The Badgers’ season was officially over after a stunning collapse.
The Wisconsin Badgers finished their season on a disappointing note after losing to North Texas Mean Green in the NIT Final Four 56-54 and going scoreless in the final 9-07.
The Badgers scored 41 points in the first half to take a 12-point lead, but Wisconsin imploded in the second half, shooting just 24% from the field and ultimately missing one of their final 16 field goal tries in a tight game.
Wisconsin put produced a second-half effort reminiscent of their poor season in a game that officially ended their season after a season in which the Badgers battled their late-game issues frequently.
On Tuesday, Chucky Hepburn was a two-half story after lighting up the first half with five straight three-pointers.
Due to the Mean Green’s retreat in the second half, where Hepburn was unable to convert a layup, the Badgers took an early lead as a result.
The Badgers sorely needed the sophomore guard’s offense on this particular day, but he missed his last seven field goal attempts.
Hepburn’s 15 points normally would have been enough to give the Badgers the victory, but because of the offensive collapse of the entire team, his second-half effort fell short.
Tyler Wahl excelled with an early 4/5 from the field and displayed glimpses of a potential takeover game in what may be his final minutes of college basketball, adding to Hepburn’s strong start.It had to happen and came at the worst possible time for the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s nine-minute scoring drought sealed their fate with the season on the line compiled from multiple errors and deficiencies, embodied by the final possession where none of the greats wanted to kick the ball for the Badgers, resulting in a turnover.
Throughout the season, the Badgers had been marred by extended scoring droughts, but with the pressure easing in the NIT tournament, it seemed like their offense had taken a step forward in both individual confidence and as a team.
However, Wisconsin went back to its old ways and struggled to make shots as the game died down, resulting in a win for North Texas as Mean Green slowly faltered from the lead to make the comeback.
It’s clear that the Badgers need better single-shot creators as they currently don’t own a single player with the ability and confidence to take over games, which has left them hanging multiple times this season.
