Will Wisconsin boast a solid three-point shooting team during the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season?
That is to be determined.
However, the Badgers hit 13 three-point attempts Friday in their 80-68 exhibition victory over host Lyon Towers in the second game of their four-game trip to France.
That came two days after UW hit 12 three-pointers in an 81-66 victory in Paris.
Freshman guard Connor Essegian led the way with 3 three-pointers, followed by Issac Lindsey, Markus Ilver and Chucky Hepburn with two apiece.
UW averaged 6.5 three-pointers per game last season and finished at 30.6% from beyond the arc.
“That’s definitely just guys putting in individual work,” Hepburn said after the game Friday. “Late night gyms. Early mornings.
“Credit that to them and credit to the coaches for giving us opportunity to practice our shots and create a lot more space for the shots.”
More: Badgers to open the 2022-23 men's college basketball season on Nov. 7 against visiting South Dakota
"We're going to have a lot more lessons (that we'll use) going into the season"@ChuckyHepburn after the win in Lyon pic.twitter.com/qyA7BvZXeK
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) August 12, 2022
Four UW players finished in double-figure scoring, led by Tyler Wahl with 12. Steven Crowl and Essegian added 11 apiece and Hepburn finished with 10.
As he said he planned to do after the opening game of the tour, head coach Greg Gard went with a new starting lineup.
Crowl, Hepburn and Jordan Davis started for the second consecutive game and were joined Friday by Essegian and Carter Gilmore.
That lineup helped UW open with a 10-2 run and build a 21-8 lead after one quarter.
UW led, 43-27, at halftime and the closest Lyon got was within 69-60 with 7 minutes 49 seconds remaining.
Davis added nine points for UW, all in the second half. Lindsey and Ilver added six apiece. Gilmore and Max Klesmit finished with five apiece. Kamari McGee added three and Chris Hodges added two.
UW and Lyon Towers are scheduled to meet again at noon on Saturday
“The competition is way more physical out here,” Hepburn said. “You can play with your body more. That’s what we like. We like physicality.
“We’re going to have a lot more lessons going into the season. We’ll be able to face off against a lot more physical teams.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin basketball team makes 13 three-pointers in game in France
