Classic Badger Ball Sparks an Upset

So you want to know what Wisconsin basketball is all about? Look no further than the second half of the 12th-seeded Badgers' 61-59 first-round overtime win over Florida State late on Friday night, a win culminated by Trevon Hughes' acrobatic three-point play with just two seconds left in the extra session.

Wisconsin trailed at the half, 31-19, after a 12-7 lead disintegrated amidst a cornucopia of missed shots and uncharacteristically shaky defense. So facing an uphill climb, Wisconsin got back to basics. And the second half was like a Bo Ryan instructional video.

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The Badgers held Florida State scoreless for nearly six minutes after the break. By the time the Seminoles got on the board again, with a Toney Douglas layup at the 14:15 mark, Wisconsin had scored 13 unanswered points to take the lead. Florida State eventually threatened to run away and hide again, pulling out front by a 46-39 count with 4:38 to go. Again, Wisconsin clamped down, allowing just one Seminole field goal for the rest of regulation to force overtime.

The OT, much like the second half, ebbed and flowed. Eventually, Wisconsin found itself with the ball, down one after a Douglas 3-point miss with 14 seconds left. The Badgers turned to Hughes, and he delivered, spinning into the lane from the top of the key and banking home a one-handed shot while drawing a foul, just two seconds still on the clock. He hit the free throw and Florida State's last-gasp attempt to win missed badly.

Wisconsin was one of the last teams selected to the NCAA Tournament field after a 19-12 regular season left it teetering on the bubble. Its dramatic opening-round win seems to prove it belonged in the field.

If nothing else, it proved that Badger Ball still works from time to time, and always makes Wisconsin a little dangerous in a one-and-done scenario. Anyone who didn't know that before Friday night sure does now -- Florida State included.