POSTGAME REPORT: For UNC, Justin Jackson and Brice Johnson each scored 15. Paige scored 12.
POSTGAME REPORT: Sam Dekker led with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Kaminsky had 19 and 8. Hayes had 12 and 6.
POSTGAME REPORT: Wisconsin with a beautiful comeback. They played good defense at the end, made their free throws, and have made it by UNC.
2nd Half (0.0) THAT IS YOUR FINAL! 79-72, WISCONSIN HOLDS ON TO ACHIEVE VICTORY!
2nd Half (6.3) Kaminsky is fouled and hits 2. 79-72.
2nd Half (7.2) Marcus Paige airballs a three! Wisconsin ball!
2nd Half (16.1) Kaminsky barely catches the inbounds pass. Foul on Britt. Frank the Tank hits the pair of frees. 77-72
2nd Half (16.7) Wisconsin fouls Berry. He hits a pair at the line. 75-72.
2nd Half (23.0) Hayes makes both. 75-70.
2nd Half (23.0) Hayes is fouled. Two shots. Not much of a chance left for UNC, but anything is possible.
2nd Half (33.4) Hicks misses the first! And the second!
2nd Half (33.4) Gasser fouls Isaiah Hicks in traffic. To the line. After this, UNC needs to foul.
2nd Half (42.0) Koenig hits both on the 1-and-1. 73-70 Wisconsin.
2nd Half (42.0) Hicks sticks his hip out and fouls Koenig. Awful foul, and on the worst guy to foul!
Wisconsin needs to waste the clock like they do normally on offense. Then UNC needs to get a good shot. The clock isn't as much of an issue anymore.
2nd Half (54.0) PAIGE! THREE! Same play, same result. One-point game! 71-70, Wisconsin barely holding on.
UNC has to get two good shots, and fast. The clock is their biggest opponent right now.
2nd Half (1:08) Dekker inside! For two! Timeout UNC! Career-high 23 for Sam Dekker! 71-67 Wisconsin.
Here we go. Crunch time right here.
2nd Half (1:39) UNC Timeout.
2nd Half (1:42) Marcus Paige for THREE! 69-67 Wisconsin. Beautiful shot by Paige!
2nd Half (2:49) Jackson at the charity stripe. Makes one of two. 69-64.
Phenominal comeback by Wisconsin. Dekker, Gasser, Kaminsky, Jackson, Hayes. All of 'em. They're clicking perfectly. Can UNC counter and win with 2:49 left? Doesn't look like it with how well the Badgers are playing.
2nd Half (2:49) Traevon Jackson gets fouled. To the line after the official timeout.
2nd Half (3:24) Josh Gasser! THREE! 68-64 Wisconsin.
2nd Half (4:21) In transition, Brice Johnson is fouled. He misses one of the two from the stripe. 65-64 Badgers are holding on slightly!
2nd Half (5:00) Justin Jackson FOR THREE! 65-63 BADGERS!
Here come the Badgers!
2nd Half (5:13) Dekker with a layup! 65-60. Timeout. UNC.
2nd Half (5:54) Two buckets by Zak Showalter. 63-60 WISCONSIN.
2nd Half (6:42) FRANK KAMINSKY WITH A TRIPLE! 60-59 ONE POINT GAME!
2nd Half (7:09) Nate Britt to the line. He makes the first. And now the second. 60-56 UNC.
2nd Half (7:43) Paige hits 1 of 2.
Kaminsky and the rest of the Badgers are starting to convert inside. Frank has 12 points and 7 rebounds. Dekker has 19 and 6. UNC still on top though. They are feeling good being on top in this game.
2nd Half (7:43) Paige gets fouled by Josh Gasser. TV Timeout. At the line after the commercial break.
2nd Half (7:58) Bucket by Zak Showalter! 57-56 UNC.
2nd Half (8:19) Meeks hits both at the line. 57-54 Tarheels still lead.
2nd Half (8:19) Kaminsky fouls Kennedy Meeks. To the line we go.
2nd Half (8:48) Kaminsky at the line, hits both. 55-54 UNC. Wisconsin is making a good resistance effort.
2nd Half (9:17) Putback by Brice Johnson! 55-52 UNC!
2nd Half (9:45) AND ONE! NIGEL HAYES! To the line for 1 more. 53-52 after he does convert the free throw.
2nd Half (10:25) Koenig hits the three! 53-49 UNC on top.
After a brief injury, Frank Kaminsky is back on the floor.
This is a shock. UNC is controlling every phase of this game. Impressive. Wisconsin looks like Iowa State looked against UAB. Not like a top team.
2nd Half (11:11) TV Timeout.
2nd Half (11:11) Isaiah Hicks for the putback. 53-46! UNC!
2nd Half (11:33) Dekker for two. 51-46.
