The most valuable player of the Fort Myers Tip-Off was presented with a WWE-style championship belt, complete with an oversized event logo and all the bling that one would expect.

It was a prize meant for forward Tyler Wahl but amidst the on-court chaos after the game, the belt was taken by fellow all-tournament selection Steven Crowl and draped on his right shoulder. It was a fitting faux pas considering the belt should likely be shared among multiple players who delivered a title-worthy performance down the stretch.

Fighting through the first half where it was disjointed on both ends of the court, Wisconsin closed the game on a 20-8 run to defeat SMU, 69-61, at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

Finishing at 41.9 percent overall, the Badgers (4-2) put five players in double figures that all delivered at critical times.

Wahl finished with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting, scoring eight points in a first half where the Badgers were struggling to find a flow offensively.

Guard Max Klesmit scored all 12 of his points in the second half, including a three-pointer with 7:56 remaining that tied the score and broke a dry spell of 14 consecutive missed perimeter shots. UW went a woeful 5-for-24 from the perimeter but went 4-for-10 in the second half.

Chucky Hepburn hit two of those three-pointers in the final 4:36, scoring all 10 of his points down the stretch. His three-point play with 3:52 remaining put Wisconsin ahead by two and the Badgers never trailed.

A.J. Storr added 11 points (3-for-3) in the second half while freshman John Blackwell narrowly missed his first collegiate double-double, settling 10 points and nine rebounds.

Guard Zhuric Phelps scored a game-high 19 points for SMU (4-2), but the Mustangs were outscored, 40-24 in the paint.

The production in the lane was the difference down the stretch. Storr delivered a one-handed slam on a drive to the rim with 2:21 remaining, giving up a 60-57 lead. Wahl notched a steal on the baseline when forward Samuell Williamson bobbled the ball, leading to a Hepburn step-back three-pointer on the next possession.

UW’s defense notched another turnover when Hepburn reached in to knock the ball out of Phelps’ hands on a drive into the lane. Blackwell hit two free throws on the next possession to go up 64-57 with 1:08 remaining.

The Mustangs never got closer than four points as UW made 6 of its last 8 shots and went 11-for-12 from the free-throw line in the second half.

The Badgers shot 30.3 percent in the first half but leaned on its defense to build an insurmountable lead against Virginia. UW wasn’t as fortunate in the Tip-Off finals. The Badgers shot 32.4 percent and went through a stretch missing 12 of 13 shots. It was an uncharacteristic stretch with UW missing five straight three-point attempts to start the run and committing four turnovers in six possessions.

SMU committed nine turnovers and scored only four points in the paint, but the Mustangs shot 48.0 percent from the floor and 7 of 9 from three-point range to lead by eight. SMU – ranked the 217th three-point shooting team in the country – regressed to the mean by going 1 of 7 from the perimeter in the second half.

What it means: One year after Wisconsin seemed to do everything it could to lose close games, the Badgers fought back and made the clutch plays down the stretch to earn a tournament title and build some momentum heading into a long Thanksgiving weekend.

Star of the game: Hepburn came in shooting just 5 of 19 from three-point range but delivered down the stretch with some clutch baskets to push Wisconsin across the finish line.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin delivered 11 steals and forced 15 turnovers, leading to 14 points off turnovers.

Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin’s three-point defense continues to be hit or miss. The Badgers allowed Providence (44.4) and Robert Morris (44.8) to be red-hot from the perimeter but shut down the Cavaliers Monday (28.6). UW was both hot and cold in that department on Wednesday.

Don’t overlook: Wisconsin cut the lead to four with 23 seconds left before halftime, having outscored SMU, 18-0, in points in the paint. However, Samuell Williamson drew a foul on a driving layup on Wahl and Klesmit missed the block out, allowing Phelps to tap in the miss. It was a four-point possession that negated the momentum UW generated with its 9-3 run.

What’s next: Wisconsin returns home to host Western Illinois Monday night. The Leathernecks (2-3) were blown out by SMU, 90-53, in the second game of the season and will play at Illinois Friday. The all-time meeting is tied at one after Western Illinois shocked UW, 69-67, in the 2015 season opener, a night where UW hung its 2015 national runner up banner.

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