BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bronson Koenig has made some big three-pointers in the NCAA tournament throughout his four years at Wisconsin. Thursday night, he set a new Wisconsin NCAA tournament record with eight three-pointers and the No. 8 seed Badgers (26-9) needed every one of them to knock off No. 9 seed Virginia Tech (22-11), 84-74.
While the Badgers came into Thursday night’s game planning on attacking the undersized Virginia Tech frontcourt, it was the Hokies that dominated the paint, while the Badgers thrived from the perimeter.
It wasn’t until Koenig made a contested reverse layup almost eight minutes into the game that Wisconsin scored its first basket in the paint. Instead, as the Badgers' coaching staff yelled from the bench for UW to touch the post, Wisconsin took three-pointers.
The Badgers attempted 18 threes in the first half, making six of them. Wisconsin made three more three-pointers than the Hokies. But it was Virginia Tech who had the initial advantage on the inside, as it actually outscored UW in the paint in the game’s first 20 minutes.
When the Badgers did score in the paint, though, it was commonly a result of sophomore swingman Khalil Iverson. Iverson, who missed the Big Ten Tournament semifinal and final mourning the death of two of his cousins, had eight points and five rebounds in the first half.
Redshirt sophomore Ethan Happ and senior forward Nigel Hayes had two points apiece as UW led 34-30 at the break.
When Happ returned to floor in the second half, he immediately made an impact. The Badger forward had a basket, a block, an offensive rebound and an assist all in the first 2:30 of the period.
Wisconsin stretched its lead to seven, but a foul by Iverson on a Justin Bibbs three-point shot cut the Badgers lead back to two.
The teams would trade baskets for the middle part of the half, with UW unable to pull away due to poor interior defense.
With 5:37 to play in the game, redshirt senior Zak Showalter fouled out after trying to pick up a charge, but Koenig answered with another three to extend UW’s lead to four.
Less than two minutes later Virginia Tech would cut Wisconsin’s lead to one yet again as the Hokies’ Seth Allen made two free throws of his own.
And while Koenig helped carry the Badgers all night long, when UW needed a play most it was Hayes who stepped up. Up one with 2:08 to go in the game, Hayes converted an old fashioned three-point play to extend UW’s lead to four. On the ensuing defensive possession, Hayes snatched a missed Hokie shot out of mid air. And with 1:09 to play, Hayes had another offensive rebound, his sixth offensive and tenth total rebound, to help ice the game.
Wisconsin would convert at the line in the game’s final minute and the Badgers walked away with a victory.
Koenig led the Badgers with 28 points. Hayes had 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half, and 10 rebounds. Iverson finished with 11 points and Happ had 10 points and eight rebounds.