2nd Half (12:13) 51-44! Largest lead. Marcus Paige.
2nd Half (12:30) Nigel Hayes is called for a charge. His 3rd foul. UNC still rolling at 49-44!
Kaminsky is 4-5 since the start of the 2nd half. The Badgers need more of that from him.
UNC is feeling confident here. More good shooting. More transition. More fast pace. Wisconsin needs to get real here: be aggressive; TAKE YOUR OPEN SHOTS. So many open looks for Wisconsin have turned to nothing because of pump fakes and hesitancy to shoot.
2nd Half (12:45) Wisconsin Timeout.
2nd Half (12:48) TARHEELS ROLL! JOEL BERRY FOR THREE! 49-44!
2nd Half (13:02) Kaminsky and Jackson trade layups. 46-44 UNC.
2nd Half (13:47) At the line, one of two shots is hit by Berry.
2nd Half (14:34) Jump ball on UNC offensive possession. Wisconsin ball.
2nd Half (15:01) Nigel Hayes with a nice hook shot for two. 43-42 UNC.
GREAT recovery by Wisconsin. UNC just continuing to do what they do. And it is still working.
2nd Half (15:43) Official TV Timeout. 43-40 UNC up on Wisconsin. Tight game here. Wisconsin looks more confident.
2nd Half (16:09) Isaiah Hicks finally gets fouled on a putback. Hits both at the line. 43-40 UNC.
2nd Half (17:05) Dekker and Johnson trade buckets. 41-40 UNC.
2nd Half (17:53) Jumper made by Justin Jackson. 39-38 UNC.
2nd Half (18:13) Koenig for THREE! 37-38 Badgers.
2nd Half (18:26) Brice Johnson picks up foul #3. Not good for UNC. Meeks already has 3.
2nd Half (18:57) Frank Kaminsky hits a pair at the line. All of a sudden, he has 8. 37-35 UNC.
2nd Half (19:19) Kaminsky and Jackson trade baskets. 37-33 Tarheels.
2nd Half (19:52) Johnson for UNC hits a layup. He has 10. 35-31 UNC.
2nd Half (20:00) UNC starts the 2nd half.
Coach Ryan of Wisconsin at halftime says he won't change much, that his team needs to just shoot better.
Stay with us here at VAVEL for second half action, coming up soon.
HALFTIME REPORT: UNC has 8 fastbreak points at the half. That's the most allowed by Wisconsin THIS YEAR by halftime.
HALFTIME REPORT: UNC must bulk up inside and make sure to defend the paint better. These Wisconsin drives are what are keeping the Badgers close.
HALFTIME REPORT: Note that the winner of this game will face the winner of the Arizona-Xavier matchup.
HALFTIME REPORT: In the other game on right now, Notre Dame leads Wichita State 56-46.
HALFTIME REPORT: Here are some team comparison stats. Rebounds are 20-15 in Wisconsin's favor. Assists - 6 to 5 for UNC. Steals - 3 to 2 for UNC. Wisconsin has 3 turnovers to UNC's 2. UNC has 2 more fouls than Wisconsin. They are also shooting better by more than 13 percent.
HALFTIME REPORT: Kaminsky has 4 points and 5 rebounds. He NEEDS to be more aggressive if he wants to lead his team past UNC for another game. This could be his last game as a Badger if he doesn't. Nigel Hayes has 5 points for Wisconsin.
HALFTIME REPORT: Wisconsin is playing well inside. Frank Kaminsky is not having a good game, especially by his standards, but Sam Dekker sure has picked up the slack to make up for Kaminsky's shortcomings. Dekker has a game-high 15 points, and he has slashed to the bucket countless times and exploited UNC's lack of size to keep Wisconsin in the game. Dekker also has 6 rebounds.
HALFTIME REPORT: Brice Johnson leads the Tarheels with 8 points. The rest of the team has spread the wealth on offense. Lots of shots inside are open, and UNC is converting on them in both the halfcourt set and in transition. Also, they are 4-7 on threes. A duplicate performance of this first half could be enough to take down the slow-paced Wisconsin Badgers.
HALFTIME REPORT: UNC is playing their best basketball right now. They are shooting 50% from the field, have played great team basketball, and are in the lead against powerhouse Wisconsin. Their rebounding on the other hand... not so top notch, to say the least.
1st Half (0.0) Sam Dekker tips it in at the buzzer to get his 14th and 15th points to end the half at 33-31 UNC.
Wisconsin just doesn't look totally settled out there.
Dekker still leads with 13 points. Brice Johnson for UNC has 8 to lead his team.
UNC is dominating on offense. They are allowing lots of second and third chances, but are challenging enough shots to prevent buckets by Wisconsin's skilled offense.
