MADISON – Led by a record-setting night from John Tonje, Wisconsin made a statement Friday.

The Badgers men’s basketball team knocked off ninth-ranked Arizona, 103-88, in front of a packed house at the Kohl Center and Tonje, the team’s graduate guard, set a program record for free throws made and nearly made a field goal in a game. record with a performance of 41 points.

The display came on a night when the UW athletic department honored its 2014 and ’15 Final Four teams as well as former coach Bo Ryan.

Wisconsin (4-0) led by as many as 18 in the first half, but Arizona (2-1) battled all the way back to tie the game early in the second half. However, the Badgers regained control with a 21-9 run that pushed the lead back to double digits.

Arizona got no closer than nine points the rest of the night.

BOX SCORE: Wisconsin 103, Arizona 88

Tonje hit eight of 14 shots, including four of six from three-point range. He cleaned up from the free throw line where he made 21 of 22 attempts to break the single game record for free throws made by four.

Sophomore John Blackwell added 14 points and senior Max Klesmit finished with 13.

The Badgers were 41 of 47 from the line to tie the single-team record for most free throws made in a game.

Here’s a look back at tonight’s game.

Single game program record for John Tonje

John Tonje set a single-game record for free throws made when he sank the second of two attempts with 6:36 to play.

The free throw was his 18th^Th night to move him past the singles record shared by Nigel Hayes and Dale Koehler. Hayes scored 17 from the line against Indiana on January 26, 2016. Koehler accomplished the feat against Loyola on December 6, 1975.

Tonje is 18 for 19 from the line and has scored a career-high 36 points. UW leads 90-77.

Are we headed for a 100-point night?

This has really been a game of runs. Arizona opened the second half with a 21-10 run that tied the game, 65-65.

Wisconsin came back with a 21-9 run that allowed it to extend its lead to double digits. Three-pointers were key during this stretch as John Tonje hit two from beyond the arc and Xavier Amos and Kamari McGee drained the others.

That shot pushed the Badgers lead to 86-74 with 7:54 to play. They are shooting 54.5% (12 for 22) from three-point range.

At the same time, Tonje scored his 33rd point, a new career high.

Arizona starts second half strong, tied game

The Wildcats opened the second half with a 21-10 run that tied the game, 65-65, at the 14:06 mark.

KJ Lewis (six points) hit three of his first four shots of the half, including the driving bucket that tied the game. Trey Townsend and Montieju Krivas each added a pair of buckets as the Wildcats hit 10 of their first 14 shots.

UW, meanwhile, was 4 for 9 from the floor and turned it over twice. Arizona converted those turnovers into four points.

Wisconsin leads by 11 at the half

The Badgers led by as many as 18 points in the first half, an edge trimmed to 55-44 at halftime.

The 55-point half was built on free throw shooting – the Badgers went 23 for 26 from the line – and three-point shooting. UW was 6 for 13 from beyond the arc.

John Tonje led UW with 20 points on 4-for-7 shooting. Next up is sophomore John Blackwell, who has nine points but was limited to 11 minutes after picking up his second foul with 6:57 left.

John Tonje feels it

Wisconsin 36, Arizona 26, 7:54 mark in the first half

John Tonje entered the game as the Badgers’ leading scorer at 17.7 points per game and so far, he’s showing no fear.

He meets the physical challenge of Arizona’s defense while scoring 16 points. He has made three of five shots and is 9 for 9 from the free throw line.

His only three came from 2 or 3 feet beyond the three-point line near the top of the key. Nothing but net to push the UW lead to 10 points.

Ten minutes of action, 10 fouls on Arizona

The Badgers have committed fouls at a steady rate. As a result, they were in the bonus 8 minutes into the game and at the 10-minute mark they owned a 15-1 edge in free throw attempts.

Wisconsin connected on 13 of those attempts, a key ingredient in its 29-22 lead midway through the first half.

Badgers start fast, Arizona’s Caleb Love pressures John Blackwell

The Badgers energized the crowd with a 7-0 run to open the game with a three-point play by John Tonje on the opening possession and a layup by John Blackwell at the 17:55 mark.

Arizona responded with an 8-2 run that cut the Badgers’ lead to one point. UW’s next possession, Blackwell drove to the basket and fouled Wildcats star Caleb Love. It appeared to be a verbal exchange that prompted Love to pressure Blackwell.

While the pressure wasn’t hard enough to knock Blackwell over, it happened right in front of the official. A technical foul was called on Love.

The verdict turned out to be huge. After a media timeout, Blackwell hit two free throws that he was awarded for drawing a shooting foul. Max Klesmit then hit two free throws for the technical and, to top it off, Blackwell drained a three to keep possession.

That’s one possession and seven points.

UW led, 16-8 with 15:22 left in the first half.eos

Here are the projected starting lineups. Both teams have used the same starting line-up for each match.

Wisconsin Badgers starting lineup

9 John Tonje, 6-5, Grad. G, 17.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 rpg

11 Max Klesmit, 6-4, Sr., G, 16 ppg, 1 rpg, 2 apg

22 Steven Crowl, 7-0, Grad., C, 10 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.3 rpg

25 John Blackwell, 6-4, Sr., G, 12.3 rpg, 4.7 rpg, 1.7 rpg

31 Nolan Winter, 7-0, Soph. F, 10.3 rpg, 6.7 rpg

Arizona Wildcats starting lineup

0 Jaden Bradley, 6-3, Jr., G, 11 ppg 2.5 rpg, 3.5 rpg

1 Caleb Love, 6-4, Sr., G, 13.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 apg

4 Trey Townsend, 6-7, Sr., 5.5 rpg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 rpg

5 KJ Lewis, 6-4, Soph., G, 11 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3 apg

30 Tobe Awaka, 6-9, Jr. F, 11 ppg, 12 rpg, 1 bpg

Wisconsin vs Arizona injury report

Wisconsin will have all of its players available for the game for the third straight game, according to the Big Ten availability report. Last week, Camren Hunter missed the season opener, but Winter, who was listed as questionable, played.

Arizona basketball scouting report

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard met with reporters Tuesday. He began his press conference by sharing his thoughts on the Wildcats as well as the return of the Badgers’ 2014 and ’15 Final Four teams.

2014 and 2015 Final Four team Bo Ryan will be honored

Before the game, the athletic department will honor the 2014 and ’15 teams that reached the Final Four. Halfway through Bo Ryanwho was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame last month, will be on hand and honored to raise a banner bearing his name.

Check jsonline later for more on the game.

More: Watch Bo Ryan’s Naismith Hall of Fame induction speech

This article was originally published on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin vs. Arizona men’s basketball: scores, game updates, highlights