Wisconsin's double-digit comeback thwarted by Michigan in the final second of the Big Ten Tournament semifinals

Big-time players make big-time shots in March.

University of Wisconsin senior Nick Boyd did it on the final possession to tie the game and get ready to force another overtime session for the Badgers. Yaxel Lendeborg had different ideas.

The Big Ten Player of the Year shook off a two-game shooting slump when a defensive breakdown left him open on the perimeter, allowing him the time to gather and bury the winning three to lift top-seeded Michigan over fifth-seeded Wisconsin, 68-65, in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at the United Center.

The shot with 0.4 seconds left spoiled another thrilling comeback for Wisconsin (24-10), which erased a 15-point deficit in the second half in its bid to make a third straight conference title game.
Austin Rapp was in line to be the hero. Making only three field goals in Wisconsin's first two tournament games, the Australian sophomore caught fire by scoring all 18 of his points on three-pointers in a 5:36 span.

Love this group ❤️ https://t.co/2C0PT3PQiZ
— austin rapp (@austinrappp) March 14, 2026

John Blackwell and Boyd were Wisconsin's top two scorers for a third straight tournament game, but the backcourt duo wasn't nearly as efficient as their 69 points scored against Illinois the afternoon before. Boyd had 14 points on 6-for-20 shooting, and Blackwell finished with 13 on 5-for-11 shooting.

UW shot 37.7 percent from the floor, 42.1 percent from three, and only 3-for-5 from the foul line, tied for a season low.

Center Aday Mara had 16 points and eight rebounds, Elliot Cadeau had 15 points, and Lendeborg finished with 12 points on nine shots, the biggest coming in the final second.

Here’s the last shot for Michigan. Tough one for the #Badgers pic.twitter.com/NxV8etYLoY
— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) March 14, 2026

Wisconsin shot 63 percent and made 10 second-half threes when it became the only conference team to beat the Wolverines back in January. The perimeter shot was hot for a while, going 6-for-9 in a stretch for UW to build its biggest lead at eight, but the Badgers missed 14 of their next 15 attempts to alleviate some pressure off the Wolverines' defense.

But with momentum starting to slip away, Rapp helped Wisconsin regain its swagger with his barrage of threes to spark a 17-2 run, hitting threes from the wing, the corner, right behind the line, deep, and off the dribble.

Leading by four with 3:50 remaining, the Badgers went empty for three possessions, allowing Michigan to go ahead on a 7-0 run, until Boyd hit a three to notch the score at 65 with 29 seconds left.
That left plenty of time for Lendeborg, who drifted out to the perimeter when the ball worked its way into the corner to bury the winner.

Wisconsin called a timeout but was unable to get a final shot off.
The game was strikingly similar to last year's conference title game, when both offenses struggled to score in the low 20s until Michigan outscored the Badgers, 32-15, over the final 12 minutes to pull out a 59-53 victory.

Taking a page from Ohio State's playbook from the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, Wisconsin's physicality bothered the Wolverines' high-powered offense.

Michigan was 3-for-13 with five turnovers on its first 16 possessions and 5-for-22 with eight turnovers on its first 27. Wisconsin couldn't separate because the Badgers had their only shooting problems against one of the nation's leaders in adjusted defensive efficiency.

While going 7-for-17 from three, the Badgers went 3-for-14 on twos and attempted only two free throws in the opening half.

Finishing on a 10-2 run to end the first half to forge a 28-28 tie, Michigan made Wisconsin pay for failing to separate by going on a 14-3 run out of the locker room for a double-digit lead that stayed intact until Rapp's run.

What it means: Wisconsin knew it needed to be physical and make shots if it wanted to put a wrench in Michigan sweeping the conference titles and getting the No.1 overall seed. UW brought the defense, but its shooting - especially from the perimeter in the second half - wasn't nearly consistent enough. Still, UW showed it can play with one of the best teams in the country.

Star of the game: Wisconsin needed a third scorer to step up, and that was Rapp, whose three-point barrage helped give the Badgers' offense some life on what was an overly rough shooting afternoon.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin went 7-for-23 on twos, as the driving lanes that were there against Washington and Illinois were closed against the Wolverines' length

Reason to be Concerned: Braeden Carrington went 2-for-7 from the floor and finished his three-day Big Ten Tournament shooting 6-for-26 from the floor. If UW is going to make a run in next week's tournament, the Badgers need Carrington's scoring lift off the bench.

Don’t overlook: Wisconsin upgraded injured center Nolan Winter to questionable before the game, but ultimately decided to sit him for a fourth straight game, suggesting that the junior is close to returning to the lineup.

What’s next: Wisconsin will await its seed, location, and opponent when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT following the Big Ten Tournament title game. Badgers are expected to get a No.5 or No.6 seed.