Advertisement

Nigel Hayes answers reporter's Ohio State question as only he can

Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes, an Ohio native, could have attended Ohio State if he wanted to. He had a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes three years ago when he ultimately decided to be a Badger.

So it's not as if Hayes approached a reporter's question Thursday night with any hard feelings after scoring 21 points to help beat the Buckeyes. But Hayes has a fun personality and great sense of humor and it served him well in offering a response when asked what the game means to him and what he thought when Wisconsin had three Ohio players on the floor at one point and OSU had none.

[Slain Mercer player had heartbreaking bond with 7-year-old girl]

"Nah, I'm cool," Hayes said with a wry smile. "I mean, they got the guys they wanted. I'll take my two Final Fours and my wins and I'll carry on my merry way."

The best part came seconds later when he tipped over the microphone on the table in front of him, said, 'Mic drop.' and stood up to leave with the comedic touch of a veteran who has been doing standup for years.

[Stunning last-second mistake dooms Utah to a painful loss]

The moment was made even better because of the fact that Hayes played such a big part in beating the Buckeyes and has been a focal point in the Badgers' recent five-game winning streak. He is averaging nearly 22 points a game during that stretch.

- - - - - - -

[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!