MINNEAPOLIS – Max Klesmit made a runner in the lane with 4.8 seconds to play in overtime and Wisconsin beat Big Ten Tournament top-seed Purdue 76-75 on Saturday for a spot in the conference championship game.
Klesmit’s clutch shot followed his teammate Chucky Hepburn’s in regulation, when Hepburn made a layup as time expired to force overtime.
Hepburn finished with 22 points. AJ Storr had 20 points and Klesmit had 12 points, five assists and five rebounds for fifth-seeded Wisconsin (22-12).
Zach Edey led No. 3 Purdue (29-4) with 28 points and 11 rebounds. He was the only Boilermaker who scored in double digits.
Edey surpassed Rick Mount’s school record of 2,323 career points (1967-1970) with about seven minutes remaining in the second half. He finished the game with 2,339 career points.
The reigning Big Ten player of the year was limited by foul trouble in the first half and missed a crucial free throw late in regulation, but he hit eight straight free throws in overtime and finished 14 for 19 from the line.
The Boilermakers were trying to match Michigan State (1999, 2000) as the only Big Ten program to win both the outright regular season title and the conference tournament in consecutive years.
Trailing by a point with less than 30 seconds to play in overtime, Hepburn drew an offensive foul on Braden Smith, giving Wisconsin possession with 21.3 seconds left.
As the clock wound down, Klesmit floated a shot that bounced straight up off the rim before dropping through the hoop.
Lance Jones missed a last-gasp shot from 35 feet as time expired, giving the Badgers their first win this season in three games against Purdue.
In regulation, the Badgers called a timeout down two points after crossing midcourt with 2.7 seconds remaining. Hepburn caught the inbound pass and cut to the basket, finger-rolling it in as time expired. Edey had just missed the second of two free throws with about six seconds to go.
Tempers flared at the beginning of the game when Edey was called for a loose-ball foul and caught Steven Crowl with an elbow. The two centers stared each other down and exchanged words. Each player was assessed a technical and Edey went to the bench with two fouls.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin will play Sunday in the conference championship against the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between Illinois and Nebraska. The Badgers split two games with Nebraska and lost their only matchup with the Illini this season.
Purdue will wait until teams are selected Sunday to learn where it will play in the NCAA Tournament.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
