There was no better place to end the game than from the spot where Bronson Koenig launched his three pointer as time expired Sunday night.
In a game that saw questionable officiating and four of Wisconsin’s key players in foul trouble, overtime did not look inviting for the Badgers, who were tied 63-63 with Xavier with two seconds remaining.
As Koenig let the ball fly from right in front of the Badgers’ bench, his teammates, who’d been sitting glued to their seats, rose up and froze with anticipation as Koenig’s arcing shot left his hand. While Koenig sauntered back into the crowd his teammates had formed, the shot found the bottom of the net and pandemonium ensued.
Wisconsin won 66-63 in one of the most exciting 2016 NCAA Tournament games thus far, in a moment that perfectly captured the team’s season.
It wasn’t about the shot-taker, Koenig; the image was of the entire Badgers’ bench jumping and hugging with Koenig lost in the shuffle. The moment was about the team as a whole regardless of who took the shot and how this year’s Badgers have battled down the stretch during this bizarre season and have come so far.
The same rang true for the game itself, in which various Wisconsin players had significant impacts in their own ways during an all-around team effort.
Despite leading for a majority of the first half, Wisconsin let its lead slip when Xavier fought back from nine-points down and surpassed the Badgers with three minutes left in the half.
Xavier put the Badgers into foul trouble by driving the lane often and took advantage of numerous soft calls by officials. The Musketeers took 12 trips to the line during the half and knocked down eight free-throws while tying the Badgers hands on defense with three of its starters picking up two fouls.
Down 33-30 at half, the Badgers then began to find better looks and knocked down 50 percent of their shots in the second half.
Ethan Happ caused havoc in the paint, contributing to Wisconsin’s 30 points from there. He scored 11 in the second half, finishing with 18, that included an offensive rebound and put-back with two minutes left that brought the Badgers to within a single possession. Not to mention he delivered the assist on Koenig’s winning shot.
Fellow big man Vitto Brown joined in on the fun as well, dropping 12 points while knocking down 55.5 percent of his shots.
Junior Nigel Hayes had a quiet night though, going 2-10 from the field and scoring only 6 points, but his teammates’ efforts were more than enough to help out during a game in which he found himself in numerous double teams.
Happ was joined by Koenig as the only other Badger to score double digit points in the second half. Koenig delivered 14 second half points on top of his six in the first half. While not the most efficient offense, the two delivered while no other Wisconsin player scored more than four points in the second half.
What will be most remembered about Koenig this game, however, was his big-play ability. The game winning shot was Koenig’s second three in 12 seconds, as he hit the game tying shot from deep behind the three point line to tie the game only two possessions prior.
But while Koenig’s shots will be etched in the memories of most Wisconsin fans, another equally important moment will likely be forgotten — Zak Showalter drawing a charge just moments before.
Tough defense has been an important characteristic of Wisconsin’s run this far. It held Pittsburgh to only 43 points in the game prior, and Xavier to only 63, who averaged 81 per game this season.
The Badgers delivered six blocks in total, three coming from Khalil Iverson alone, to solidify an intimidating presence down low.
Going down the stretch, if Wisconsin can continue to put teams out of their element, there may just be more moments like the one Koenig delivered to come.
