PORTLAND — 12th-seeded High Point rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final seven minutes to stun fifth-seeded Wisconsin 83-82 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Player of the Game: Chase Johnston
Wisconsin knew Johnston who Johnston was coming into the game and did a pretty good job on him in the first half. But over the final 4:55 of the game, he came alive. He drilled a 3-pointer from the logo to bring High Point within five and then two more later on to cut the deficit to one. But then he did something he hadn’t all year — made a 2-point shot — on a breakaway for what proved to be the game-winning bucket with 11 seconds left. Johnston finished with 14 points and his 3-point shooting was too much for Wisconsin to overcome.
“It does make you feel a little bit defeated,” guard Andrew Rohde said of the 3-point barrage. “Just when teams keep hitting threes on you, obviously think you’re playing good defense, and you look up and another three is going in, it’s obviously not a good feeling.”
The good: Most of Nick Boyd
Nick Boyd gave Wisconsin fans so much to cheer about in his lone season in Madison and was at it again for much of the day on Thursday. Boyd scored Wisconsin’s first seven points and then went off for 20 in the second half. He didn’t close the way he wanted, missing his final two shots, including getting blocked at the rim in the final seconds, but Boyd’s impact on Wisconsin won’t be forgotten any time soon.
The not so good: Another early tournament loss
Getting to the NCAA Tournament isn’t easy and winning once there isn’t either. But a program like Wisconsin holds itself to a higher standard and the fact remains that the Badgers haven’t made it out of the first weekend in nearly a decade.
“That’s the blessing and the curse of this tournament,” coach Greg Gard said. “It’s one game. If you run into a team that’s playing really, really well, and you have a miscue here or there, this is the result.”
In the nine years since advancing to the Sweet 16, Wisconsin has missed the tournament twice, been knocked out by three No. 12 seeds, lost a de facto home game in Milwaukee and lost another game as a higher seed. The only loss in which they were an underdog came in 2021 when they fell to eventual national champion Baylor in the second round.
Fair or unfair, the legacy of coaches and programs is decided in March. Gard and the Badgers have been a failure in that regard and the only way to change the narrative is to win.
Stat of the Game: 15 and 23
The first number is how many 3-pointers the Panthers hit on Thursday, their most in a game against a Division 1 team this year and tied for the most the Badgers have given up this season.
“I didn’t think we played bad. I thought they beat us,” coach Greg Gard said. “Banging in that many threes, that was their chance to do that and credit to them. Tip your cap to them that they were able to make shots — take more and make more than they had in a long time.”
The second number is how many 3-pointers Wisconsin took, tied for the second-fewest this season for a team that shot (and made) more shots from beyond the arc than any team in school history.
What They Said:
Nolan Winter on watching a 70-62 lead disappear in the final five minutes
“I don’t know if stuns is the word because it’s basketball. Not in this stage and under these lights, but growing up that happens all the time. You’ve seen that. You see, when a team gets hot at the end of the game, the momentum changes, anything can happen. It’s just all part of the sport you play.”
In Case You Missed It
— Winter returned after missing the final four games with an ankle injury. He didn’t start but ended up playing 21 minutes, finishing with eight points, four rebounds and two assists.
— John Blackwell scored more than 22 points, his fourth time scoring 20 or more in the last five games. However, 20 of that came in the first half and he missed his final five shots of the game.
— Blackwell was asked after the game whether he had just played his final game for Wisconsin, whether to turn pro or end up at another school for his last year of eligibility.
“I don’t know,” Blackwell said. “I mean, it’s after the loss, I don’t know. Just pray to God and hope for the best situation.”
— Winter was also asked about his plans for next year. After saying he didn’t want to discuss it following the loss, when pressed he said, “
“I want to be here. Like, for sure, I want to. I want to be a Badger for four years,” Winter said. “But, like I said, we just had one of the hardest losses that a team can have in a season, is losing your last game of the season. I’m not really concerned about what I’m gonna do for future years, or whatever. I want to be here, but right now, I’m with my brothers. I’m cherishing them. I’m giving them all the love, and it’s a team game, and that’s what I’m worried about right now.”
— Sophomore Austin Rapp came on late in the season, including hitting six 3-pointers against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. In his first NCAA Tournament appearance, he had 12 points and four rebounds. He said afterwards he intended to be back at Wisconsin next season.
— Aleksas Bieliauskas were 13 points better than High Point when he was on the floor. The true freshman had just two points but had seven rebounds.
What’s Next
Wisconsin hits the offseason needing to rebuild the roster with Boyd, Rohde and Braeden Carrington exhausting their eligibility, as well as trying to retain the likes of Winter and Blackwell.
