FIVE YEARS TO THE DAY: Relive Kaminsky, Koenig and Badgers’ Final Four upset over 38-0 Kentucky on WKTY
It will have happened exactly five years ago to the day this Saturday.
The day the Bronson Koenig, Frank Kaminsky and the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team — SPOILER ALERT — shocked the nation with a Final Four upset win over top-ranked, undefeated Kentucky.
You can relive that April 4, 2015 matchup at 11 a.m. Saturday, when WKTY will replay the 71-64 victory by the fifth-ranked Badgers over previously 38-0 Kentucky.
SATURDAY on WKTY: (5) Wisconsin (35-3) vs. (1) Kentucky (38-0) on WKTY.
Tune in at 11 a.m. on 96.7 FM / 580 AM.
Koenig, a La Crosse native, had 12 points, four rebounds and two assists. Kaminsky outdueled the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick by the Minneosta Timberwolves that spring, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Frank the Tank had 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, along with 11 rebounds, two blocks and two assists to lead the Badgers, while Towns finished with 16 points — also going 7-for-11 — nine rebounds for Kentucky.
Also, not to be forgotten, Sam Dekker — drafted by the Houston Rockets at No. 18 later that spring — was also huge for Wisconsin, with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
The win avenged an 80-70 Wisconsin loss to Kentucky in December earlier that season at the Kohl Center, when it was near impossible to beat the Badgers at home under coach Bo Ryan.
Wisconsin, of course, went on to lose 68-63 to Jahlil Okafor, Justice Winslow and Duke in the NCAA Championship, in what many viewed — especially Badgers fans — was an unfairly officiated game.
Wisconsin (36-3), the top seed out of the West Regional that season, beat fourth-seeded North Carolina 79-72 in the Sweet 16 before eliminating No. 2 Arizona 85-78 to get to the Final Four.
In the Midwest Region, top-seeded Kentucky took out fifth-seeded West Virgina 78-39 in the Sweet 16 before squeaking by No. 3 Notre Dame 68-66 to set up the matchup with Wisconsin.
TOP PHOTO: Bronson Koenig shoots against Kentucky in the 2015 Final Four.