1st Half (33.8) Another Official TV Timeout. 33-29 UNC over the Badgers.
1st Half (51.0) Bronson Koenig hits 1 of 2 at the line.
1st Half (1:02) Another transition bucket. UNC up 5. Isaiah Hicks.
1st Half (1:55) JUSTIN JACKSON. THREE!
1st Half (2:30) Marcus Paige gets fouled after he steals a pass by Kaminsky.
1st Half (3:17) Nigel Hayes at the line after a UNC foul following his offensive board. Splits a pair.
UNC is playing very solid fast-paced team basketball.
Rebounding is dominated by Wisconsin right now. 17-12 under the glass in favor of the Badgers.
1st Half (3:17) Another Official TV Timeout.
Dekker is on fire. UNC isn't breaking down though.
1st Half (3:40) J.P. Tokoto drives and lays it in! UNC lead!
1st Half (4:18) Nate Britt hits a jumper!
1st Half (4:49) Johnson hits a jumper.
1st Half (5:03) Frank Kaminsky hits inside.
1st Half (5:35) Brice Johnson for two.
1st Half (5:55) AGAIN. DEKKER. 13 points.
1st Half (6:21) Dekker scored on another drive. He has 11 points!
1st Half (6:46) Dekker hits both at the charity stripe.
1st Half (6:46) Sam Dekker accelerates on the drive and gets fouled as he rises to attack the rim.
1st Half (7:25) Hayes hits both at the line.
1st Half (7:25) Nigel Hayes gets to the line. Second foul on Meeks.
1st Half (7:42) Back to the action. Pinson at the line. Splits a pair from the stripe.
Both teams have taken 18 shots. UNC has hit 8, Wisconsin 7.
Sam Dekker leads all with 7 points. UNC has spread the love on offense.
1st Half (7:42) TV Timeout.
1st Half (7:42) Theo Pinson of UNC draws a shooting foul on the drive.
1st Half (8:40) Frank Kaminsky hits a close shot on the drive. He is 1-5.
1st Half (9:57) Joel Berry hits a three off of a pretty Paige assist.
1st Half (10:08) Dekker for two.
1st Half (10:24) Kennedy Meeks hits a jumper!
1st Half (11:22) Sam Dekker answers with a slam. Assist by Koenig.
1st Half (11:35) Marcus Paige FOR THREE!!!
UNC is imposing their pace when they have the ball, but Wisconsin is slowing the game down every possession as well.
Frank Kaminsky is 0-3. The Badgers have hit 3 threes to stay in the game. They also have the advantage under the glass, 11-7
1st Half (11:49) Another TV Timeout. 11-11 tie in LA.
1st Half (12:42) Joel James with touch on a jumper!
1st Half (12:56) Nigel Hayes with an aggressive drive that ends in a VICIOUS dunk.
1st Half (14:02) Justin Jackson hits a triple to counter Wisconsin!
1st Half (14:37) Traevon Jackson hits a three on his first possession!
Jackson has made an appearance for Wisconsin!
1st Half (15:17) J.P. Tokoto with a finish on the attack at the hoop. Tie game.
Frank Kaminsky is 0-3 for Wisconsin. Brice Johnson has 4 for UNC.
1st Half (15:57) TV Timeout. 6-4 Wisconsin 4 minutes in!
1st Half (16:17) Josh Gasser hits a three!
1st Half (17:23) Sam Dekker gets a lucky bounce on his three point attempt for Wisconsin's first 3 points.
1st Half (17:49) Johnson with another dunk in transition! 4-0 UNC.
Frank Kaminsky has missed two shots already from point-blank range. Meeks is defending very well.
1st Half (19:13) Brice Johnson with a huge dunk in the lane for the game's first points!
UNC wins the tip.
Wisconsin starting 5: Kaminsky, Dekker, Hayes, Gasser, Koenig
UNC starting 5: Paige, Meeks, Jackson, Tokoto, Johnson
Kaminsky against Meeks will be fun to watch. Frank Kaminsky has the skill and height, but Meeks has the strength and will to defend and contain Frank the Tank. Someone else for each team will have to step up. Sam Dekker for the Badgers? Marcus Paige for UNC?
Kennedy Meeks WILL PLAY tonight against Wisconsin.
5 minutes 'til gametime.
25 minutes to tipoff.
If Meeks won't indeed play, then Kaminsky will have a huge advantage inside. Kaminsky weighs 30 pounds less than Meeks.
Paige will be huge tonight for the Tarheels. Same with Kaminsky for Wisconsin.
Kennedy Meeks for UNC is still questionable for game time with a sprained ankle he sustained against Arkansas, and for Wisconsin, Traevon Jackson is still in limbo with a broken right foot that has kept him out for 18 straight games.
On a separate topic, all former UNC players under Dean Smith received $200 from his will. Great story. Incredible dedication to his team and players from one of the best coaches ever.
