The Wisconsin Badgers will play in the Big Ten Tournament title game on Sunday vs. Michigan.
The Wisconsin Badgers may have found themselves again. Following a span that included five losses in six games to end the season, the Wisconsin Badgers have strung together three dominating wins- two of which have come in the Big Ten Tournament.
After handling the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the regular season finale, the Badgers earned the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Their first opponent in the tournament quarterfinals was Indiana, who was fresh off a 95-point outing and a 22-point victory over Iowa.
The Badgers put their defense on lockdown like usual, but this time coming through on the offensive side of the ball and hitting shots- something they have not been blessed with for several weeks.
In the semifinals, the same was true as the Badgers dismantled the Northwestern Wildcats 76-48 in a game that was never really close. Holding the Wildcats to their lowest point total of the season and worst loss of the year- the Badgers had another offensive explosion while holding up to standard on defense.
It was unclear how the Badgers would come out as prior to the game the team learned that Khalil Iverson, one of the first teammates off the bench usually, was flying back to Ohio to be with his family after learning about the death of a family member.
Playing with heavy hearts for Khalil Iverson, who will miss the rest of the tourn. He has returned home to Ohio after a death in the family.
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 11, 2017
It was evident the Badgers had his back Saturday afternoon, connecting on 12-29 from behind the arc- but more importantly 10-15 from the free throw line. Ethan Happ, who had just two makes in his last 15 free throw attempts, was 8-11 from the line- a drastic improvement.
Wisconsin held Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern’s point guard who lit the Badgers up for 25 points in their earlier matchup, to just eight points on 4-12 shooting, McIntosh entered the game as the Big Ten’s leading assist giver with just over five per game. The Badgers held the entire Northwestern team to just five total, one from McIntosh.
The Badgers will face the Big Ten’s hottest team right now in the championship game, the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines. Wisconsin and Michigan split the two meetings in the regular season.
The Big Ten Championship will tip off at 2:30 CT on Sunday on CBS.