The University of Wisconsin picked the wrong time to regress defensively.

An area of strength throughout the postseason, the third-seeded Badgers were pummeled by sixth-seeded BYU in the paint, beaten off the dribble, and allowed too many open looks from the perimeter. This combination made for a brutal night for Wisconsin, which lost 91-89 to the Cougars in the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Denver's Ball Arena on Saturday night.

John Tonje scored 37 points in his final game, a new Wisconsin NCAA Tournament record, including 12 in the final 6:05 to will his team back to within two. He needed two more.

Down as many as 14 points, Wisconsin (27-10) cut the lead to two after Carter Gilmore contested guard Dallin Hall's layup and dove on the loose ball with 13.1 seconds remaining. Going for overtime, Tonje drove baseline against former Rutgers forward Mawot Mag, who didn't fall for any of Tonje's pump fakes and watched as the Wisconsin senior's jumper fell short of the iron.

John Blackwell (21), Max Klesmit (12), and Steven Crowl (10) all reached double figures, but all had their faults in preventing Wisconsin from its first regional semifinal since 2017.

There were certainly problems offensively. The Badgers shot 42.9 percent from the floor and 12-for-35 from three, but they still averaged 1.29 points per possession. What Wisconsin couldn't do was slow BYU's tempo or match its physicality.

The Cougars controlled nearly every offensive category, shooting 49.2 percent from the field, equaling UW's threes, and making eight more free throws on 13 more attempts. More staggeringly, BYU was more physical in the paint. The Cougars were plus-9 on the glass and outscored the Badgers in the paint (38-28).

Richie Saunders scored 13 of his 25 points in the second half on a night where the Cougars (26-9) never trailed and dropped a season-high point total on the Badgers. BYU's 47 points in the first half were the most the Badgers allowed since November 18.

Wisconsin's defense was significantly better starting the second half, contesting shots from the perimeter and the rim. The Cougars missed five of their first seven while UW's offense was more in sync playing inside out to hit five of its first six shots.

A 12-5 run cut the deficit to four, but a technical on Wisconsin's bench killed the momentum. Saunders hit the two free throws and promptly delivered a layup on the next possession to double the lead.

Tonje's scoring got the deficit back to four with 13:05 to go, but BYU's 9-2 run was a result of UW regressing defensively - allowing a three-pointer on a fast break, a jumper in the paint, and getting outmuscled on a layup.

Wisconsin's final surge came in the closing minutes, as the Badgers executed an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 91-86 with 1:12 remaining. Forcing a turnover and the chance to cut the lead to one possession, Tonje drove to the lane and finished through contact for a three-point play with a minute remaining, which ended up being the final points of the game.

What it means: Wisconsin and BYU had similar makeups offensively but the Badgers had the analytical edge defensively. The problem is that games aren't played on a computer screen, as UW's slow defensive start forced them to play from behind throughout the night.

Star of the game: Tonje's spectacular senior season ended with one amazing moment, willing the Badgers back into the game practically on his own. After struggling to get going offensively in the first half, Tonje scored 26 points on 6-for-9 shooting (11-for-11) in 19 second-half minutes.

Stat of the game: The Cougars entered the second round shooting 70.4 percent from the free-throw line. BYU made its first 12 free-throw attempts and went 15-for-16 from the line.

Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin had been sound defensively through its first five postseason games, but the Badgers reverted to the defensive quality they showed against Penn State. UW didn't rotate well on switches, went under screens to give space to shooters, and generally looked lost against BYU's faster-paced offense.

Don’t overlook: Wisconsin was trying to build some momentum heading into halftime, trimming a 14-point deficit down to eight and could take the final shot of the half. Instead, Crowl missed a contested shot with 13 seconds left and a defensive breakdown between Blackwell and Tonje allowed Trevin Knell to hit an open three-pointer before the buzzer. Trailing by 11, it was UW's largest halftime deficit all season.

What’s next: Instead of awaiting the winner of tomorrow's matchup between No.2 Alabama and No.7 St. Mary's, Wisconsin will fly home and start preparing for an offseason of uncertainty. The Badgers will graduate six seniors, including three starters, and must prepare for the opening of the transfer portal on Monday, as well as doing what it can to retain its core players for next year's rebuild.

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