Wisconsin Badgers

Florida found a way to match Wisconsin's heroics and, in doing so, got the last word in a thrilling Sweet 16 matchup Friday at Madison Square Garden. The fourth-seeded Gators used a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Chris Chiozza to bring an abrupt end to the eighth-seeded Badgers' latest March run, scoring an 84-83 win in overtime to advance to the Elite Eight. Wisconsin got a clutch 3-pointer of its own from Zak Showalter to force overtime and then held a two-point lead after Nigel Hayes drained a pair of free throws with 4 seconds remaining. That turned out to be just enough time for Chiozza to bring the Badgers' season to a heartbreaking end.

• Recap  |  Lucas' Five Takes  |  Video Recap  |  Seniors Leave Legacy  |  Stats

Friday’s NCAA Sweet 16 matches Florida’s speed to Wisconsin’s defense.

• Lucas: Closing gaps and fortifying team defense

First, New York City inspired Jay Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.” Now, the Big Apple has provided the inspiration for what’s sure to be a chart-topping hit for the Moesch Madness boys: “Badger State of Mind.”

The secret to the Badgers’ consistent success? Starting at the top and throughout all of UW Athletics, it’s a strong belief in the value of hard work, quality traditions and high-level performance.

• Culture at heart of Wisconsin's winning ways

"Any one of the four could come out of here.” We check back in with the incomparable Verne Lundquist to get his feelings on a “wide open” East Regional and the Badgers' chances to get back to the Final Four.

Hungry, loose and looking to keep on dancing, the Badgers hit the floor Thursday at Madison Square Garden with anticipation for their Sweet 16 showdown with Florida.

A month ago, the Badgers’ men’s basketball season seemed like it might fall apart. Now Wisconsin is preparing for a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA’s Sweet 16, thanks to a class of seniors that just won’t quit.

• Finding Their Voice

Vitto Brown and Ethan Happ are teammates, roommates, best friends. And they’ve got each other’s back in basketball and life.

• Lucas at Large: Off the court, this friendship runs deep

Before heading to New York for the Sweet 16, the Moesch Madness crew attempted to recreate the Nigel Hayes game-winner that propelled the Badgers on to the East Regional.

Featured in this week's Varsity Magazine:
About to hit the road again to travel to the Sweet 16, the Wisconsin men’s basketball’s director of operations discusses her role, where she got her calm demeanor and the best money she has ever spent.

• Badgering: Kat Vosters

What helps the Badgers stay focused during March Madness? For Nigel Hayes, positive thinking goes a long way.

Greg Gard and the Badgers' four seniors met the media Monday as they began their preparations for Friday's Sweet 16 matchup with Florida.

Marking March Madness' most exciting upset so far, Mike Lucas had a front-row seat as eighth-seeded Wisconsin up-ended No. 1 overall seed and defending national champion Villanova, 65-62, to advance to the Sweet 16 on Saturday. Check out what he saw from courtside:

• Lucas Lookback: ‘Five minutes is an eternity’ for battle-tested Badgers

NCAA MARCH MADNESS TV: Go inside the Badgers' locker room for halftime of Saturday's clash with No. 1 seed Villanova and the celebration that followed when UW finished off the Wildcats to advance to a fourth-consecutive Sweet 16.

Nigel Hayes scored 19 points, dropping a layup in traffic with 11.4 seconds left to put Wisconsin ahead 64-62, and Bronson Koenig added 17 for the Badgers, who are going back to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight year after knocking off defending national champion and No. 1 overall seed Villanova in a thrilling game.

• Recap  |  Lucas' Five Takes  |  Highlights  |  Video Recap  |  Celebration  |  Stats

You can't spend time in Buffalo without finding some wings. The Moesch Madness crew was all over it.

NCAA MARCH MADNESS TV: Take an inside look at the Badgers' preparations for their second-round matchup with No. 1 Villanova.

