Two Key Moments That Defined Wisconsin’s 91-89 Loss to BYU
The Wisconsin Badgers experienced a heartbreaking 91-89 defeat to the BYU Cougars on Saturday, ending their season in the Round of 32.
Wisconsin found themselves in a tough spot early, as BYU racked up 47 points in the first half, taking advantage of the Badgers’ inability to string together consistent defensive stops. Despite a late surge in the final minutes, Wisconsin’s comeback fell short, leaving them out of the Sweet Sixteen for the eighth consecutive year.
While there’s much to assess in terms of why Saturday’s game unfolded the way it did, two significant moments stood out as turning points that altered the course of the contest.
End of the First Half The first half was a tough one for the Badgers, as BYU quickly pulled ahead, using a series of runs to push their lead into double digits. With less than two minutes remaining in the half, Wisconsin mounted a 5-0 run to cut the lead to eight and looked poised to go into halftime with some momentum.
After securing an important stop with 26 seconds left, Wisconsin had the chance to take the final shot and head into the locker room down by five or six. Instead, they pushed the ball in transition, and John Tonje passed it to Steven Crowl with 15 seconds remaining. Crowl took a quick two-point attempt near the rim, but missed. BYU then raced down the floor, setting up a pick-and-roll that resulted in a wide-open three from elite shooter Trevin Knell. It was good.
Just like that, the Badgers saw a five-point swing, now trailing by 11 going into the break. Had Wisconsin taken the last shot, it could have been an eight-point deficit at worst or even five at best—a much more favorable scenario considering the game’s flow.
Instead, the Badgers found themselves in the worst-case scenario, which made a big difference in a game that was close throughout.
Technical Foul After their struggles in the first half, Wisconsin came out strong to begin the second, going on a 12-3 run to trim BYU’s lead to just four at 52-48. They got a crucial stop but failed to capitalize when Steven Crowl was stripped while attempting a shot at the rim. This frustration led to a technical foul on the Wisconsin bench, though it wasn’t called on head coach Greg Gard.
That technical foul proved to be another crucial turning point. Richie Saunders made both free throws, extending BYU’s lead to six, and followed it up with a layup on the next possession, pushing the lead to eight. From that point forward, Wisconsin couldn’t get closer than a two-score game until the final minute, where they fought to complete the comeback.
For nearly 15 minutes of game time, BYU maintained a two-score advantage. While the Badgers’ defensive effort and missed opportunities will be analyzed, these two key moments immediately stood out as the deciding factors in the loss.
