Wisconsin falls short in title game but not before making history, memories

Despite their national championship game loss to Duke, the Wisconsin Badgers had a season, an NCAA tournament and a collection of players that won't soon be forgotten.

Author:
Phil Taylor
Publish date:
Apr 7, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS—Before you ask, Wisconsin wants you to know that the answer is: No. As in, no, the intensity of the Badgers’ win over Kentucky in the semifinals, the euphoria over beating the team so many had considered unbeatable, the physical and emotional energy it took to finally dispatch the undefeated Wildcats two nights earlier had nothing to do with their 68-63 loss to Duke in the national championship game on Monday night.

Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig, one of the Badgers who had been so articulate and expansive in his answers to the media during the entire tournament, wouldn’t even let a reporter finish posing the question afterward before he shut down the line of inquiry. Did the effort it took to beat Kentucky have any affect on—"No," Koenig said, sitting in front of his stall in the somber locker room. Then he took a long swig from a bottle of juice, sending the message that he would have nothing more to say on the matter.

Koenig’s teammates felt the same way, or at least said they did, which is admirable. The last thing they wanted was to appear to be using the upset of the Wildcats as an excuse for not being quite as sharp, quite as precise as they had been in their previous five tournament games. So, accept their answers, but draw your own conclusions. Sam Dekker, the small forward who had displayed an NBA-ready game against two of the best defenses in the country, Arizona and Kentucky, airballed his first shot against Duke and missed all six of his three-point attempts. He finished with 12 points on 6-for-15 shooting, mostly on hustle plays and putbacks, and it was a grind every step of the way.

Duke wins national championship, beating Wisconsin in title game

“I just wasn’t in rhythm like I had been lately,” Dekker said. “Give credit to Duke for throwing a bunch of different defenses at me. It was making it tough for me. I was trying to contribute any way I could, but I’m putting this one on me. I just didn’t do enough for our team. I’m pretty disappointed in myself.”

But Dekker’s performance wasn’t the only evidence that the Badgers were drained. Their well-known ability to play tough defense without fouling was not in evidence Monday night, a sign that they might have been a step slower than usual. They committed 15 fouls, and Duke made 16 of its 20 free throws, twice as many as Wisconsin attempted. On one late possession, Duke went to freshman center Jahlil Okafor in the low post and the Badgers’ Frank Kaminsky simply grabbed him. There was some logic to the move since Okafor is a 51% free throw shooter, but Kaminsky didn’t even hold him tightly enough to keep Okafor from making the shot. At 6'11", 270 pounds, Okafor is as powerful as a pickup truck, but the 7-foot Kaminsky just seemed too gassed to make his best effort.

That’s not to say the Blue Devils, who had a much easier time in their semifinal against Michigan State than Wisconsin did against Kentucky, wouldn’t have given coach Mike Krzyzewski his fifth championship even if the Badgers had been on top of their game. They beat Wisconsin in Madison in December, after all, and they found a way overcome a nine-point second-half deficit on Monday before pulling away at the end even though Okafor and Winslow were in foul trouble for most of the game. “They’re a great defensive team,” guard Josh Gasser said. “They’ve gotten a lot better throughout the year. That’s what happened.”

The Badgers went 36-4 this season and reached the championship game for the first time in 74 years.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

And so the Badgers exit the stage, having made history with the Kentucky win and having made millions of admirers with their performance on and off the court in this tournament. Their sadness after the title game didn’t obscure all the fun they brought to March Madness over the last three weeks. From Kaminsky’s goofy dancing to forward Nigel Hayes’ joking with stenographers by flashing a vocabulary that was truly brobdingnagian (one of the few big words he didn’t toss out), Wisconsin was refreshing and entertaining every step of the way.

Bo Ryan was not happy after Wisconsin's loss

It was also a symbol, a reminder of how great college teams used to be built. These Badgers were years in the making, with Kaminsky, the late-blooming center who grew from a barely noticed sub his first two seasons into the national player of the year as a senior; Dekker, the junior wing whose all-around game never fully emerged until the tournament; and a roster full of upperclassmen who didn’t make recruiters’ hearts flutter as high schoolers but matured and improved into smart, solid college players.

In Kaminsky’s four seasons, Wisconsin climbed the rungs from a Sweet 16 his freshman year to a Final Four his junior season to a championship game appearance this spring. In this age of the one-and-done players, the Badgers are a testament to what a team that grows together can still accomplish. "These guys are my family," Kaminsky said, "and I mean that literally. I don’t mean that hypothetically. I’ve never been closer to a group of guys in my entire life." It’s hard to imagine that any NBA-bound freshman could have expressed the same depth of feeling.

Even in defeat to a team that relied heavily on two freshmen in Okafor and Winslow, both of whom are likely headed for the NBA next year, the Badgers were proud of their way of doing things. "We don't do a rent-a-player," coach Bo Ryan said after the game. "You know what I mean? If other people do that, that's O.K. I like trying to build from within. It's just the way I am. And to see these guys grow over the years and to be here last year and lose a tough game, boom, they came back."

