Michael Flowers scored 23 points and 17th-ranked Wisconsin's man-to-man defense stifled Penn State, as the Badgers extended their winning streak to eight games with an 80-55 victory in Big Ten basketball tonight at State College, Pennsylvania.

Playing with trademark toughness and contesting every shot, Wisconsin ran out to a 20-4 lead. The Nittany Lions missed their first seven shots and never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way.

An early turnover by Penn State's Stanley Pringle epitomized the Nittany Lions' frustrating first half. Flowers snatched the ball out of Pringle's hands in the backcourt following a pass and went the length of the court for an uncontested layup to put the Badgers up 18-2 with 11:46 left in the first half.

Marcus Landry added 16 points and Brian Butch had nine points and 12 rebounds for Wisconsin (14-2, 4-0 Big Ten), which won its seventh straight against Penn State (10-6, 2-2).

Jamelle Cornley led Penn State with 13 points, 10 after halftime.