Max Klesmit helps lead Wisconsin past Liberty with assertive performance in final minutes of second-round NIT game
MADISON – Max Klesmit has contributed in myriad ways in his first season at Wisconsin.
The gritty junior guard from Neenah High School shone brightest late Sunday at the Kohl Center to help the Badgers keep their season alive.
Klesmit scored all seven of his points in the final 2 minutes 11 seconds to help UW rally past Liberty, 75-71, in the second round of the NIT in front of an energized crowd of 10,436.
"He had some big buckets for us down the stretch," sophomore Chucky Hepburn said. "We all have trust in him. We all have confidence in him. We all believe in him."
The Badgers were 0 of 14 from three-point range when Klesmit hit a three-pointer with 2:11 left to give UW a 68-67 lead. Then after UW coach Greg Gard called a timeout with 48.9 seconds left, Klesmit got the ball on a designed play and scored on a left-handed drive with 42.7 seconds left to give UW a 72-71 lead.
"It's good to see growth because we ran that exact play against Rutgers and he didn’t finish," Gard said. "Today he was able to finish. I’m happy for him."
Klesmit closed the scoring and secured the victory -- after a terrific defensive sequence from Carter Gilmore -- by hitting two free throws with six seconds left.
As a result, the Badgers (19-14) won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 30 and Jan. 3 to advance to the quarterfinal round against top-seeded Oregon (21-14). The Ducks, who ousted Central Florida Sunday night, 68-54, host the Badgers at 8 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN.
Liberty finished the season 27-9.
BOX SCORE: Wisconsin 75, Liberty 71
"We’re still in it to win it," Hepburn said. "March Madness or NIT. We’re in it to play."
Steven Crowl has 14 points, assessed a Flagrant 1 and technical; Chucky Hepburn scores 19 in opening half
Coming off a 36-point, nine-rebound performance in the opening round, Steven Crowl hit 7 of 8 shots and scored 14 points in the opening half. He was assessed a Flagrant 1 and a technical with 49.5 seconds left in the half, however, giving him three fouls.
"I shouldn’t have reacted how I did," Crowl said. "I reacted in a pretty bad way. That’s on me."
He picked up his fourth foul – a charge – with 10:35 left in the game and stayed there until 3:27 remained. Crowl’s last basket came with 7:10 left in the opening half as he finished with 14 points, two rebounds and two assists.
Hepburn, who had a combined nine points on 3-for-16 shooting in the previous two games, attacked the lane off the dribble early and often against Liberty's smaller guards. He scored 19 points in the opening half to help UW to a 37-34 lead and finished with 27 points.
He was 0 of 6 from three-point range but hit 9 of 20 shots overall and 9 of 11 free throws. The Badgers came in 99 of 131 from the free-throw line in their previous nine games and hit 20 of 24 attempts (83.3%) Sunday to push their 10-game mark to 119 of 155 (77.0%).
"Chucky obviously had a great game," Crowl said. "He was getting to the line. We just thought he could get down low just because their guard s were a little smaller. Obviously, he executed."
Tyler Wahl gets more minutes, has 16 points
Tyler Wahl, limited to 17 minutes against Bradley in the opening round because of foul trouble and a bruised knee, contributed 16 points and six rebounds in 32-plus minutes.
Connor Essegian hit 1 of 2 free throws to give UW a 73-71 lead with 24 seconds left and added seven points. Kamari McGee and Jordan Davis added two apiece.
Carter Gilmore has huge contribution on defense
Gilmore missed his only field-goal attempt and was scoreless in 22:29. But he grabbed five rebounds and made perhaps the biggest defensive play of the game on Liberty's penultimate possession against senior guard Darius McGhee.
McGhee, the three-time player of the year in the ASUN, entered the game averaging 22.6 points per game and shooting 39.9% from three-point range.
McGhee hit just 4 of 15 three-pointers but scored on tough drives throughout the game, hit 10 of 25 shots overall and hit 7 of 9 free throws by drawing six fouls.
Yet he missed his final shot because Gilmore refused to allow a clean look from deep or a clear path to the basket.
Gilmore was in for Crowl with UW holding a 73-71 lead when he switched off onto McGhee with 17.8 seconds left. McGhee backed out to the logo, drove right, tried to come back left into the lane and then drove right again. Gilmore stayed with him and forced a tough floater with 12.1 seconds left.
Klesmit came up with the loose ball, was fouled and hit the two free throws.
"I’ve said it all along that Gilly has been an invaluable piece to our team," Gard said. "There’s an example. Moved his feet...
"He did a terrific job keeping him in front of him as much as he could and when they got to the rim he made him come through body. They don’t have a stat for that, but that was a big play for us."
Senior forward Kyle Rode was the only other Liberty player to score in double figures. He hit 4 of 7 three-pointers and finished with 16 points. His last miss came on a wide-open three-point attempt with UW clinging to a 72-71 lead.
"We’re taught if it is a great shot for you we’ll live with the result either way," said Rode, a 39.9% three-point shooter. "So, 100%. Take it all day."
Rode's miss, which was followed by a miss tip-in and Gilmore's standout defensive sequence, helped UW stay alive and advance.
"We’re still in it to win it," Hepburn said. "March Madness or NIT. We’re in it to play."
MORE: Wisconsin plays Liberty on Sunday in NIT, hopes to make run to title
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin holds off Liberty in final minutes of second-round NIT game
