Wednesday's State Sports Briefs: Bennett returns to state in Virginia-Wisconsin clash

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MADISON - The Wisconsin men’s basketball team will host Virginia tonight in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Both teams are 4-2.

The Badgers are coming off a seven-point win over Arkansas at the Las Vegas Invitational, in which they overcame an 11-point deficit at halftime. The Badgers are 6-7 in their annual challenge against ACC teams, but they’re 4-1 in Madison. The game also marks the return of former Badgers’ assistant Tony Bennett, who’s now the head coach at Virginia.

Meanwhile, Sam Dekker – the state’s fourth all-time high school scorer – continues to adjust to the college game. He had a season-high 19 points off the bench against Arkansas, and he’s third among Big Ten freshman with 11-and-a-half points a game. Dekker is also third on the Badgers in scoring. But he says he should be playing better defense by now. Dekker says he’s had trouble adjusting to the Badgers’ help-side defense, and getting players around curls. But he’s getting more comfortable with the system each day. Some fans wonder why Dekker’s not starting – but he accepts his role, and he says he’s embracing the opportunity to play for Wisconsin.

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The Milwaukee Bucks will host the New York Knicks tonight. Former Marquette guard Steve Novak continues to be a key reserve for the Knicks. He hit five three-pointers against Detroit last Sunday, while scoring 18 points in that contest. New York has lost three of its last four, and is coming off a seven-point overtime defeat at Brooklyn on Monday night. Carmelo Anthony had 35 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks in that game. The Knicks are 9-4. The Bucks are 7-5, after beating the Bulls in Chicago by one on Monday night to end a three-game losing streak. Milwaukee’s reserves staged a major comeback, after coach Scott Skiles benched his starters in the third quarter with the Bucks down by 27 at that point. Ekpe Udoh and Beno Udrih both scored 11 down the stretch.

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The Marquette University men’s basketball team will have Vander Blue back in the lineup tomorrow night at Florida. Coach Buzz Williams says the junior guard is ready to play against the seventh-ranked Gators, after he sprained his left knee a week ago. Blue is the Golden Eagles’ second-leading scorer. He was held out of Monday night’s Marquette rout of Maryland-Baltimore County.

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Marquette men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams said he didn’t know that Tulane was about to join the Big East Conference until it was announced yesterday. Tulane expects to join the Big East in 2014 in all sports – and East Carolina says it will join the same year for football only. Williams said he was familiar with Tulane a long time ago, when he was the head coach at New Orleans and his team played against them twice each year. But Williams says he has not thought much about Tulane joining the Big East – and he expects more changes on the Horizon. Louisville has been accepted into the ACC. Rutgers said this last week it would leave the Big East to join the Big Ten. West Virginia has left to join the Big 12. Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh are also all heading to the ACC. And after Maryland said it would join the Big Ten, there’s talk that UConn and Cincinnati could bolt from the Big East to the ACC as well. Williams says he has no idea where Marquette will end up once the conference re-alignments come to an end. Most pundits believe the Golden Eagles will end up in a major conference with other schools that don’t play football.

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The Marquette women will try to get above .500 tonight when it plays at South Dakota State. The Golden Eagles are 2-2 after a 20-point loss at Texas A&M last weekend. Katherine Plouffe leads Marquette in scoring with almost 14 points a game. She had a season-high 18 against Texas A&M. South Dakota State comes in a 3-3. The Jackrabbits are coming off a 26-point loss to Central Michigan last weekend. South Dakota State has a signature win under its belt, a five-point upset of 15th-ranked Nebraska on November 18th. Also tonight, the Wisconsin women will play at Virginia Tech. And the Badger men host Virginia.

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Golf’s two main governing bodies are expected to announce today that the use of long putters will be banned under the game’s official rules. Two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North of Madison says it will be a “fantastic” change – because it will force golfers to make swings when they put, instead of anchoring the club to their chests or stomachs. The United States Golf Association and the R-and-A foreign group are expected to announce their decision. If they ban the long putters, the change would most likely not take effect until 2016 – when the official Rules of Golf are expected to get their next revisions. Long putters used to be considered a crutch for older players – but more pros and younger golfers have used them in recent years. Tom Schmidt of the Wisconsin State Golf Association says it takes away from the normal stroke, in which the hands move freely in all directions. North says anyone who believes long putters don’t make a difference is quote, “nuts.” He says skill is a big part of the game and quote, “It changes when you use anchoring.”

