John Tonje’s strong 2nd half leads No. 16 Wisconsin past No. 7 Purdue 94-84 in key Big Ten game

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — John Tonje scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half Saturday and Max Klesmit added 17 points and six assists to help No. 16 Wisconsin beat No. 7 Purdue 94-84.

Tonje scored 10 straight points during a key second-half stretch that gave Wisconsin a lead it never relinquished.

The Badgers (20-5, 10-4) won their fourth straight despite losing backup guard Kamari McGee late in the first half when a replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 call and an ejection after McGee’s hand hit Trey Kaufman-Renn below the waist as he tried to guard Purdue’s Braden Smith.

Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with a career high 30 points. Fletcher Loyer scored 15 and Smith had 12 assists C.J. for the Boilermakers (19-7, 11-4), who lost their second straight for the second time this season.

Purdue honored All-American forward Caleb Swanigan at halftime. The 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Portland Trail Blazers died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 2022 at age 25. The local coroner ruled Swanigan died from natural causes.