Max Klesmit’s floating shot swished in as the crucial basket with only 4.8 seconds left, propelling fifth-seeded Wisconsin to a thrilling 76-75 upset victory over top-seeded Purdue in overtime during Saturday’s afternoon showdown in Minneapolis, advancing them to the finals of the Big Ten tournament.
Chucky Hepburn showcased an impressive performance with 22 points and three steals, while AJ Storr contributed 20 points for the Badgers (22-12). However, it was Klesmit who emerged as the hero with his 12 points, especially with his decisive agile move towards the hoop, releasing a floater that elegantly dropped through the basket, clinching Wisconsin’s ticket to the championship round.
As the buzzer sounded, Purdue’s Lance Jones made a last-ditch effort with a 3-point attempt that unfortunately missed everything.
Wisconsin will now await the winner between second-seeded Illinois and third-seeded Nebraska in tomorrow’s title match.
Zach Edey delivered an exceptional performance with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocked shots for the third-ranked Boilermakers (29-4). In addition, he secured his position as Purdue’s all-time leading scorer with a total of 2,339 career points, surpassing the legendary Rick Mount (1967-70), who accumulated 2,323 points over three seasons with the Boilermakers.
Despite playing through a calf injury sustained on Friday, point guard Braden Smith managed to contribute seven points and 10 assists before fouling out for the Boilermakers, ending their impressive five-game winning streak.
Hepburn’s clutch layup off a sideline out-of-bounds play at the final seconds forced the game into overtime.
Edey’s flawless performance at the free-throw line during overtime helped Purdue maintain a narrow 75-72 lead with just 46 seconds remaining. He managed to sink 14 out of 19 free throws throughout the entire game.
Hepburn’s drive for a layup reduced the deficit to one point with less than 38.6 seconds on the clock before Klesmit stole the spotlight as the ultimate game-changer.
In the regulation period, Edey converted a crucial three-point play, granting the Boilermakers a 65-62 lead with only 46.8 seconds left on the game clock.
Hepburn’s timely layup with a mere 6.5 seconds left narrowed Wisconsin’s gap. Edey, on the other hand, managed to split two free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining, pushing Purdue ahead by two before Hepburn made a pivotal move to tie the game.
Steven Crowl racked up 11 points before fouling out for the Badgers. Their team managed to convert 43.2 percent of their field goal attempts and 7 of 32 shots from beyond the three-point line.
Purdue’s shooting performance stood at 45.1 percent from the field, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
Hepburn’s steal and subsequent dunk handed Wisconsin a narrow 51-49 lead with 8:22 remaining. Following that, Mason Gillis nailed a decisive 3-pointer, pushing the Boilermakers into the lead, and Edey swiftly followed with a successful jump shot at the 7:18 mark, the basket that allowed him to surpass Mount.
Wisconsin briefly led 58-56 after Carter Gilmore‘s trey with only 4:31 left on the clock. However, Gillis and Fletcher Loyer quickly responded with their own 3-pointers, propelling Purdue to a 62-58 advantage with merely 3:09 remaining on the game clock.
Crucial baskets by Hepburn and Klesmit evened out the scoreline with just two minutes left on the clock.
Storr accumulated 14 points in the first half of the game, which was deadlocked at 36 at halftime.
