Five Takeaways from No.10 Wisconsin's 70-67 Win over No.8 Purdue

MADISON, Wis. – Picked to finish in the outhouse of the Big Ten preseason poll, the University of Wisconsin has clinched its spot in the penthouse. And they did it by following the narrative they started writing in November – gritty, not pretty, and a little bit of luck in a close game.

No.10 Wisconsin banked in shots on consecutive possessions, Johnny Davis a deep two to give the Badgers the lead, and Chucky Hepburn a 3-pointer for the win with 1.2 seconds left, which lifted them to a 70-67 win over No.8 Purdue.

“I knew we were about to be Big Ten champs as soon as I released it,” Hepburn deadpanned.

Davis called it bull (expletive) but there will be no mention of that when Wisconsin hangs its 20th Big Ten banner before the start of next season, a year in which they have won 15 consecutive games decided by two possessions or less.

Here are my five takeaways from a historic night at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin coaches and players have fawned over how Hepburn doesn’t play like a true freshman in any way, shape, or form. If the first 32 minutes on the court didn’t convince the naysaying holdouts, the final minute sure should have.

Purdue guard Jaden Ivey delivered what looked to be a back-breaking 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds left, neutralizing the banked two-point Davis hit a possession earlier and tying the game. UW had two timeouts to use but head coach Greg Gard let Hepburn run the offense.

The result was Hepburn pushing the ball, faked using Steven Crowl’s screen, using a crossover dribble on Ivey to get to the elbow in front of UW’s bench, and banking a 3-pointer high off the glass with 1.2 seconds left.

“In that situation, I just decided to let him go,” Gard said. “It was a scattered floor, especially knowing it’s tied. We’re trying to get the last shot. If it was him or Johnny, put the ball in your playmaker’s hand. Obviously, he made a play.”

The 3-pointer gave Hepburn a career-high 17 points and did so much more on a night he battled through foul trouble. He was 4-for-6 from 3-point range, including two on consecutive possessions, converted a three-point play in the first half on a 10-0 run, and finished with two assists, one steal, and no turnovers. Purdue averages 4.8 steals per game but only generated one turnover in 66 minutes against Hepburn this season.

“He's gotten more aggressive offensively,” Gard said. “He’s had a moxie and a calmness to him this whole year. He plays beyond his age. In that position, that’s difficult. It’s like being a freshman quarterback. You have a lot of responsibility. We hold that position highly accountable to take care of the ball and run our team. That confidence that has grown over the year, specifically on the offensive side, has been the difference for him.”

It's been huge for Wisconsin, too, which can afford to wait a couple of years before recruiting another point guard.

Chris Vogt entered March averaging 2.5 points per game, seventh-best on the team in scoring, but his teammates have lauded how much he has meant to Wisconsin’s productivity. He showed how instrumental his decision to transfer to the program for his graduate season was in getting the Badgers to the top of the league.

Vogt didn’t take a shot in his 9 minutes, 36 seconds on the floor in the first half but may have been the player who made the biggest impact. The 7-footer had four rebounds, three offensive boards that led to second-chance 3-pointers, delivered two assists in a three-possession span and notched a block that led to a Hepburn jumper in the paint.

His play helped a floor lineup of Ben Carlson, Brad Davison, Hepburn, and Jahcobi Neath go on an 8-0 run to give UW its first lead in the opening half.

“He’s done everything we ask of him,” Gard said. “His actions fit what we envisioned his role could be for this team … He was really impactful tonight. His presence was important.”

With Crowl struggling to find a rhythm, Vogt’s 15 minutes on the floor were the most he played since February 5. He made his only shot and only committed one foul after fouling out in the first meeting against the Boilermakers.

Combined with his two championships at Northern Kentucky and another at Cincinnati, Vogt will graduate college with four championships in five years.

“The kid knows how to win and what it takes to win,” Gard said.

Like Hepburn’s point total is to Wisconsin, Purdue senior Sasha Stefanovic has been a big shot maker for the Boilermakers. When the guard reaches double figures, the Boilermakers are 15-0. He averages 11.2 points and hit that mark within the first eight minutes, burning the Badgers twice on open 3-pointers and hitting a contested one on Davison.

In the next 28 minutes, Wisconsin held him scoreless on just three shots.

“The biggest thing was don’t let him get loose, and we’ve got to find him in transition,” Gard said. “He’s a terrific player. He was a camper here back in high school. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and he gets it off quick … It was important to not let him get loose and keep him in check.”

To be fair, UW struggled in the second half with Zach Edey (14 of his 17) and Ivey (17 of his 22), but the Badgers neutralized Purdue’s 3-point marksman (team-high 73 makes) to avoid big pendulum swings of momentum.

Davis might be the national player of the year, but Wisconsin is showing that they can be a really good team when he isn’t clicking on all cylinders. That’s been the case at points over the last three games, yet the Badgers are 3-0 and have put themselves in a solid situation for that time when Davis does carry the mantle.

Davis had one field goal on five attempts in the first half, coming at the 3:10 mark of the first half, but the Badgers led 33-28 because Hepburn (11), Tyler Wahl (nine), and UW’s bench provided tangible results in his absence.

In addition to the runs mentioned above with Vogt, Neath delivered three points and three rebounds in nearly 10 minutes on the court and Carlson helped battle Purdue’s frontcourt with two points and two rebounds. UW also built that lead with Brad Davison missing the only shot he took.

In addition to Tuesday, UW closed the final 2+ minutes in Minneapolis with him on the bench, build a 9-point halftime lead at Rutgers with him only scoring four points.

It’s a good sign considering the Badgers will probably have to get used to building leads without him on the floor next year.

In 20 years covering Wisconsin, there have been some phenomenal, loud home environments. I think back to 2005 when No.1 Illinois came, 2006 against No.2 Pittsburgh, 2009 against Duke, 2010 against No.1 Ohio State, and several others I could name. It might be because it’s current, but I don’t remember the Kohl Center being louder than it was for this one.

With a crowd decked out all in white, the students lining up since the early morning and packing their sections well before tipoff, and the music pumped up so high the speakers will likely need to be replaced, the building was rocking for well over two hours.

“It was so loud that at one point my ears were literally ringing,” Davis said. “It’s great to have people come out and support us like that.”

When Gard said he doesn’t know if the Kohl Center could get much louder, I must agree with him.

“Tonight, everybody turned out in full force,” Gard said. “(The players) gave them a heck of a show.”:

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