DENVER — — BYU withstood a ferocious charge from Wisconsin’s John Tonje to hold off the Badgers for a 91-89 victory Saturday that sends the program to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011 — the days of Jimmer Fredette.
Tonje finished with 37 points, including eight during a desperate comeback down the stretch. But trailing by two, he shot a fadeaway air ball just before the buzzer that allowed the Cougars to escape.
Tonje was the first player to crack 30 points this year in March Madness.
“We felt like we couldn’t stop them at all in the second half, and in that last timeout, man, we just looked each other in the eye and said all we’ve got to do is get one stop, that’s it,” BYU coach Kevin Young said.
Richie Saunders had 25 points and seven rebounds for the sixth-seeded Cougars, who will play Alabama or St. Mary’s next Thursday in Newark at the East Regional.
The game turned out to be a thriller — a rarity so far in this tournament — even though BYU never trailed.
The Cougars (26-9) kept their lead between six and 14 points for most of the second half, but things turned when officials ejected BYU guard Dawson Baker after ruling he intentionally elbowed Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit in the groin during a scrum in the corner with 3:11 left.
Tonje took over from there, making a 3, two free throws and a three-point play to trim the deficit to two. Wisconsin (27-10) got a BYU miss with 13.5 seconds left, then worked the ball to Tonje, but with Mawot Mag draped all over him, the senior never got a good look.
The third-seeded Badgers became the first Big Ten team to lose in the tournament where the conference started 10-0.
BYU, meanwhile, is celebrating in a way it hasn’t since the days Fredette, who was in the stands for this one, became a college cult hero by rewriting the record book up in Provo in the early 2010s.
“You watched the game and you’re kind of like, ‘How did we get to a two-point game here, you know?’” Fredette said. “But look, I think that describes this team.”
John Blackwell had 21 points for the Badgers, but of the many things that can turn a one-bucket game, this was the biggest: BYU’s bench outscored the Badgers 24-3.
Egor Demin, a freshman from Russia, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for BYU. Trevin Knell went 4 for 6 from 3 and finished with 14 points.
Baker eligible for next week
Quickly after Baker’s ejection, the NCAA clarified that it would not lead to a suspension and he would be eligible for BYU’s Sweet 16 game.
(Pssst. He was probably right)
Shortly after making a phantom blocking call against the Cougars late in the first half, refs slapped Mag with a technical.
Young asked why and the official explained that Mag had pointed at the scoreboard showing the replay (and minimal contact).
The game finished with three technicals and Baker’s ejection.
Fries with that win?
Bonus: Saunders, an heir of the man who invented the Tater Tot, has an NIL deal that gives everyone free Tater Tots after a BYU win in March Madness.
Money from the line
BYU had a lot to cheer about. One moment came when Keba Keita, a 39% free-throw shooter on the year, swished one to give the Cougars an 11-point lead with about 7 minutes left. Keita went 2 for 3 from the line and finished with 10 points.
——
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
