MADISON, Wis. — Ethan Happ and the Wisconsin Badgers finally closed out a tight game. Against No. 2 Michigan, too.
Happ had 26 points and 10 rebounds as Wisconsin handed the Wolverines their first loss of the season, breaking away in the final minute for a 64-54 victory Saturday.
Fans rushed the floor after the Badgers (12-6, 4-3 Big Ten) finished off the upset. The victory came after Wisconsin dropped back-to-back games that came down to the stretch.
“This group’s mentality, even with the struggles we’ve had, has always been a fighter’s mentality,” Badgers coach Greg Gard said.
Wisconsin briefly took the lead Monday night over Maryland after trailing by as many as 21 points in the second half on the road, only to see the game slip away in the final seconds. Likewise, the Badgers took Purdue to overtime Jan. 11 at home before struggling down the stretch with turnovers.
But against Michigan (17-1, 6-1), it all came together for them.
The Wolverines closed within 57-54 on Isaiah Livers’ 3-pointer with just under a minute to play. Michigan put on a full-court press that the Badgers broke, and Ignas Brazdeikis was whistled for an intentional foul on Happ, who was across the court from the ball.
Happ, shooting 49 percent from the line coming in, hit the first shot as an incensed Michigan coach John Beilein argued with the officials, but missed the second. On the ensuing Wisconsin possession, Happ put back his own miss for a 60-54 lead, then hit a streaking Nate Reuvers following a Michigan turnover for a dunk that sealed it.
Beilein said he wasn’t given an explanation on the intentional foul seemed mystified by the call. Beilein said he told the referees Michigan was going to foul.
“I’ve got to be schooled up on that,” Beilein said. “Apparently it’s something new to me that I have to be educated on.”
Gard, however, said it was a point of emphasis following last season for fouls where there’s no play on the ball.
For Happ, the final sequence was a bit of redemption.
In a 59-52 loss to Minnesota on Jan. 3, the Gophers intentionally fouled Happ down the stretch, and he finished 1 of 7 from the line. Against the Boilermakers, he committed a key turnover toward the end.
Along with Happ’s scoring and rebounding, he did the little things well, teammate Brad Davison said. That included diving on the floor midway through the second half to secure a loose ball and call a timeout.
“It’s our All-American,” Davison said. “I don’t know how many All-Americans dive on the floor for loose balls. But ours does.”
Both teams came in averaging less than 10 turnovers a game, and Wisconsin finished near its average with 11. But Michigan turned it over 16 times for the game and managed just six points over the final 3:30.
Jon Teske led Michigan with 15 points, while Jordan Poole added 14.
NO. 1 DUKE 72, NO.. 4 VIRGINIA 70
DURHAM, N.C. — RJ Barrett scored 30 points, Zion Williamson had 27 and No. 1 Duke beat No. 4 Virginia Saturday night to give the Cavaliers their first loss of the season.
The Blue Devils (15-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) bounced back from an overtime loss to Syracuse that could cost them their top ranking. They avoided their first two-game losing streak at home since 2016 and proved they can win without injured point guard Tre Jones.
DeAndre Hunter scored 18 points, and Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy had 14 apiece for the Cavaliers (16-1, 4-1), who entered as the nation’s last unbeaten after No. 2 Michigan was upset at Wisconsin earlier in the day.
WISCONSIN 64, NO. 2 MICHIGAN 54
MADISON, Wis. — Ethan Happ had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Wisconsin broke away in the final minute to hand No. 2 Michigan its first loss of the season.
Fans rushed the floor after the Badgers (12-6, 4-3 Big Ten) finished off the upset.
The Wolverines (17-1, 6-1) closed within 57-54 on Isaiah Livers’ 3-pointer with just under a minute to play. Michigan put on a full-court press that the Badgers broke, and Ignas Brazdeikis was whistled for an intentional foul on Happ, who was across the court from the ball.
Happ hit the first shot as an incensed Michigan coach John Beilein argued with the officials, but missed the second. On the ensuing Wisconsin possession, Happ put back his own miss for a 60-54 lead, then hit a streaking Nate Reuvers following a Michigan turnover for a dunk that sealed it.
NO. 3 TENNESSEE 71, ALABAMA 68
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Grant Williams scored 21 points, and No. 3 Tennessee rallied past Alabama for its 12th straight win and a chance to climb atop the AP Top 25.
After No. 1 Duke lost to Syracuse on Monday and No. 2 Michigan fell at Wisconsin on Saturday, the Volunteers (16-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) could lead the poll Monday for the first time since 2008.
John Petty matched a career high with 30 points, and Alabama (11-6, 2-3) erased a 15-point deficit to lead late in the second half. But Petty also had a critical turnover in the closing seconds.
NO. 5 GONZAGA 89, PORTLAND 66
PORTLAND, Ore. — Rui Hachimura had 17 points and nine rebounds and Gonzaga extended its winning streak to nine games.
Zach Norvell Jr. added 14 points. The Bulldogs (18-2, 5-0 WCC) have won 26 straight road conference games and have beaten Portland 11 times in a row.
