Wisconsin just somehow keeps finding ways to win basketball games, and at this point in the season, that’s not a bad trait to have at all.  After a win over Pittsburgh in a game where Wisconsin only scored 47 points, they knew they’d need to put more points on the scoreboard to beat Xavier.  Nearly a third of the 66 points the Badgers would score would be at the hands of Bronson Koenig.  Koenig had struggled mightily shooting the ball down the stretch of the regular season and even into the conference tournament, but his woes ceased in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the junior guard hit six of twelve three-point attempts including a step-back from the corner as time expired with the score knotted at 63.  Koenig picked a great time to break out of his shooting slump as the Badgers needed every single one of the team high 20 points in the upset over Xavier.  Ethan Happ added 18 points and 7 rebounds for Wisconsin, and Vitto Brown also reached double figures with 12 points.  Xavier was led by Remy Abell and Jalen Reynolds who notched 13 points apiece.  Edmund Sumner piled in 11 points for the Musketeers.

Wisconsin led for the majority of the first half until Xavier surged towards the end of the half to take a four point lead into the break.  The second half was back and forth with each team taking the lead only to lose it not long after.  Xavier built up a 58-49 lead with six minutes of action remaining, but Wisconsin quickly overcame the deficit and found themselves tied with the ball in the closing seconds as Bronson Koenig sent the Badgers to their third straight Sweet Sixteen.

Wisconsin will play the seventh-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish for a chance at the Elite Eight.