In the regular season finale for both teams, the Illinois Fighting Illini trail 31-18 at halftime against the Wisconsin Badgers following a brutal first half performance. The Illini have stumbled to end the season following a solid start, with the first half of today's game just being the latest chapter in those struggles.
Illinois just couldn't get anything going on offense, shooting just 25 percent in the first half. The Fighting Illini had more turnovers (seven) in the first half than field goals (six), which obviously makes things extremely difficult to win. And that's especially so on the road against a ranked opponent, as the Badgers took advantage to get a sizable lead.
Jordan Taylor leads Wisconsin with eight points so far in what's been a balanced Wisconsin attack. Rob Wilson also came off the bench to knock down a pair of three-pointers for the Badgers.
Sam Maniscalco leads the Fighting Illini with six points. Brandon Paul has five points, but he's just 2-of-8 from the field so far. Meyers Leonard was held scoreless in the first half, missing all four of his shots.
For more on these teams, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more as we go deeper into March Madness.