Chucky Hepburn scores 19 to help Wisconsin get past Marquette in OT

December 3, 2022
|In Badgers
|By Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin got a layup from Max Klesmit with 3.5 seconds left to take a late lead and beat Marquette 80-77 in overtime on Saturday in Milwaukee.

The Badgers led 77-72 with under two minutes to go but the Golden Eagles answered with a quick 5-0 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Kam Jones, three of his 26 points on the night. On the ensuing possession, Chucky Hepburn drove baseline and found Klesmit streaking down the middle of the lane for the go-ahead bucket.

A Tyler Wahl steal and free throw finished off the scoring for the Badgers, who beat Marquette in Milwaukee for the first time since 2016. It was also their first back-to-back wins in the series since 2013-2014.

Wisconsin was led offensively by Hepburn. He scored 19 points and hit five 3-pointers for a second straight game. He did it despite missing 14 minutes of action in the second half due to an apparent injury that coach Greg Gard said happened on his final shot of the first half. Hepburn started the second half but lasted just five seconds before limping off. He said afterward he was not sure what happened, either.

The sophomore had a chance to win the game in regulation but missed a deep 3-pointer.

Wahl finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and a couple of steals. Klesmit delivered his best game in a Wisconsin uniform, scoring 13 points, dishing out four assists and grabbing three rebounds. Steven Crowl gave the team eight points and a career-high seven assists. Freshman Connor Essegian scored in double figures for a fifth-straight game, putting up 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting.

The win pushed Wisconsin to 6-2 on the year and allowed the club to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Wake Forest earlier in the week. The Badgers will now jump into Big Ten play on Tuesday against No. 22 Maryland at the Kohl Center.