Freshman Chucky Hepburn hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to give No. 10 Wisconsin a 70-67 victory over No. 8 Purdue on Tuesday in Madison, Wis., allowing the Badgers to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.
Wisconsin (24-5, 15-4 Big Ten), which swept the two-game series against Purdue for the first time since 2013-14, finishes Sunday at home against last-place Nebraska. Purdue (24-6, 13-6), which also lost to Michigan State 68-65 on Saturday on another late 3-pointer, fell to third, a half-game behind Illinois (20-8, 13-5).
Steven Crowl scored on a put-back to put Wisconsin up 65-62 with 1:10 left, but Jaden Ivey answered with a drive down the lane to make it 65-64.
Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis banked in a step-back jumper from the top of the key with 25 seconds left to make it 67-64. Ivey tied it by sinking a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left.
Hepburn, who finished with 17 points, then hit his fourth 3-pointer from the left side. Wisconsin stole the subsequent inbounds pass to wrap up the victory.
Tyler Wahl had 19 points and Davis added 16 points and eight rebounds for Wisconsin, which won its fifth straight.
Ivey had 22 points and Edey contributed 17 points and nine rebounds for the Boilermakers.
Purdue erased an 11-point deficit with a 14-2 run, going in front 53-52 on Edey’s free throw as Wisconsin hit just 1 of 10 shots over that stretch.
Hepburn and Brad Davison hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Wisconsin up 43-36. Davis, who shot 1 of 5 in the first half, converted a three-point play to put the Badgers up 50-39 with 12:50 left.
Sasha Stefanovic scored 11 of Purdue’s first 19 points, making 3 of 4 from 3-point range, but he did not score the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media