Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan: (Photo by David Stluka)
The Wisconsin men’s basketball team knocked off division-three U-W River Falls 101-46 on Wednesday night at the Kohl Center.
Six Badgers scored in double figures, led by Nigel Hayes and redshirt freshman Ethan Happ with 16 points each.
The Badgers shot 54-percent from the field and held the Falcons to 21-percent.
The Badgers didn’t have freshman Andy Van Vliet due to an eligibility issue. If Wisconsin doesn’t win an appeal in the matter, the 6’11 center may have to sit out a year.
According to university officials, Van Vliet played as an amateur outside of a one-year period following his expected graduation date. The U-W was rejected in obtaining an N-C-A-A waiver that cited factors beyond the player’s control. The 20-year-old Van Vliet played for the Antwerp Giants and the Belgian national team before arriving at Madison in August.
The University says it would file an appeal as soon as possible. Coach Bo Ryan called it an unusual circumstance.
Wisconsin opens its regular season at home November 13th against Western Illinois.
AUDIO: Bo Ryan says there was some good and some bad :11
AUDIO: Bo Ryan liked what Ethan Happ did :18