Koenig’s 3 forces OT, Badgers upset No. 14 Syaracuse

Koenig’s late 3-pointer helps 
send game to overtime

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Nigel Hayes had 15 points and 12 rebounds, converting a three-point play to break a tie in overtime, and Wisconsin beat No. 14 Syracuse 66-58 on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Syracuse (6-1) beat Connecticut and Texas A&M last week to win the Battle 4 Atlantis and zoom into the national rankings this week after being an afterthought in the preseason. The Orange fell victim to a determined bunch that had been humbled over the weekend. 

It wasn’t La Crosse, Wis., native Bronson Koenig’s best game, but the junior point guard for Wisconsin (5-3) tied the game with a 3-pointer late in regulation to help force overtime. Koenig shot 3-for-9 and 2-for-7 beyond the arc, scoring 12 points to go with six rebounds, an assist and no turnover. 

Hayes put UW 58-55 with a layup and was fouled by Tyler Roberson. He calmly sank the free throw with 2:14 left in the extra period and Ethan Happ’s dunk off an inbounds pass sealed it with 90 seconds left. 

A 3-pointer by Michael Gbinije gave Syracuse (6-1) brief hope in the final minute, but the Badgers sank their free throws to hold on.

Happ led the Badgers with 18 points and 15 rebounds, and was a force inside as Wisconsin outscored Syracuse 30-14 in the paint. Vitto Brown added 14 points and Bronson Koenig 12. 

Gbinije led Syracuse with 19 points and Trevor Cooney had 14. Kaleb Joseph had six points and two assists in his first extended play of the year, but freshmen Malachi Richardson and Tyler Lydon combined for only 10 points, going 1 of 10 beyond the arc. Syracuse finished 7 of 24 on 3-pointers, well off its pace this season.

With the score tied 48-48, Richardson hit a driving layup and Gbinije followed with long jumper at the top of the key to give the Orange a four-point lead with 3:08 left in regulation.

Playing with four fouls, Koenig swished a 3-pointer in the left corner to tie it again 53-53 with 1:21 left and, after Hayes traveled with 36 seconds remaining in regulation, Syracuse held for the last shot. The strategy backfired when Cooney’s pass to Lydon underneath went through his hands out of bounds with 10.4 seconds left.

Brown missed a 12-foot jumper at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Syracuse trailed at the midpoint of the first half, but never by more than eight, and when its long-range game came alive in the second the Orange finally surged ahead.

Cooney, who didn’t attempt a 3 and took only two shots in the first half, bounced in a 3-pointer at the top of the key to give the Orange a 35-33 lead with 12:25 remaining.

After Happ’s shot off the glass tied the game for the seventh time, Joseph passed to Gbinije on the right wing and he drained another 3. Cooney followed with another 3-pointer on the next possession, hitting a turnaround jumper at the left wing to a deafening crowd roar as the Orange went up 41-35 with 11:07 left.

Wisconsin continued to pound the ball inside the Orange zone defense as Happ scored twice underneath to keep the Badgers close.