NCAA Tournament: Wisconsin Ends Oregon’s Sweet 16 Hopes, Ducks Lose 85-77

Oregon entered the game with Wisconsin in Round Three of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday winners of nine of their last ten games and one of the hottest teams in the field. Both teams shot fifty percent from the field in their respective opening round games.

Mar 22, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Mike Moser (0) in the second half of a men

Oregon Senior Mike Moser started the game with the first seven points for the Ducks, but picked up two fouls in the first four minutes of the game with the Ducks leading by two points 9-7. Senior Jason Calliste picked up right where Moser left off scoring 12 points off the bench over the next ten minutes of play. Wisconsin would keep it close in the first half and with three minutes left the Ducks would extend their lead to nine points. Joseph Young would pick up two quick three point shots toward the end of the first half to give him 16 points. The Ducks finished the first half on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 49-37. 19 points came from transition.

The second half started out well for Oregon as the usual suspects in Young and Calliste helped the Ducks overcome some early mistakes in the period as Richard Amardi and Dominic Artis picked up their third fouls. Then Wisconsin woke up cut the Ducks lead to four with sixteen minutes left in the game as the ‘hometown’ crowd came to life in Milwaukee. The Badgers would hit a three on the next possession to score on the first seven possesions of the first half and the momentum from the first half for the Ducks was gone.

Mar 22, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players celebrate a 3-point shot by guard Josh Gasser (21) in the second half of a men

At the 14 minute mark the Ducks were hitting at 53 percent, Wisconsin at 54 percent. Ten minutes later there were three Wisconsin fouls in a row before Senior Mike Moser gave Oregon a two point lead at 72-70. With three minutes left the crowd was into the game and it was tied at 72. Wisconsin would have three offensive possessions in a row and come away with two points to take the lead from the Ducks 77-75 with 53 seconds left.Wisconsin would score again making it 79-75. Senior Jason Calliste hit a two point shot pulling the Ducks to within two points.

Joseph Young had a chance at the end with 13 seconds left and missed a three point shot that would have tied the game. The Badgers won the second half and the game 84-77. Wisconsin moves on to the Sweet 16 after probably the best game in the NCAA Tournament to this point.

Oregon returns home having played in back to back NCAA Tournaments for the first time in school history. The #2 seed moves on. Dana Altman’s team was led in the game by Joseph Young with 29, Jason Calliste had 20. Wisconsin outscored the Ducks in the second half 48 to 28 to advance.

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