Dekker, Badgers deny Arizona to make Final Four

Sam Dekker and the Wisconsin Badgers overpowered Arizona to make the Final Four for the second time in as many years.  Dekker sunk five three-pointers and scored his career high 27 points.  Frank Kaminsky scored 29 points, as the Badgers beat Arizona in the Elite Eight for the second year in a row.  Arizona’s Wildcats got within five points in the last two and a half minutes, but Dekker nailed consecutive threes to put the dagger in Arizona.   ” Sam Dekker pretty much crushed our dreams with that shot.” guard T.J. McConnell of Arizona said.  Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s a close friend of Dekker thought that he played an outstanding game. ” Incredible game,” he tweeted.   Bo Ryan and his Badgers will play the Kentucky wildcats in Indianapolis on Sunday.  The Wildcats are picked to beat Wisconsin by 6.5 in Vegas, even after they barely beat Notre Dame.   Rondae Hollis-Jefferson each scored 17 points for Arizona, coming up short for coach Sean Miller for the second year in a row. McConnell scored 14 points as Kaleb Tarczewski and Gabe York added 11. ” Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky, they’re really good, Miller told a reporter. ” No team has done what they did to us in the secons half. They made shots, and if they play like that next weekend, they have a chance to win it all.”   Wisconsin made 10 of 13 three pointers in the second half, and the Badgers scored a season high 67 percent of shots in the second half.   ” This tournament, he’s really shown his full arsenal offensively and defensively,”guard Josh Gasser said.  ” When he’s confident like that making plays, being aggressive, this is what happens.”   Arizona pressured full court for the last four-minutes, causing the Badgers to pass long in bounds that were almost intercepted, but caught by Gasser who would get fouled and make free throws to keep the Badgers ahead by 10 points.   ” Emptied the bucket, and it was a big one.” Miller said of his strategies for defense. “We’ve tried everything.”   Exactly like last year, Kaminsy was the key to victory for the Badgers. He scored 28 points in their Elite Eight duel last year, and finished with 29 this year. ” I’m just so happy right now, said Kaminsky.   Een though Stanley Johnson left the game with a poked eye and Tarczewski and Hollis-Jefferson each picked up 3 fould, Arizona never gave up, and they came back 47-46.   Well, the Badgers are gong to the Final Four for the second straight season and this time, a top-seed.

The Kentucky Wildcats rallied to beat Notre Dame, 68-66.  Karl-Anthony Towns scored 25 points for the Wildcats as they roared their way to victory.  Zach Auguste scored 20 points for the Irish.