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MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Brad Soderberg's first Big Ten Conference coaching victory was anything but pretty. Mike Kelley was held without a basket but made the go-ahead free throws with 1:41 remaining as 12th-ranked Wisconsin struggled offensively before pulling out a 49-46 victory over Indiana in the Big Ten opener for both schools. Kirk Penney scored 15 points but was the only player in double figures for the Badgers (10-1, 1-0 Big Ten), who extended their winning streak to 10 games and improved to 8-0 since Soderberg replaced Dick Bennett. "I'm thankful to get a win because I've been around the league for six years now and I know that if you don't take care of business at home, you're in for a long season," said Soderberg. Wisconsin produced another solid defensive effort, holding the Hoosiers (9-6, 0-1) to 18 points in the second half. But the Badgers had their own struggle finding the basket. Kirk Haston had 19 points and 10 rebounds but missed two key free throws down the stretch for Indiana, which played a Big Ten opener without Bob Knight for the first time since 1971. Knight's successor, Mike Davis, was trying to become the first Hoosiers coach to win in his league debut since Branch McCracken in 1939. "I thought our guys really played hard tonight and gave a great effort," Davis said. "Kirk Haston is really the only guy on our team that has played in this type of environment and he played a great game." After Kelley made the go-ahead free throws, forward Andy Kowske stuffed Haston's shot along the baseline with 1:25 to play. Vershaw missed badly on a jumper with just under a minute remaining, but Haston missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 25 seconds left. Vershaw made both free throws with 18 seconds to go, stretching Wisconsin's lead to 47-43. Haston drilled a 3-pointer from the left side with seven seconds to play, but Roy Boone sank two free throws with five seconds left and Indiana's Dane Fife missed a potential tying 3-pointer as time expired. Haston curled in a layup and was fouled by Charlie Wills with 1:56 left. But he missed the free throw, leaving the score tied at 43-43. Indiana limited Wisconsin to 38 percent (8-of-21) shooting in the first half, when the Badgers made just one basket in the first 7 1/2 minutes. But the Hoosiers were not much better at 42 percent (10-of-24) and took a 28-19 halftime lead. Wisconsin opened the second half on an 8-0 run, climbing within 28-27 on a 3-pointer by Penney with 17:18 to play. Indiana rebuilt the lead to 35-29 on a layup by Haston with 14:26 left, but that was the Hoosiers' last basket for more than 5 1/2 minutes. Another 3-pointer by Penney gave the Badgers their first lead of the night, 37-35, with 9:26 to go. Indiana had another drought of more than six minutes that ended on a jumper by Jared Jeffries with 2:37 left that forged a 41-41 tie. "I'm very proud of the way our guys responded in the second half," Soderberg said. "They got up and competed a little harder in the second half and showed a little more aggression on offense. Once that happened, I thought we really started clicking." Jeffries was the only other Hoosier in double figures with 10 points. Indiana shot under 38 percent (17-of-45) but had a 30-27 rebounding edge. Maurice Linton contributed eight points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Badgers, who shot 40.5 percent (17-of-42) and managed just one offensive board.
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