Marcus Shaver Jr. had 18 points for the Pilots (7-13, 0-5). They have dropped six straight.
WEST VIRGINIA 65, NO. 7 KANSAS 64
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jermaine Haley hurried up the court and hit a layup with 8.5 seconds left, completing a late rally that lifted West Virginia over No. 7 Kansas.
West Virginia (9-9, 1-5 Big 12) scored the final seven points to break a five-game losing streak.
Dedric Lawson and Marcus Garrett made layups 29 seconds apart to give the Jayhawks (15-3, 4-2) their largest lead at 64-58 with 2:34 left. But Kansas didn’t score again.
BAYLOR 73, NO. 8 TEXAS TECH 62
WACO, Texas — Baylor freshman Jared Butler scored 14 of his 19 points after halftime and the Bears handed the eighth-ranked Red Raiders their second loss in four days.
The Red Raiders (15-3, 4-2 Big 12), coming off a home loss to Iowa State on Wednesday night, are still tied for the Big 12 lead after No. 7 Kansas lost earlier Saturday at West Virginia.
Makai Mason added 16 points for Baylor (11-6, 3-2), which beat a Top 10 team for the seventh time in the last three seasons. The Bears are 7-7 in such games during that span.
NO. 9 VIRGINIA TECH 87, WAKE FOREST 71
BLACKSBURG, Va. —- Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 24 points and No. 9 Virginia Tech used a 14-4 first-half run to pull away from Wake Forest.
Ty Outlaw added 14 points and Ahmed Hill 12 for the Hokies (15-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Outlaw, Hill and Justin Robinson each made a 3-pointer during the burst, which turned a 17-all tie into a 31-21 lead with 4 ½ minutes left in the half. The Demon Deacons didn’t get closer than eight the rest of the way.
Brandon Childress scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half for Wake Forest (8-9, 1-4). Childress was 7 of 12 from the field and the rest of the team was 11 of 36.
NO. 12 KENTUCKY 82, NO. 14 AUBURN 80
AUBURN, Ala. — Tyler Herro made two free throws with 24 seconds left and Immanuel Quickley added another to help No. 12 Kentucky survive a big rally from No. 14 Auburn.
The Wildcats (14-3, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded after losing a 17-point second-half lead to finish off a showdown between two of the league’s top teams.
Auburn (13-4, 2-2) took an 80-79 lead on Jared Harper’s contested 3-pointer over Ashton Hagans with 32 seconds left.
NO. 13 N. CAROLINA 85, MIAMI 76
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Cameron Johnson scored 22 points, including 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the closing minutes, and No. 13 North Carolina won a seesaw game.
The Tar Heels shot 55 percent, including 9 for 20 from beyond the arc, and showed why they’re ranked second in the nation in rebounds by grabbing a 38-23 advantage on the boards.
North Carolina (14-4, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) earned its third road win in the league.
NO. 17 NC STATE 77, NOTRE DAME 73
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — C.J. Bryce scored 23 points and No. 17 North Carolina State withstood several second-half challenges from Notre Dame.
Devon Daniels scored 15 points, including four free throws in the final minute, and Torin Dorn had 13 for the Wolfpack (15-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). N.C. State rebounded from a four-point loss Tuesday at Wake Forest. D.J. Funderburk added 11 points.
TJ Gibbs hit three free throws and John Mooney dunked on the next possession to get Notre Dame (11-7, 1-4) within 75-73 with 17 seconds left.
NO. 18 MISSISSIPPI 84, ARKANSAS 67
OXFORD, Miss. — Breein Tyree scored 22 points, Terence Davis added 18 and No. 18 Mississippi never trailed.
Ole Miss (14-3, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) pushed out to an 11-point lead by halftime and had a comfortable advantage through most of the second half.
TEXAS 75, NO. 20 OKLAHOMA 72
AUSTIN, Texas — Kerwin Roach II scored 23 points to lead four Texas players in double-figure scoring, and the Longhorns ended a three-game skid with a win over No. 20 Oklahoma.
The Sooners (13-5, 2-4) had chances to take the lead or tie in the final seconds but missed three 3-pointers.
NO. 21 HOUSTON 69, SOUTH FLORIDA 60
TAMPA, Fla. — Breaon Brady scored 13 points and Armoni Brooks added 11 to lead No. 21 Houston over South Florida.
The Cougars (18-1, 5-1 American Athletic Conference) squandered most of a 16-point second-half lead before pulling away for good over the last 10 minutes.
NO. 24 MISS. STATE 71, VANDERBILT 55
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 17 points and No. 24 Mississippi State never trailed in routing struggling Vanderbilt.
The Bulldogs (14-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) have won two straight after dropping their first two games to open league play. They needed this victory as the first of back-to-back road games, with four of the next five away from Starkville.
PURDUE 70, NO. 25 INDIANA 55
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Carsen Edwards scored 20 points and backcourt mate Nojel Eastern had his first double-double to send Purdue past No. 25 Indiana for the Hoosiers’ fourth straight loss.