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Green Bay Packers’ offensive tackle Derek Sherrod is out for the year. The NFL’s transaction wire shows that he was put on the physically-unable-to-perform reserve list yesterday – which automatically means Sherrod won’t return until next season. The second-year pro is still getting over a broken right leg suffered last December at Kansas City. Sherrod started this season on the physically-unable-to-perform list. And after three weeks of practice, the Packers were required to either place him on the 53-man roster, or put him on the PUP-Reserve list for the rest of the year. Coach Mike McCarthy said yesterday that Sherrod was making progress, but he still has more to do. The Packers are practicing today for their Sunday home contest against Minnesota.

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The Midwest Conference has a full schedule of men’s-and-women’s basketball double-headers tonight. Saint Norbert is at home against Beloit College. Lawrence plays at Ripon. Carroll travels to Lake Forest. Grinnell is at Knox College. And Illinois College plays at Monmouth. Four of the 11 men’s teams have already played their first conference game. Lawrence and Lake Forest are both 1-0. On the women’s side, Lake Forest and Illinois College both won their league openers. Lawrence is 0-1, and Wisconsin’s four Midwest women’s teams have not played a conference game yet. Saint Norbert is ranked 25th in this week’s D3hoops.com women’s poll.

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Conference play resumes tonight for women’s basketball teams in the Northern Athletics Conference. Maranatha Baptist leads the North Division at 2-0, and it has the night off. Lakeland is 1-0 in league play, and they’ll be at Concordia-Mequon tonight. Wisconsin Lutheran hosts Aurora. And Edgewood plays at Marian. Elsewhere, UW-Superior has a men’s-and-women’s double-header at Northwestern College of Minnesota – and Martin Luther has a similar twin bill at Viterbo of La Crosse. In other men’s basketball tonight, UW-Eau Claire hosts Saint Scholastica – and Stout entertains Luther College. In other women’s games, Stout is at Crown. And River Falls travels to Duluth to play Saint Scholastica.

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SCORES

UW-Whitewater 71, Illinois Wesleyan 65

Augustana 69, UW-Platteville 57

UW-La Crosse 67, Bethany Lutheran 55

Lakeland 79, Madison Edgewood 65

Milwaukee School of Engineering 56, Maranatha Baptist 48

Concordia-Mequon 59, Marian 58

Aurora 80, Wisconsin Lutheran 54

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In women’s college basketball…

Illinois Wesleyan 72, UW-Whitewater 69

Maranatha Baptist 68, Alverno 50

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Wisconsin boys' high school basketball

