Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo screamed and his pleaded with his team during the last media timeout to at his team to cover and defend John Tonje. The problem was the Big Ten Coach of the Year simply couldn't figure out a way to stop the unanimous first team all-conference shot maker.
The unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection delivered with clutch shots, free throws, and a block on the final possession to push No.5 seed Wisconsin over top-seeded Michigan State, 77-74, in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tonje's 32 points set a new Wisconsin Big Ten Tournament record, 18 of which came in the second half. The 91.4 percent free throw shooter could have iced the game from the line with six seconds left. But after missing both free throws, Tonje got his hands on the ball as guard Jeremy Fears Jr. attempted a desperation half-court heave.
Advancing to the conference tournament title game for the second straight year and ninth time overall, Wisconsin (26-8) will face No.3 seed Michigan, which knocked off No.2 Maryland, 81-80, in the second semifinal.
John Blackwell scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, while Carter Gilmore had 10 points and a critical block with nine seconds remaining to preserve a three-point advantage. The Badgers survived despite being outshot by six percentage points.
Seeing their eight-game win streak snapped, the Spartans (27-6) got 21 points from Jase Richardson but shot only 40.7 percent from the field.
Michigan State took advantage of a slow UW offensive start out of halftime to take a 45-41 lead off a Coen Carr fast-break dunk, a similar play that sparked the Spartans in the second half of its 71-62 win over UW in East Lansing on March 2.
It had the opposite effect two weeks later in that it sparked Tonje. The senior scored nine of the next 11 points, converting on a turnaround jumper, free throws, a three-pointer, and a driving layup. Throw in his assist to Carter Gilmore, who drove the lane for a thunderous dunk, Tonje's play put the Badgers up 52-45 with 12:51 remaining.
Carr delivered another dunk to cut the deficit to 57-54, but Blackwell responded with a three-pointer. His three-point play with 5:55 was just as big, with Tonje needing a rest on the bench to put UW up 63-60.
Still clinging to a one-possession lead with 2:51 remaining, Wisconsin forced two empty possessions before Blackwell delivered two big plays - hitting a driving layup put the Badgers up five with 1:11 remaining and drawing a loose-ball foul fighting for an offensive rebound with 31.4 left. His two free throws put the Badgers up 74-70.
Both teams trading free throws ended up putting Wisconsin up 77-74 with 14.3 remaining. Tre Holloman (10 points) had a chance to tie the game, but Gilmore got his fingertips on the three-point shot attempt. Michigan State missed six of its final seven attempts.
Wisconsin struggled early with its transition defense and limiting offensive rebounds but turned the corner once Kohler went out with two fouls with 11:07 remaining. After giving up four offensive rebounds in the first 9:47 of the half, allowing the Spartans to extend their lead to eight, UW gave up only one and no second-chance points in the final 19 possessions.
Covering the glass helped the Badgers hold the Spartans without a field goal for the final 5:27 and close the half on a 12-3 to take a four-point lead into the locker room.
What it means: Slaying one of its big nemesis, Wisconsin picks up a critical Quad-1 win to improve to 8-7 in Quad-1 and 18-8 in the top two quads. That should be enough for the Badgers to lock in at least a No.3 seed and begin their NCAA Tournament run in Milwaukee next Friday.
Star of the game: After going 2-for-13 in the regular-season finale in a home loss to Penn State, Tonje is getting better with each passing game: 18 vs. Northwestern, 26 vs UCLA, and a new Wisconsin Big Ten Tournament record against the Spartans.
Stat of the game: Wisconsin gave up 12 second-chance points on 13 offensive rebounds and 20 fast-break points in the loss at Michigan State. In the rematch, the Badgers limited the Spartans to 11 second-chance points on eight offensive rebounds and only eight fast-break points.
Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin didn't get much from its starting frontcourt, as Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter combined to go 3-for-8. Crowl had eight rebounds, but Winter didn't secure one.
Don’t overlook: A bizarre sequence in the first half when a pass hit an official and everybody stopped but Blackwell and Jaden Atkins. Blackwell went for what he thought was an easy lay-up but was blocked from behind by Atkins. Replays showed that Atkins blocked the ball after it hit the glass, which should have been ruled a goaltend, but the play could not be reviewed because there was no whistle.
What’s next: The Badgers will go for their fourth conference tournament title when they face either the Wolverines tomorrow afternoon (2:30 p.m./CBS). Wisconsin lost to MIchigan in the Big Ten opener back in December, a 67-64 home loss in which the Badgers struggled to defend 7-footers Vlad Golden and Danny Wolf. Both players scored 20 points in their semifinal win over Maryland. UW is 3-1 against the Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament
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