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Madness in Madison: Wisconsin stuns Purdue in frantic finish for critical Big Ten win

Jason Owens
Staff writer
·2 min read
26
Chucky Hepburn #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers celebrates after hitting the game-winning shot in the final seconds of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Kohl Center on March 01, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Chucky Hepburn was the hero in Madison on Tuesday. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

As the calendar turned to March on Tuesday, Wisconsin and Purdue started the season in style.

With a piece of the Big Ten title and NCAA tournament seeding on the line, the Badgers secured a wild 70-67 win thanks to a big-time, bank-shot 3-pointer from freshman Chucky Hepburn in the game's final seconds. They wouldn't have needed it if not for another clutch 3-pointer from Purdue All-American candidate Jaden Ivey just seconds earlier.

Frantic finish in Madison

Wisconsin had a chance to ice the game while holding a 67-64 lead with 15.1 seconds remaining and 89.1% free-throw shooter Brad Davison at the line. But Davison missed the front end of a one-and-one, and chaos ensued.

Purdue secured the rebound, and Ivey dribbled the ball over halfcourt before calmly sinking a long-range 3-pointer from the top of the key. The shot tied the game and left 8.9 seconds on the clock. It was too much time for Wisconsin.

With Ivey guarding him, Hepburn dribbled over halfcourt to the left wing and stepped back for a 3-pointer just over Ivey's outstretched left hand. The ball found the glass before sinking through the bottom of the net to give Wisconsin a 70-67 lead with 1.5 seconds remaining.

There would be no miracle in response from Purdue. Trevion Williams' inbounds heave from the baseline was intercepted by Wisconsin's Tyler Wahl. Seconds later, a jubilant Kohl Center crowd stormed the court.

What Wisconsin's win means

A No. 10 Wisconsin team that started the season without as much as a vote in the preseason AP poll had just stunned No. 8 Purdue for at least a share of the Big Ten title and likely bumped itself up a line on the NCAA tournament bracket. A win over Nebraska in Sunday's regular-season finale will ensure that the Badgers finish in first place over Illinois on their own.

For No. 8 Purdue, it could mean a drop in seeding when the bracket's released. But both teams project as top-3 seeds and will enter the tournament as Final Four contenders thanks to stars like Ivey and Wisconsin's own All-America candidate Johnny Davis, both of whom project as lottery picks.

Davis finished Tuesday's game with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Ivey led Purdue with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wahl led Wisconsin with 19 points to go with five steals while Hebpurn's game-winner and fourth made 3-pointer of the game gave him 17 points.