Albany 81, Madison Abundant Life 39

Antigo 65, Wittenberg-Birnamwood 48

Appleton East 45, Kaukauna 41

Appleton Xavier 62, Waupaca 59

Arcadia 53, Cochrane-Fountain City 50

Ashwaubenon 72, Winneconne 44

Baldwin-Woodville 46, Spooner 41

Bangor 68, Lincoln 48

Bayfield 78, Lac Courte Oreilles 35

Berlin 53, Clintonville 45

Black River Falls 43, Thorp 40

Bonduel 64, Gillett 30

Boyceville 55, Plum City 24

Brillion 74, Mishicot 27

Brookfield East 48, Oak Creek 38

Brown Deer 73, Whitnall 62

Burlington 79, Kenosha Bradford 61

Cadott 67, Osseo-Fairchild 53

Cashton 50, Weston 32

Cassville 60, Fennimore 49

Columbus 81, Montello 60

Darlington 65, Barneveld 62

Deerfield 67, Williams Bay 44

Dodgeville 84, Mineral Point 58

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 62, Gilmanton 56

Eau Claire Regis 61, Stanley-Boyd 34

Edgar 46, Iola-Scandinavia 41

Elk Mound 55, Elmwood 49

Evansville 48, Waterloo 42

Fall Creek 48, Altoona 47

Fall River 50, Hustisford 30

Fond du Lac 61, Appleton West 47

Fox Valley Lutheran 56, Freedom 33

Frederic 47, Shell Lake 46, OT

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 81, Blair-Taylor 73

Germantown 78, Mequon Homestead 62

Grafton 74, Port Washington 69

Green Bay Southwest 57, Seymour 46

Greenfield 75, Greendale 64

Greenwood 57, Abbotsford 53

Hartland Arrowhead 52, Wisconsin Lutheran 44

Holmen 63, Chippewa Falls 36

Horicon 49, Dodgeland 31

Hurley 56, Chequamegon 51

Jefferson 69, Lakeside Lutheran 63, OT

Juda 56, Durand, Illinois 51

Kenosha Tremper 77, Green Bay Preble 69

Kimberly 62, Menasha 43

La Crosse Aquinas 52, Wisconsin Rapids 50, OT

La Crosse Central 62, Eau Claire North 36

Lakeland 66, Ashland 27

Little Chute 56, Ripon 44

Lodi 71, Sauk Prairie 37

Luck 44, Chippewa Falls McDonell 37

Luther 89, Melrose-Mindoro 56

Luxemburg-Casco 48, Shawano 47

Manawa 53, Tigerton 32

Manitowoc Lutheran 51, Hilbert 44

Manitowoc Roncalli 66, Chilton 43

Marinette 49, New London 44

Medford 56, Bloomer 49

Milton 61, Delavan-Darien 37

Milwaukee Destiny 82, Milwaukee Marshall/Juneau 69

Milwaukee Lutheran 71, Cedarburg 60

Milwaukee Hope Christian 79, Kenosha Christian Life 49

Milwaukee Messmer 62, Living Word Lutheran 43

Milwaukee North Division 150, Milwaukee St. Anthony 29

Milwaukee Pius XI 67, South Milwaukee 47

Milwaukee Pulaski 53, Lakeshore Christian 43

Milwaukee Tenor 43, Eastbrook Academy 38

Milwaukee University 76, Milwaukee Heritage Christian 42

Milwaukee Washington 67, Racine J.I. Case 66

Mondovi 61, St. Croix Central 38

Monona Grove 59, McFarland 56

Monroe 52, Baraboo 28

Monticello 60, Belmont 27

Mount Horeb 59, DeForest 55

Mukwonago 49, Waterford 36

Neenah 57, Appleton North 55

Neillsville 48, Colby 34

New Berlin Eisenhower 76, Wauwatosa West 52

New Berlin West 72, St. Francis 26

North Fond du Lac 55, Green Bay West 51

Oostburg 54, Howards Grove 37

Osceola 44, Hayward 41

Oshkosh Lourdes 53, Oakfield 24

Oshkosh North 62, Oshkosh West 51

Ozaukee 38, Cedar Grove-Belgium 32

Palmyra-Eagle 47, Johnson Creek 33

Pardeeville 59, Markesan 52, OT

Pewaukee 72, Milwaukee Thomas More 59

Phillips 48, Elcho 36

Plymouth 55, Kiel 33

Prairie Farm 68, New Auburn 54

Princeton/Green Lake 47, Plainfield Tri-County 28

Racine Prairie 40, Burlington Catholic Central 36

Potosi vs. South Wayne Black Hawk, postponed

Random Lake 52, Kohler 50

Reedsburg 75, Viroqua 61

River Falls 94, Ellsworth 47

River Valley 48, Adams-Friendship 38

Sheboygan Lutheran 81, Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah 49

Sheboygan County Christian 61, Trinity Academy 50

Sheboygan Falls 50, Campbellsport 43, OT

Shorewood 60, Cudahy 36

Shullsburg 45, Argyle 37

Superior 54, Amery 42

Superior Maranatha 52, Mountain Top Academy 35

Tomah 46, Portage 44

Tomahawk 76, Rib Lake 61

Union Grove 50, Racine Lutheran 40

Unity 49, Cumberland 34

Valders 49, Reedsville 42

Wabeno 66, Coleman 39

Watertown 59, Wilmot Union 44

Watertown Luther Prep 67, Martin Luther 34

Waupun 57, Poynette 48

Waupun Central Wisconsin Christian 56, De Soto 54

West Bend West 56, Kewaskum 50

West De Pere 66, Algoma 59

Westby 62, Brookwood 31

Westosha Central 60, Somers Shoreland Lutheran 51

Whitefish Bay 66, Glendale Nicolet 51

Wisconsin Rapids Assumption 50, Port Edwards 33

Wisconsin Valley Lutheran 50, Rosholt 48

Wrightstown 51, Menasha St. Mary's 30

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Girls' high school basketball

