The Villanova Wildcats won't be making it to the Sweet 16. The Wisconsin Badgers pulled off the upset, beating Nova in a thrilling game 65-62. The Badgers will be advancing to their fourth Sweet 16 appearance. Nigel Hayes scored the go-ahead bucket with under 15 seconds left, and Josh Hart couldn't convert on a drive to the paint. Many people had Nova going far in their brackets, but those brackets are all busted now. The game itself was thrilling, with teams trading buckets, and defense ultimately winning the game for the Badgers.
Foul trouble
Throughout the game, the Badgers had their share of foul trouble.
One of their key players, Bronson Koenig had four fouls early in the second half and had to play sparingly throughout. He provided the team with a scoring boost, having 17 points this game. Forward Ethan Happ also had to battle foul trouble, having four fouls coming down the stretch as well. He had a well-rounded game, producing 12 points, 8 boards, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. The Badgers overcame their foul woes and managed to stay within striking distance late in the game.
Hayes' heroics
Nigel Hayes ended up being the hero of the game. He was the team's leading scorer with 19 points, shooting 8/15 from the field. He also had eight rebounds, five of those being on the offensive glass. Those offensive rebounds were crucial, giving his team an opportunity to score second chance points.
Hayes came up big when it mattered, as he scored the go-ahead bucket with 11.4 seconds left on the clock. He said the plan was to get him isolated on the wing, and they did just that. He performed a great hesitation move that held up his opponent just enough for him to drive along the baseline and score.
No more Nova
With Villanova's loss, there won't be a repeat NCAA Men's Basketball champion.
Nova hasn't looked right since the tournament started, as the didn't seem in control of their game against 16 seed Mt. Saint Mary's until late in the second half. This game was more of the same, not seeming to click on all cylinders. Josh Hart led the team with 19, but he was stripped on his drive to the basket which could've tied the game.
Kris Jenkins struggled this game, only producing six points shooting 2/9 from the field.
Many believed Nova would make the Final Four, as they were a well-oiled machine throughout the year. They had a 31-3 record entering the tourney and they won the Big East tournament. Head Coach Jay Wright said that many outsiders will consider their season a disappointment if they didn't make it to another Final Four as a one seed, but in his mind it's about the body of work throughout the season, not just a couple of games
The Badgers managed to knock off the mighty one seed, despite foul trouble. They will now play in Madison Square Garden in the Sweet 16. Nigel Hayes is leading the team in his last year, making sure they go out the right way. For Villanova, their season comes to an end, but the seniors on the team are leaving quite the legacy. This game was the definition of March Madness, and there are many more games like it coming up.
