Wisconsin Badgers vs Kentucky Wildcats - Final Four - 4/5/14 - 7:49 CST

[hawing]

Needed a "perfect game" to win. Nearly got it. Missed FT at the end; too many TOs down the stretch.

 

Sucks to watch a great college team lose to an NBA minor-league team with a(n allegedly) shady coach.

Yup. Here at hawing HQ we were wondering if the Kentucky players' housing leases only go through Monday night. I guess I'm assuming they pay for housing.

 

It's easy for me to say, especially since my main sport to follow is just underway, but look at all Wisconsin accomplished this year. A perennially highly touted group of NBAers had to give their all just to squeak by the Badgers. They belonged in the Final Four.

[fondybrewfan]

I take some comfort in knowing UW should be pretty darn good next year. Curious who will take Brust's spot. Koenigs could come in and play the 1/2 or they could start Hayes and move Dekker to SF where he belongs. It would also be nice to get development from Brown. He is long and athletic and would help UW when they run into teams like Kentucky.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I mean a dude hit a 26 footer. If you told me that UK would have to shoot from 26 feet in order to win I'd have been very happy with that. As they say in The Big Lebowski "Sometimes the bar eats you."

 

This.

 

I think UW played two games down the the stretch where everyone involved will remember them for a LONG time. Arizona and Kentucky. They won one and lost the other. Harrison hit a shot. Trae didn't. It happens, and there was no shame in the way the Badgers played all tournament.

 

It hurts, but this was a special group, and I hope they all realize it sooner rather than later. What a great year of basketball. Go Badgers.

[brwrsfan]

Jackson himself has now stated he got hit on the arm, and it's pretty clear on the replay that the KY player knew it. That would be an awfully ballsy call for an official to make, but it definitely altered the shot and had a direct impact on the game. It's hard to see on any of the angles, but the way Jackson lost the ball and the way the KY player reacted, I think KY got away with a foul there.

 

That said, Jackson still had a clean look after he recovered and missed...but that might be why he tried to bank it in, as I really don't think he would have normally aimed for glass in that situation. It's really too bad, because without the apparent elbow hit, he was WIDE open with a shot he's made on numerous occasions. Just makes me sad thinking about it

 

There's a picture of it on this page, look at #2. Rather than contest the shot at all, he already has his arms up in the air, as if saying "I didn't touch him", which usually means a player did in fact do something wrong.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/harrison-hits-huge-kentucky-tops-wisconsin-article-1.1747236

[trwi7]

I think it was more like "look at my hands, they're not touching him so don't call a foul."

[RockCoCougars]

I didn't see a foul there. Even if there was some contact, it would have to be pretty egregious to be called in that spot. I really thought that shot was going in- just kicked off the right side of the rim.

[brwrsfan]

It looked bad to me the moment it left his hand, I guess I don't know why you would try a bank shot in that situation. Not that it can't go in, but it seems like a very odd shot selection at that point in time, from that distance.

[LouisEly]

Saw the replay on the Badgers sports report, and #2 on Kentucky definitely got Jackson's right arm on the way up. That's why it looked like he lost the ball - he could only get one hand on it temporarily because the other hand couldn't get to it after his arm got hit.

[brwrsfan]

I've watched several angles of it and I'm positive he hit his arm. The KY players reaction to it is pretty clear. He was beat but didn't even contest the shot, instead threw his arms up and behind his head. It wasn't obvious, but that's a definite game changing play. Jackson couldn't grip the ball, which forced him to double clutch it and throw it up off the glass. I highly doubt he goes glass, and if the KY player doesn't hit his arm, he has a wide open look to win it. It's unfortunate and it certainly wasn't an obvious call but I'm pretty confident in saying he got hit and it cost us a great chance of winning (he still could have missed of course).

 

It's amazing Jackson even got as close as he did while being hit on the arm. I wonder if the officials really missed it or if they just chose not to call it.

[Daubs]

It's amazing Jackson even got as close as he did while being hit on the arm. I wonder if the officials really missed it or if they just chose not to call it.

 

My guess is because in real speed it didn't look like much, if anything at all.

 

Slowing it down, you can tell that it was a big deal - but I'm far from shocked that call was not made.

[bacon06]

The worst part about this loss will be in a few years when this Final Four is vacated due to Kentucky recruiting violations.

[davego]

I guess since Jackson got away with a pretty clear travel right before he got fouled on the "3" this balances out.

 

Others made this point that Wisconsin played real well to have a chance. Then...when they had a chance it made it all the harder to lose. It still feels too soon to analyze the game for me.