Bucky reaches NIT Final Four

The Wisconsin Badgers punched a ticket to Las Vegas for the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament by rallying past the Oregon Ducks in Eugene Tuesday night 61-58.   It took a late 13-5 run to the finish for Wisconsin to advance to the NIT Final Four as they trailed 54-48 with just over three minutes to play.  Chucky Hepburn drilled a three from the right wing with :55 left to put Wisconsin up 59-58 and after an Oregon miss, Max Klesmit knocked down a pair of free throws in the closing seconds for the final margin.    A last second shot from Oregon bounced off the rim and the Badgers happily bounded off the multi-colored Ducks home floor with their third straight win in the tournament.   Wisconsin advanced even though they shot just 33% from the floor.   Tyler Wahl in particular struggled, hitting just one of 9 shots, getting several swatted away by the long Oregon forwards underneath.   The Ducks finished with 8 blocked shots on the night.  Hepburn finished with 12 and Klesmit is finishing the season very strong.  He made big plays late in the second round victory against Liberty and scored 14 of his game high 18 points in the second half of the quarterfinal win.   It was the Badgers’ 20th game decided by five points or less this season, far and away the most in college basketball.   They are now 13-7 in those tight games.   Wisconsin will take a 20-14 record into the NIT semifinals next Tuesday night in Las Vegas where they will meet North Texas.  The Mean Green pulled off a road victory themselves Tuesday night, knocking off Oklahoma State in Stillwater, 65-59.   The other semifinal spots will be determined Wednesday night as UAB takes on Vanderbilt and Cincinnati plays Utah Valley.