Incredible. Simply incredible. Wisconsin shot 36% from the floor and 27% from beyond the arc.
Stop.
Stop right there.
27% doesn't even come close to describing just how horribly the Badgers shot from outside. Jon Leuer was the principle culprit (taking 6 threes and missing all of them). As a team, Wisconsin was 7-28 from outside before the final shot.
And when the shot Wisconsin needed came, they made it. And the Crisler Arena crowd? Devastated. Michigan bench as well.
Michigan led for most of the game. They had been called for just 2 team fouls in the second half going into the final 30 seconds. And they fouled with the lead, running off most of the remaining time. And it backfired spectacularly.
Taylor was double teamed. He passed out to Josh Gasser near the top of the key. And as time expired, Gasser banked in the game-winning three, thwarting Michigan's upset bid and giving the Badgers their 11th conference win of the year.
Wisconsin shot terribly in this game. 36% from the floor, 27% from outside. But they stayed in the game despite all of that. They attempted only 3 free throws, but they made all of them. Jon Leuer finished with a double-double (13 points and 11 rebounds), but missed all six of his three point attempts. Jordan Taylor had 5 assists and 20 points, leading the team in both categories. Keaton Nankivil had 13 points and 5 rebounds. The Badgers won this game despite getting 0 points from their bench. ZERO.
Michigan shot the lights out. They were 48% from the floor overall, but they managed 67% shooting in the first half. Tim Hardaway Jr.'s 16 points led the Wolverines. Jordan Morgan added in 12 points of his own, along with 5 rebounds. Zach Novak finished with a team-high 6 rebounds. Darius Morris did a little bit of everything: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 turnovers. But Michigan was undone by their inability to make free throws; the Wolverines went to the line 11 times and made just 5 of them.
Wisconsin outrebounded Michigan 32-30. They managed 11 assists to 5 turnovers (compare to Michigan's 12 assists and 12 turnovers). Michigan should have had this game. They absolutely should have. And they let Wisconsin slip right through their fingers, suffering an incredibly painful home loss and a huge blow to their RPI.
Wisconsin has three games remaining before the Big Ten tournament: A home game against Northwestern, and a road trip to Indiana and Ohio State. Michigan has just two games remaining to salvage their 7-9 Big Ten record.
REMAINING SCHEDULE
Wisconsin: vs. Northwestern (February 27th, SENIOR DAY), @ Indiana (March 3rd), @ #2 Ohio State (March 6th)
Michigan: @ Minnesota (February 26th), vs. Michigan State (March 5th, SENIOR DAY)