Penn State Penn State/Wisconsin Wisconsin Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin won one for its former coach Saturday night. In the process, the Badgers reminded Dick Bennett why he retired earlier this season.

Roy Boone scored 16 points as the Badgers (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) outlasted Penn State 63-58, despite nearly squandering a 10-point lead down the stretch.

Wisconsin (13-4, 4-3 Big Ten) led 54-44 with just over four minutes remaining. But Penn State (12-6, 2-5) rallied behind a pressing defense that created several turnovers and the shooting of Gyasi Cline-Heard, who scored eight of his 15 points in the last four minutes.

Cline-Heard's layup with 41 seconds remaining pulled the Nittany Lions within two points, 60-58. But Penn State got no closer as Tyler Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one and the Lions missed three shots on their next possession.

Charlie Wills hit one free throw and Mike Kelley added two to seal the win for Wisconsin.

Bennett, who was honored in pregame ceremonies, watched most of the game from press row, directly across from the Wisconsin bench. But he didn't stick around until the end, slipping out to a rousing ovation in the closing seconds.

"I was disappointed in how we finished the game against their press," said interim coach Brad Soderberg, who is 11-3 since taking over for Bennett in November. "We attack the press all the time in practice. Thankfully, we won because it's a lot easier to go back and correct things after a win."

The Badgers benefitted from a subpar night by Joe Crispin, the Big Ten's leading scorer with a 21.5-point average. Crispin was held to just 13 points on 5-for-18 shooting that included 2-for-10 from 3-point range.

Penn State coach Jerry Dunn credited Kelley for his defensive play against Crispin, but also questioned the wisdom of some of Crispin's shots.

"I think Kelley is a very good defensive player, but I think shot selection is important," Dunn said. "When a guy is guarding you as heavily as he was guarding him, then I think you have to be a little bit smarter with your shot selection."

Kelley, the Big Ten's defensive player of the year two season's ago, has had his struggles against Crispin. Last year, Crispin scored what was then his career high of 31 points in a victory over the Badgers.

"I'm really glad for Mike because Crispin has really played well against us in the past," said Soderberg. "It's been hard for Mike to contain him, but I thought he did a good job, especially after picking up two relatively quick fouls.

"Quite honestly, I was surprised at some of the shots he took. As good a shooter as he is, there were some that were really long and off-balance and contested."

Kelley tried to downplay the individual matchup.

"The big thing is that by helping keep him below his average, it allowed us to win the game," Kelley said. "But it is a little extra special because he's had such success against me in the past."

And with Bennett in attendance for the first time since his retirement, the past was very much on the minds of those involved in the game.

"It meant a lot to us to have coach out there one last time and to have the fans honor him like that," said Kelley.

Soderberg was particularly pleased to reunite Bennett with his former players.

"I like that there was some closure between this senior class and coach Bennett," Soderberg said. "Those guys came here because of coach Bennett and they all worked together to rebuild this program and have the success that we've had. I was really glad we had the ceremony."

Even Dunn admitted being caught up in the emotion of the evening.

"Dick Bennett has meant an awful lot to college basketball and will continue to do so," said Dunn. "There are an awful lot of people who have a great deal of admiration for coach Bennett and will continue to do so. He's an even better person than he is a coach."

ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard

Penn State Clubhouse

Wisconsin Clubhouse

AUDIO/VIDEO
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Mike Kelley makes a steal and goes the distance for a score.
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Marcus Banta spins in the lane for a Penn State hoop.
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Roy Boone goes baseline for a hoop and the foul.
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