MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Chucky Hepburn led Wisconsin with 27 points and Max Klesmit secured the victory with a layup with 42 seconds left as the Badgers knocked off Liberty 75-71 on Sunday in the NIT.
Hepburn shot 9 for 20 (0 for 6 from 3-point range) and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line for the Badgers (19-14). Tyler Wahl added 16 points while shooting 5 of 6 from the field and 6 for 7 from the line, and he also had six rebounds. Steven Crowl had 14 points and went 7 of 9 from the field.
La Crosse native Jordan Davis played 14 minutes, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds. He was 1-for-3 from the field and 0 of 2 from deep.
The Flames (27-9) were led by Darius McGhee, who recorded 31 points, six rebounds and four assists in his final collegiate game. The 5-foot-9 McGhee, who has scored at least 30 points in five games this season, is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,685 career points. Liberty also got 16 points from Kyle Rode. In addition, Shiloh Robinson finished with nine points.
Wahl scored a team-high 14 points for Wisconsin in the second half.
TOP PHOTO: Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee, right, dives for a loose ball against Liberty Flames Colin Porter (0) in the second half of the second round NCAA college basketball game in the National Invitational Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Sunday, March 19, 2023. (Samantha Madar/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)