Ben Kenney
March 16, 2024 2:44 pm CT
Wisconsin basketball punched its ticket to the final of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament with a heart-stopping 76-75 overtime win over top-seeded Purdue on Saturday afternoon.
Chucky Hepburn led the Badgers with 22 points, four assists, three steals and incredible late-game defense on Purdue star Braden Smith. A.J. Storr added 20. Max Klesmit and Steven Crowl chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s heart-stopping overtime win over Purdue
It was Hepburn with the regulation heroics to force overtime. Klesmit made the final shot to clinch Wisconsin’s huge upset victory.
MAX KLESMIT WINS IT AND DOWN GOES PURDUE 🤯🤯🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/0xtf3t4IAN
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 16, 2024
Zach Edey, as always, led Purdue’s attack. The story of the game wasn’t his terrific play, but rather the many questionable calls down the stretch. Whether Edey was making moves on offense, going for rebounds or playing tight defense, the refs’ calling of his game made Badgers fans unhappy all afternoon.
Wisconsin moves on to face the winner of No. 2 Illinois and No. 6 Indiana on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
Badgers fans were understandably joyous after the huge win. Here are some of the best reactions:
What a win
What great heart. And grit. And toughness. And resilience. And timing. What a great win for the Badgers who have willed their way into a B10 championship game. Despite losing their bigs to fouls, they showed more poise and resolve than the No. 1 seed in outbattling the Boilers.
— Mike Lucas (@LucasAtLarge) March 16, 2024
This is, indeed, March
This is March. https://t.co/3gLEMOvbgf
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 16, 2024
Another angle of the final moments
The final seconds of the #Badgers knocking off Purdue. pic.twitter.com/OUeVWfpufk
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 16, 2024
They got to jump around in Minneapolis
Jump Around time in Minneapolis.#Badgers pic.twitter.com/WCLee7rRTR
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 16, 2024
America was pulling for the Badgers
Wisconsin wins! AMERICA WINS!
— Grant Bilse (@WiscoGrant) March 16, 2024
Big Cat is fired up
BADGERS!!!!! WE DESERVED TO WIN THAT GAME. #OnWisconsin
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 16, 2024
The Badgers are back
THE WISCONSIN BADGERS ARE SO BACK
— Alex Strouf (@alex_strouf) March 16, 2024
Greg Gard masterclass
Badgers fans clamored for no Gilmore all year. Gard was just getting him ready to close OT in the Big 10 Tournament
chess, not checkers pic.twitter.com/aPfTWpY9Mp
— Grant Bilse (@WiscoGrant) March 16, 2024
Wisconsin overcame a lot
BADGERS BEATING PURDUE, THE REFS, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE GOD DAMNED WORLD
— Badgers Ball Knower (@BadgersBallKnow) March 16, 2024
Russell Wilson was dialed in!
Wisconsin! What a game! @BadgerMBB
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 16, 2024
It was an incredible finish
God what a game
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) March 16, 2024
Chucky Hepburn was the difference
#Badgers’ Chucky Hepburn completely outplayed Braden Smith, a first-team all-Big Ten point guard.
— Tom Oates (@TomOatesWSJ) March 16, 2024
Chucky Hepburn an absolute beast on defense. Never let Smith breathe. Wisconsin with a chance to win.
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 16, 2024
The Edey-officiating discourse was apparent
This is my first Purdue watch this season. I get the discourse on how they officiate Edey now!
— Sam Dekker (@dekker) March 16, 2024
If you couldn't tell, everyone was angry at the refs
When Zach Edey gets every call and then some https://t.co/AKtF7077O3 pic.twitter.com/AS4wtylzPe
— Viva La Stool (@VivaLaStool) March 16, 2024
Everybody seems to agree
– Nebraska blog
– Minnesota writer
– Wake Forest writer retweeting Michigan writer
– Indiana fanNothing unites this nation like Zach Edey’s Whistle pic.twitter.com/6YoendW88q
— Not A Basketball Fan (@drewhamm5) March 16, 2024
Non-Big Ten fans agree
I watch zero big ten basketball. If I was a fan and this is how edey is called every game I would have a constant rotation of broken tvs
— Maxey Dolente (@Philly_Mays) March 16, 2024
Which brings us back to this classic
Remember, pic.twitter.com/XpokShshOm
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) March 16, 2024
So it's surprising that last offensive foul was called
Jeff deserves a Presidential Medal of Freedom https://t.co/BgXodCoOog
— Grant Bilse (@WiscoGrant) March 16, 2024
Some are ready to stop having to watch Purdue
Our sporting society will be well-off when Purdue is eliminated from the Tournament and we can get back to watching real basketball
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) March 16, 2024
Anger with the officials
Refs making a bunch of enemies here today.
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) March 16, 2024
This officiating is absurd. Big Ten should be embarrassed.
— Charlie (@CharlieFreyre) March 16, 2024
HOW HOW HOW IS THAT A FOUL ON WAHL
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 16, 2024
Wisconsin is NCAA Tournament ready
win or lose, the Badgers are operating at such a high situational level after struggling for most of the season
they’re ready for the tournament
— Grant Bilse (@WiscoGrant) March 16, 2024
Greg Gard dialed up masterful late-game plays
Greg Gard mastery
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) March 16, 2024
One of the most efficient teams in the country in Out of Bounds Side: Late Clock, @BadgerMBB @B1GMBBall pic.twitter.com/N8AubBoReO
— JG Trends (@jgtrends) March 16, 2024
An extensive thread on how Zach Edey was officiated
This was not called a foul on Zach Edey.
Purdue on pace to shoot 35+ free throws.
The B1G is broken. pic.twitter.com/Hu6UjqWIlN
— The Red Shed (@TheRealRedShed) March 16, 2024
The Athletic's Jesse Temple looks a little crammed
We couldn’t get @jessetemple a little more elbow room?!?! pic.twitter.com/45fBeU2Zlk
— Badgers Ball Knower (@BadgersBallKnow) March 16, 2024
Returning to old Purdue-related posts
Purdue stinks
— akschaaf (@akschaaf) February 18, 2024
One more win
One more for the #Badgers. pic.twitter.com/dn8jfHPAZI
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 16, 2024
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