by By Reid Williams
(St. Louis, MO) – Bronson Koenig and the Wisconsin Badgers would have to fight back, and overcome a slow start to beat the Pittsburgh Panthers 47-43, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers would jump out to an early 13-3 lead, and hold a ten point advantage for most of the half. With 36 seconds left in the first half, Bronson Koenig would find Vitto Brown for a 3 point basket, and make the halftime score 22-16 in favor of Pitt. Wisconsin would shoot only 25% from the floor in the first half.
In the second half the Badgers would gain the edge on the offensive glass, and get some easy second chance points. Ethan Happ, would give Wisconsin their first lead of the game with a put back dunk, at the 15:49 mark, making the score 25-24. The lead would change hands two more times, with the last change happening when Vitto Brown hit another 3 to make it 42-40. Later, up 45 to 43, with 2.0 seconds left Nigel Hayes would pull in an offensive rebound off of an Ethan Happ missed free throw, sealing up a 47-43 win for Wisconsin.
Bronson Koenig would struggle to find his shot going 1-8 from the field and finishing with 2 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist. Koenig will look to get his shot back when the Badgers take on the winner of Xavier and Weber State, on Sunday, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