Adams-Friendship 37, Sparta 16

Algoma 68, Southern Door 25

Altoona 48, River Falls 43

Amery 48, Durand 46

Arcadia 49, Bangor 39

Auburndale 39, Edgar 34

Barron 55, Rice Lake 29

Bay Port 47, Hortonville 39

Baldwin-Woodville 50, Prescott 40

Bayfield 73, Lac Courte Oreilles 9

Beaver Dam 39, Notre Dame 36

Berlin 45, Laconia 36

Brillion 54, Luxemburg-Casco 49

Brodhead 61, Orfordville Parkview 51

Cadott 72, Lake Holcombe 27

Chippewa Falls 51, Onalaska 45

Clayton 48, Siren 42

Clinton 63, Palmyra-Eagle 29

Colby 61, Gilman 25

Coleman 56, Wausaukee 15

Colfax 42, Hayward 34

Columbus 36, Cambridge 35

Crestwood-Cresco, Iowa 41, Prairie du Chien 29

Cuba City 50, Richland Center 44

Cudahy 31, Shorewood 30

Darlington 45, Belmont 16

Eastbrook Academy 77, Milwaukee Tenor 6

Edgerton 74, McFarland 33

Elmwood 32, Independence 29

Fond du Lac Springs 46, Cedar Grove-Belgium 25

Frederic 47, Shell Lake 46, OT

Glenwood City 55, Clear Lake 24

Greendale 43, Greenfield 30

Greendale Martin Luther 50, Milwaukee South 21

Greenwood 53, Granton 22

Hartford Union 49, Burlington 40

Janesville Craig 65, Madison East 31

Janesville Parker 48, Madison La Follette 42

Kenosha Christian Life 42, Racine Lutheran 32

Kenosha Indian Trail 61, Kenosha St. Joseph 46

Kettle Moraine 47, Sheboygan South 44

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 61, West Bend West 34

Kewaunee 55, Sevastopol 13

Kiel 67, Hilbert 49

La Crosse Central 50, Menomonie 31

Ladysmith 80, Flambeau 20

Lake Mills 68, Belleville 32

Lodi 78, Waterloo 17

Loyal 26, Augusta 25

Onalaska Luther 51, Melrose-Mindoro 43

Marathon 38, Stratford 33

Marion 41, Manawa 26

Marshall 41, Poynette 38

Marshfield Columbus 36, Spencer 24

Menomonee Falls 49, Wisconsin Lutheran 40

Middleton 58, Madison Memorial 45

Milton 57, Elkhorn Area 52

Milwaukee School of Languages 57, Milwaukee Young-Coggs Prep 23

Milwaukee Pius XI 46, South Milwaukee 29

Mountaintop Christian 45, Superior Maranatha 23

Mukwonago 60, Waterford 46

Muskego 51, Lake Geneva Badger 43

Neillsville 45, Owen-Withee 37

Nekoosa 58, Mosinee 30

New Berlin Eisenhower 62, Wauwatosa West 30

New Berlin West 66, St. Francis 18

New Glarus 50, Watertown Luther Prep 40

New Holstein 51, Valders 39

New Richmond 48, Ellsworth 14

Niagara 48, Crivitz 33

Northwestern 44, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 40

Northwood 49, Luck 42, 3 OT

Oconto 53, Gibraltar 28

Oconto Falls 53, Bonduel 43

Oshkosh North 52, Kaukauna 40

Ozaukee 49, Mayville 34

Peshtigo 49, Lena 39

Pewaukee 44, Slinger 42

Platteville 61, Iowa-Grant 32

Potosi 52, Pecatonica 38

Prairie Farm 47, New Auburn 12

Prentice 63, Three Lakes 26

Princeton 24, Almond-Bancroft 23

Racine Park 71, Somers Shoreland Lutheran 59

Randolph 40, Horicon 31

Random Lake 42, Waupun Central Wisconsin Christian 39

Roseville, Minnesota 64, Hudson 22

Rosholt 50, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran 15

Sheboygan North 72, Appleton West 29

South Shore 62, Chequamegon 34

St. Paul Central, Minnesota 62, Eau Claire North 43

Stevens Point 65, Green Bay East 37

Stockbridge 39, Kohler 26

Stoughton 61, Mount Horeb 39

Sturgeon Bay 48, Green Bay NEW Lutheran 42

Sun Prairie 67, Madison West 55

Suring 36, Gillett 35

Tomah 37, Mauston 36

Trinity Academy 44, Sheboygan County Christian 43

Turtle Lake 51, Webster 35

Unity 51, Cumberland 26

Verona 70, Beloit Memorial 37

Viroqua 47, Cashton 40, OT

Wausau East 27, Antigo 26

Wausau Newman 63, Northland Lutheran 32

Wausau West 60, Medford Area 59

Wauwatosa East 51, Milwaukee Hamilton 27

West Salem 44, Royall 38

Weyauwega-Fremont 53, North Fond du Lac 43

Whitewater 69, Evansville 51

Whitefish Bay Dominican 54, Port Washington 40

Whitnall 52, Brown Deer 37

Williams Bay Faith Christian 32, Kenosha Reuther 29

Wilmot Union 56, West Allis Central 13

Wisconsin Heights 67, Lakeside Lutheran 24

Wisconsin Rapids Assumption 70, Pittsville 23

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 69, Rhinelander 23

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