Live NCAA Tournament Scores
In less than an hour, we will have tipoff. Stay with us here at VAVEL to get all the live coverage and commentary you could ask for.
The keys for the Badgers: Focus on Paige and Jackson on offense. Get rebounds. Get to the line and slow down the game. Feed Kaminsky inside.
The keys for UNC: Contain Kaminsky and Dekker. Be aggressive on the boards on both ends of the floor. Limit turnovers, and control the pace by getting into transition.
Both teams evidently showed their weaknesses in their first two tournament games, but beat all of the teams they were supposed to in the end. Some similar keys to the game for UNC and Wisconsin are to contain the opposing stars (Kaminsky and Dekker for UNC, Paige and Jackson for Wisconsin). Another key is to box out the opposing big men, as Wisconsin allowed Oregon to beat them in rebounds, and UNC allowed 20 offensive boards in their victory against Arkansas. One team will have to execute these more efficiently and effectively, and that is most likely the team who will win.
UNC had an easier time in the Round of 32 than they did facing Harvard. #5 seed Arkansas was their opponent in that matchup, and the Tarheels simply outplayed the Razorbacks en route to a 87-78 victory. For the majority of the game, the score was close, but Paige and Jackson of North Carolina took charge somewhat late in the second half to separate their team and secure a spot in this Sweet 16. In a fast, high-turnover, offensively-exciting game, Marcus Paige led the Tarheels with 22 points and 6 rebounds. Justin Jackson went for 16 points, and J.P. Tokoto recorded 13 points and 8 assists. The problem with this 9-point win was the amount of UNC's flaws were shown. They gave up 20 offensive rebounds, turned the ball over 16 times, and allowed another star, Michael Qualls, to have a huge performance. Qualls scored 27 points and grabbed 10 boards. The 'Heels also allowed Bobby Portis to go for 18 points and 14 rebounds. In order to make it past #1 seed Wisconsin, they will have to focus on containing star scorers Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Also, they will have to get a body on Kaminsky on every rebound. At least UNC recorded 13 steals, 14 assists, 17 offensive boards, and shot decently from the field in the high-scoring win.
UNC - Wisconsin Live Score and Results
The Badgers faced the #8 seed Oregon Fighting Ducks in the Round of 32, and stumbled a bit. In that game as well, they had trouble stopping a star guard. This time it was Joseph Young. He went for 30 points. Wisconsin played worse statistically in almost every way than the Ducks, yet pulled out a 72-65 win. Kaminsky again led the Badgers, scoring 16 and grabbing 7 rebounds. Dekker also had another big game, scoring a team-high 17 points and also grabbing 5 boards under the glass. Nigel Hayes added 14 and 5 in the slim-margined win. The Badgers shot worse than Oregon, rebounded worse, and passed worse. Yet what saved them was how often they got to the free throw line. They drew a total of 20 fouls in the game, giving them 29 opportunities at the line, of which they made 21. Lots of these came late in the second half, when Wisconsin needed scoring most. The Badgers could easily get knocked out if they play so poorly in the Sweet 16 or in any other game they may play.
The UNC Tarheels entered the tourney as a #4 seed, also in the West Region, and faced Harvard in their first matchup. The #13 seed Crimson put up a very strong fight, and nearly fought their way to a comeback upset against North Carolina. Justin Jackson slammed home a clutch dunk with 23 seconds remaining to ice the game for UNC at 67-65. In the victory, UNC rebounded well, and also shot extremely well on two-point and three-point field goals. Jackson had a key team high of 14 points, and star point guard Marcus Paige scored 12 points and dropped 6 dimes, with only one turnover. Kennedy Meeks scored 10 and grabbed 8 boards, and both Brice Johnson and J.P. Tokoto recorded 7 points and 7 rebounds. One problem the 'Heels faced was stopping Crimson guard Wesley Saunders from scoring. He had a game-high 26 points, and Harvard won the turnover battle 17-7. UNC gave the ball away way too many times to make it in the tournament.
North Carolina Tar Heels - Wisconsin Badgers Live Updates
Wisconsin, a #1 seed of the West Region, breezed through the first opponent they faced, Coastal Carolina. In that game, Frank Kaminsky, the 7-foot wonder of a team leader, dominated with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Sam Dekker added an impressive 20 points, and the Badgers shot over 50% from the field in their 86-72 win. Also, Wisconsin won the battle under the glass in that contest by 11 rebounds, and also recorded a very solid 14 assists. However, they allowed Warren Gillis to score 22 points at the guard spot for Coastal Carolina.
After two stressful, yet exciting rounds of upsets, thrillers, and brilliant basketball, 16 teams remain as the best in the nation.
We have finally made it to the 2015 NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.