Wisconsin Defeats Xavier With Late Three-Point Shot At Buzzer

Wisconsin’s Bronson Koenig received an inbound pass and sank a three-pointer over Xavier’s Remy Abell to give the Badgers a 66-63 victory in a second-round men’s basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in St. Louis.

Wisconsin Defeats Xavier With Late Three-Point Shot At Buzzer

Following their win over the second-seeded Xavier Musketeers (28-6), the Badgers have now earned a spot in the Sweet 16. Xavier blew a nine-point lead in the final minutes of Sunday’s game.

“I knew it was good,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said after the game, his voice strained. “It’s just heartbreaking.”

Before his game-winning three-pointer, Koenig hit another 3 from well beyond the arc to tie the game at 63 with just 11.7 seconds left.

Edmond Sumner brought the ball up court for Xavier and then raced to the basket, running over Wisconsin’s Zak Showalter and getting called for an offensive foul with 4.3 seconds left.

No. 7 seed Wisconsin (22-12) called a timeout after crossing half court and coach Greg Gard drew up a play. Koenig carried the Badgers for the rest of the game.

“I knew it was going in before it even left my hand. That’s a shot I practice a lot pregame,” said Koenig, who hit six threes and finished with 20 points against Xavier. “I just let it fly and I knew it was going in.”

Wisconsin will next play No. 6 seed Notre Dame in Philadelphia on Friday.

Ethan Happ added 18 points and Vitto Brown scored 12 for Wisconsin.

Remy Abell and Jalen Reynolds scored 13 points apiece and Sumner scored 11 for Xavier, which had a 58-49 lead with just over 6 minutes left.

Despite their struggle to score 16 points by half-time in their 47-43 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Badgers quickly raced out to a 17-8 lead, which Xavier countered with a 21-8 run.

Wisconsin led 33-30 at half-time in an arena filled with mostly Badgers fans. The Musketeers eventually gained a 58-49 lead, their largest of the game, after being cheered on by actor Bill Murray, whose son Luke is an assistant on Xavier coach Mack’s staff.

The Badgers quickly reduced their deficit, however, after Koenig hit a pair of foul shots, and Showalter scored a layup.

“This group just would not quit, would not give in,” Gard said. “I can’t be more proud of a group of young men that have withstood every challenge that’s come at them, every adversity.”

Caption: ST LOUIS, MO – MARCH 20: Bronsosn Koenig #24 of the Wisconsin Badgers prepares to shoot the game winning basket against Remy Abell #10 of the Xavier Musketeers during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 20, 2016 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)