No. 20/22 Wisconsin utilized an extremely efficient offensive performance to post an 83-74 win over Butler Saturday afternoon as part of the Indy Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

The Badgers entered the game as the nation's best free throw shooting team and reinforced that by making 25 of their 27 attempts, including their first 23 of the game.

With the win, Wisconsin improves to 9-3. Butler falls to 7-4 on the season with their third consecutive loss.
 
HOW IT TRANSPIRED:

• A 10-0 Wisconsin run to close the first half gave the Badgers their largest lead of the first half at 47-33.
• Jahmyl Telfort picked up his second half with 8:28 remaining in the first and the Bulldogs only down five (16-21); he sat out the remainder of the half.
• A Telfort make in the lane with 14:05 remaining in the contest cut Wisconsin's lead to five at 53-48, but the Badgers responded with the next seven points to get the lead back to double figures.
• Butler was able to cut the lead to seven on multiple occasions from that point forward, but could never string enough possessions together to put together a significant run.

 
NOTEWORTHY:

• Wisconsin shot 45 percent from the floor and committed only three turnovers. The Badgers handed out 19 assists.
• The Badgers were able to overcome a 6-for-25 performance from three-point range.
• Nolan Winter led Wisconsin with 20 points. He and Steven Crowl (18) did a majority of their damage in the paint as Wisconsin had a 40-24 advantage in the lane.
• Five Badgers scored in double figures.
• Pierre Brooks II, one game after matching his career-high 26 points, once again led the Bulldogs with 23 points.  
• Butler shot 43 percent from the field and committed only six turnovers.
• As they have done all season long, Butler got to the free throw line at a high rate. They had 32 attempts, but only made 22, which is the first time this season registering less than 70 percent (68.8) from the free throw line.
• Patrick McCaffery added 16 points for Butler. Kolby King added 10.
• Telfort, despite that first-half foul trouble, scored eight points to go along with seven rebounds.
• The Bulldogs were without Augusto Cassia, who was injured in Tuesday's game with North Dakota State. A ligament injury in his right knee will keep him out indefinitely, but the injury does not require surgery and is not season-ending.
• The Bulldogs are now 12-8 all-time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• The Bulldogs are in the midst of a five-game stretch that includes four Top 25 opponents (having played Houston and Wisconsin, with Marquette and Connecticut upcoming).  

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs open BIG EAST play Wednesday night, traveling to Marquette for a match-up against the Top 10 Golden Eagles. The 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. Milwaukee) tip will air on FS1. Fans can listen to the game as part of Butler Basketball Live with Mark Minner and Nick Gardner via the Varsity Network app. Butler returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday to host two-time defending national champion Connecticut. A limited number of tickets remain for that contest.