BYU edges Wisconsin, makes first Sweet 16 since 2011

DENVER -- Richie Saunders scored 25 points, Keba Keita had 10 points and three blocked shots and No. 6 seed BYU held off No. 3 seed Wisconsin 91-89 in the second round of the East Region on Saturday night.

Trevin Knell added 14 points and Egor Demin added 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for BYU (26-9). The Cougars advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011 and will face the winner of Sunday's Alabama-Saint Mary's matchup.

John Tonje scored 37 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field but missed a shot to send it into overtime with one second left. John Blackwell finished with 21 points, Max Klesmit had 12 and Steven Crowl contributed 10 for the Badgers (27-10).

BYU led by 13 early in the second half, but the Badgers surged to cut the deficit to 52-48. The Cougars responded to lead 70-56 with 10:25 left.

Wisconsin rallied to get within 75-68, but Knell drained another 3-pointer, Keita split a pair of free throws and Klesmit answered from deep to make it 79-71 with 6:46 remaining.

Soon after, Keita converted a three-point play to restore the double-digit lead. The Badgers trimmed it to eight on Klesmit's fourth 3-pointer with 4:27 left but Saunders muscled his way in for a layup, Keita blocked Blackwell's layup and Demin's 3-pointer made it 89-78.

Wisconsin made a last push, getting within 91-86 on Tonje's 3-pointer with 1:16 left. The Cougars turned it over on the inbounds pass and Tonje was fouled on a layup and hit the free throw to make it 91-89 with a minute left.

BYU couldn't connect at the other end and the Badgers got the rebound with 13.5 seconds left with a chance to tie it but Tonje missed a fadeaway jumper.

The Cougars raced to an early 12-5 lead and increased it to 30-16. Wisconsin got within eight late in the half but Knell's corner 3-pointer in the final seconds gave BYU a 47-36 lead at intermission.

--Field Level Media