BadgerBlitz – Quick Hits: Wisconsin Holds On to Beat Minnesota in Season Finale

Chucky Hepburn’s step-back jumpers within the closing seconds have triggered extra complications than celebrations by way of a irritating Huge Ten convention season. On the ultimate night time of convention motion, Hepburn delivered one that may have saved his group’s NCAA Event profile in the interim.

Hepburn hit UW’s solely three-point shot within the second half with 46.8 seconds to go, breaking the sport’s sixth tie and main Wisconsin to a 71-67 victory over Minnesota at Williams Enviornment.

Forwards Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl did the heavy lifting within the scoring column with 21 factors and 7 rebounds every for Wisconsin (17-13, September 11 Huge Ten), which averted a catastrophic loss to its flimsy event profile by erasing a seven-point halftime deficit.

Hepburn scored all 12 of his factors within the second half and Connor Essegian added 11, as UW shot 60 p.c within the second half (15-for-25) by going heavy within the paint. The Badgers scored 28 of their 42 second-half factors from the paint and 48 factors for the sport, probably the most they’ve scored within the lane since December 11 (52 vs. Iowa).

Free throw taking pictures has been a team-wide problem many of the season however the Badgers clinched issues on the line following Hepburn’s three-pointer, going 5-for-6 from the road within the ultimate 14 seconds. UW completed 14-for-17 from the road (82.6 p.c), the third straight sport the Badgers shot over 80 p.c from the road.

Dawson Garcia scored 19 factors for Minnesota (8-21, 2-17), whose league-worst offense shot 60 p.c from the ground and averaged 1.29 factors per possession within the first half to construct a 36-29 halftime lead.

The Gophers maintained their seven-point lead with 10:57 remaining, however Minnesota scored solely 14 factors on its ultimate 18 possessions to permit the Badgers to claim management.

What it means: Wisconsin’s profile wasn’t going to get a lift profitable a Quad-3 street sport nevertheless it actually would have crushed its at-large profile contemplating the Gophers’ porous pc numbers. Subsequently, the Badgers did what they wanted to outlive and advance.

Star of the sport: Crowl solely had two factors on 5 pictures in Thursday’s loss to Purdue however the junior had six makes an attempt within the first 2:58. Scoring in double figures in every half, Crowl completed with a team-high 9 subject purpose makes along with his seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Stat of the sport: After going 2-for-10 from the perimeter within the first half, Wisconsin attacked the paint relentlessly within the second half, a lot in order that the Badgers didn’t try a fringe shot till there was 2:10 remaining.

Cause to be Involved: The Badgers acquired zero bench factors on 5 mixed makes an attempt from Jordan Davis (0-3), Isaac Lindsey (0-1), Kamari McGee (0-1), and Carter Gilmore (0-0). Lindsey and Gilmore had been additionally the one two reserves to log any minutes within the second half. If UW needs to go on a sustained event run, it wants assist from its reserves.

Don’t overlook: With Wahl leaving the primary sport with an damage, Minnesota outrebounded Wisconsin, 40-24. With Wahl enjoying 38 minutes, the Badgers completed plus-6 on the glass and plus-4 in second-chance factors.

What’s subsequent: Locked into the No.12 seed earlier than tipping off, Wisconsin will play within the first spherical of the Huge Ten Event in opposition to No.13 Ohio State. The twelfth seed marks its lowest because the convention expanded in 2014-15 and the primary time the Badgers have needed to play within the opening spherical because the event expanded to 5 rounds in 2015. UW gained its lone assembly with the Buckeyes on February 2, 65-60 in Columbus.