There's no rest for the weary in the NCAA tournament. Hours after dispatching of Virginia Tech, the Badgers returned to KeyBank Center on Friday and turned their attention to the challenge of facing No. 1 seed Villanova.

The Badgers certainly benefitted from the return of Khalil Iverson, who contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists in UW's opening-round win over Virginia Tech, something Greg Gard addressed during his media session Friday. Iverson had missed the Big Ten tournament title game beacuse of a deaths in his family.

What does it take to win in the NCAA tournament? Our cameras go behind the scenes of the scouting process with associate head coach Lamont Paris to document the process, from Selection Sunday to tipoff.

Mike Lucas had a front-row seat as eighth-seeded Wisconsin knocked off ninth-seeded Virginia Tech, 84-74, to advance in the East Region of the 2017 NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., on Thursday. Here is what he saw from courtside.

• Lucas Lookback: Cohesion, fixing little things earns opening NCAA win for Badgers

Bronson Koenig made a school-record eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points and fellow senior Nigel Hayes added 16 as the NCAA tournament-tested Badgers advanced in the East Region with an 84-74 victory over Virginia Tech on Thursday night. UW now faces defending national champion and the tournament's overall No. 1 seed, Villanova, in a second-round matchup Saturday.

Recap  |  Lucas' Five Takes  |  Highlights  |  Video Recap  |  Stats

Their teams may not be familiar heading into Thursday's first-round NCAA tournament matchup, but head coaches Greg Gard of Wisconsin and Buzz Williams of Virginia Tech know each other well.

• Lucas: Badgers, Hokies size each other up

NCAA MARCH MADNESS TV: How do you pass the time while waiting for your NCAA tournament opener? How about a game night?

Required Reading

• FiveThirtyEight: Wisconsin's Happ is college basketball's latest unicorn
• Wisconsin State Journal: Hayes, Koenig have seen NCAA's highs, lows
• Wisconsin State Journal: Happ's desire to improve has become obsession
• Wisconsin State Journal: Badgers' bench must play key role
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gard revels in UW's NCAA streak
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW seniors ready for one last NCAA run

March Madness media day? Nope. It's Moesch Madness media day.

Few people have seen more of what March Madness has to offer than the great Verne Lundquist, who is calling the games in Buffalo for CBS. Chris Hall took a moment to get Uncle Verne's take on the tourney and the Badgers' unprecedented streak of success.

Wisconsin senior forward Nigel Hayes has grown into a forthright presence both on and off the basketball court in his four years as a Badger. Now on the brink of his last trip to the NCAA tournament, he looks back at his time at UW and how it’s helped him grow into his truer self.

• Lasting Legacy: Hayes reflects on his time on and off the court at Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s seniors say they've learned lessons from losses and are ready to lead the Badgers into the Big Dance once again.

• Lucas at Large: Seniors say 'It's up to us to set the tone'

NCAA MARCH MADNESS TV: March Madness Confidential was there to document Wisconsin's arrival in Buffalo, where it wasn't exactly a secret that a winter storm was waiting to greet the Badgers.

They're back and they're dressed for the occasion. With the Badgers set to depart for Buffao, the much-anticipated Moesch Madness makes its return.

Wisconsin's football team has qualified for a bowl game and its men's basketball team has earned an invitation to the NCAA tournament for 15 straight years (every year since the start of the 2002 season). That is the longest streak in NCAA history. Read more about the Badgers' historic run:

• Badgers extend historic NCAA streak in football, hoops

UW is a No. 8 seed in the East Region and will take on No. 9 Virginia Tech in the opening round on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. (CT) at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Check out everything you need to know about the Badgers' matchup in the Big Dance.

• This Week in Wisconsin Men's Basketball: Bring on Buffalo

Wisconsin earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the 19th-consecutive season, a streak that began in 1999 and is tied for the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. After playing in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament and learning of its destination, the Badgers face a quick turnaround for the Big Dance. Head coach Greg Gard met the media Monday to discuss his team's matchup with Virginia Tech.