Win No. 14 in a row over at home over the Indiana Hoosiers wasn’t going to come easy, but it did come.
The Badgers (12-9, 4-4 B1G) used a massive advantage at the free throw line to secure an 82-79 overtime victory over the No. 19 Hoosiers (17-4, 7-1 B1G).
Just how important was the free throw line to UW’s victory?
The overtime win was sealed with the Badgers making just one field goal and nine free throws in the extra period of action.
Free throws alone weren’t the total story though, as Wisconsin got three huge individual efforts on the night as well.
It was a night of career moments for the Badgers’ Triple H trio — as Nigel Hayes was one off his career high with 31 points, Ethan Happ contributed a career high 25 points and reserve guard Jordan Hill had a career night with 13 points as well.
Hill’s night was greatly needed, as starting guard Bronson Koenig had one of his worst overall nights of his career. Koenig had just four points on 1 of 9 shooting and three turnovers to zero assists.
Indians would counter with senior guard Yogi Ferrell, who single-handily kept his team in this game at times and ended the night with 30 points in the losing effort.
Wisconsin came in knowing it had to stop the perimeter game of the Hoosiers. That message appeared not to be received early on, as Indiana hit a pair of three-pointers to run out to a 6-0 lead. However, the Badgers settled down on defense and began to get hot offensively for most of the half.
Yogi Ferrell let everyone know he would be a force from the get-go, hitting the second of the opening three-pointers for the Hoosiers. He would finish the half with 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
However, Wisconsin countered with its own 1-2 punch up front in Happ and Hayes, who combined for 23 of Wisconsin’s 35 points in the first half.
UW kept plugging away and never trailed by more than five points the rest of the first half. Keeping pace with the Hoosiers was fine, but Wisconsin couldn’t get over a one-point IU advantage multiple times. That all ended with a desperation three-pointer from backup point guard Jordan Hill with 4:06 to play in the half.
It was the catalyst to a 13-5 run for the Badgers heading in to the final minute of the half.
Wisconsin had it struggles in the first half, despite shooting 52 percent from the field and holding Indiana’s lethal three-point shooting just 3 of 9 in the half. Mainly, IU’s ability to outrebound the Badgers and take advantage of turnovers.
The Hoosiers held a 19-10 advantage on the boards, and an even more crucial 7-2 advantage on the offensive glass. It also used seven Wisconsin turnovers to put up 11 points in the first half.
Despite the 7-0 run of the Hoosiers to end the half, it was Wisconsin that came out firing on all cylinders.
UW opened up the half on a 7-2 run to take a 42-36 lead on a dunk by Vitto Brown. However, Indiana fired back with its own run of 9-2 and took back a lead it had for most of the first half at 45-44 with 12:43 to play.
Fouls would begin to take their toll on the Hoosiers shortly after that, with the Badgers in the bonus nearly a minute later. It was a major help in Wisconsin controlling the pace and flow of this one, as UW would go 12 of 16 from the free throw line in the second half alone.
Yogi Ferrell wouldn’t let his Hoosiers die though, putting up a big three-pointer with just over a minute left and lifting his team to a 69-67 lead — its first since leading at 49-47 with 10:53 to play.
After Ferrell’s big bucket, Wisconsin went right back to the well that was Nigel Hayes and he tied it right back up.
However, it would be the final Hayes vs. Ferrell moment that mattered most in regulation. As Ferrell looked to drive and pop on the final possession, Hayes went to the air only to adjust the body avoid a foul call.
It took Ferrell off balance and his shot fell short. Overtime came instead of a Badgers loss.
Things didn’t change much for Indiana on the defensive end of the court, and Wisconsin continued its hot shooting from the charity stripe.
UW iced the game away at the line, going 9 of 12 in the extra period.
Wisconsin will put its three-game win streak on the line against at Illinois on Sunday, with tip scheduled for 6:30p.m. CT on BTN.
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