They will come back next year without Kaminsky, Gasser and probably Dekker, among others. Wisconsin's players didn’t want this game to be their last memory, and it will be hard to live with for a while. Dekker watched the video of last year’s heartbreaking one-point loss to Kentucky in the Final Four seven or eight times, but “I don’t think I’ll ever watch this one,” he said. “I don’t want to go through this one again.”

Fair enough. But Dekker and his teammates should be sure to re-watch the 39 games that came before Monday night, especially the five previous ones in this tournament, because they were an amazing show. The Badgers might want to forget their last game, but the nation won’t soon forget them.

GALLERY: SI'S BEST PHOTOS OF THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME

SI's Best Photos of the Duke-Wisconsin National Title Game

Duke won its fifth national title in college basketball with a 68-63 victory over Wisconsin on April 6 in Indianapolis. Here are SI's best photos of the game.

Jahlil Okafor (15), Matt Jones (13) and the rest of the Duke team celebrate the final buzzer that sealed the program's fifth championship.

Duke players pile on each other in celebration in the moments following their 68-63 national title game triumph over Wisconsin.

Quinn Cook (holding trophy) and the rest of the Duke squad pose amidst cheers and confetti with their national championship prize.

Guards Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook were front and center for Duke this season and also on the podium after Monday's game.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski cuts down the Final Four nets for the fifth time as Duke head coach. The 2015 title pushed Krzyzewski past Adolph Rupp into sole possession of second place on the list of championship-winning coaches, behind only John Wooden with 10.

Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen celebrate a key play during Duke's 68-63 win. Winslow and Allen finished with 11 and 16 points, respectively.

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

Wisconsin's Josh Gasser discovers blood on his face during his team's championship game loss. The senior was held scoreless on one shot in his final college game.

Grayson-Allen-Traevon-Jackson-X159490_CT1_01958-rawfinal_0.jpg — Greg Nelson for Sports Illustrated

Guards Traevon Jackson and Grayson Allen race for a loose ball. Allen had the better day of the back-up guards, scoring 16 points on 5-8 shooting.

Grayson Allen takes a tumble after lunging for a loose ball against Traevon Jackson and Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky got the better of Duke's Jahlil Okafor in a battle of All-Americans. Kaminsky tallied 21 points and 12 rebounds in his team's loss.

Wisconsin's bench celebrates a big play during Monday's title game. The Badgers led by as many as 9 points in the second half before falling 68-63.

Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky battles for position against Duke's Amile Jefferson. As Jahlil Okafor struggled through foul trouble, Jefferson provided key defense on Kaminsky throughout the night.

Frank-Kaminsky-Jahlil-Okafor-Josh-Gasser-X159490_CT1_01699-rawfinal_0.jpg — Greg Nelson for Sports Illustrated

Wisconsin contained Duke center Jahlil Okafor for most of Monday night, holding the freshman to 10 points and three rebounds.

Grayson-Allen-Frank-Kaminsky-X159489_CT2_00574-rawfinal_0.jpg — John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

Duke's forgotten freshman Grayson Allen jumped off the bench and became Duke's national championship hero.

Justise Winslow and Duke overcame a nine-point second-half deficit in the win.

Tyus Jones shoots a layup for two of his 23 points. The Duke freshman was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

Duke point guard Tyus Jones hoists a tough lay-up over Wisconsin's Bronson Koenig. Jones was the Blue Devils' hero, scoring 23 points and drilling several clutch 3-pointers.

Duke freshmen guards Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen combined for 39 points of their team's 68 points Monday night.

Wisconsin alum and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt left disappointed Monday, as his alma mater lost 68-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Duke forward Justise Winslow soars toward the basket. Despite shooting only 3-9 from the field, Winslow managed 11 points and added nine rebounds.

Duke guard Grayson Allen contorts his body to lift a shot over two Wisconsin defenders. In addition to 5-8 shooting, Allen reached the free throw line five times and made all five shots.

Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig attempts to lay the ball in over Duke forward Justise Winslow. Koenig scored 10 points on 4-9 shooting.

Grayson Allen flies toward the backboard over the contest of Wisconsin's Sam Dekker. Allen was among Duke's heroes Monday despite averaging only 4.4 points per game on the season.

After lapsing on defense periodically throughout the season, Duke stepped up on that end Monday, holding Sam Dekker and Wisconsin to 41 percent shooting.

Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker, one of the NCAA Tournament's best players through five games, shot 6-15 Monday including 0-6 from 3-point range, scoring 12 points.

Duke center Jahlil Okafor draws all eyes as he lifts a lay-up during Duke's national title game victory over Wisconsin.

In a matchup of arguably the nation's two best players, Frank Kaminsky put up the stats but Jahlil Okafor and Duke got the victory.

Duke guard Tyus Jones clashes with Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky as the freshman attempts to score at the basket. Jones (23 points) and Kaminsky (21 points) led their respective teams in scoring Monday night.