Wisconsin recovers to beat SMU in Fort Myers final

Field Level Media|published: Wed 22nd November, 23:05 2023

Nov 22, 2023; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Kamari McGee (4) reacts a after a play against the Southern Methodist Mustangs in the first half during the Fort Myers Tip-Off championship game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. credits: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Chucky Hepburn scored all 10 of his points in the final 4:36 to revive slumbering Wisconsin and help the Badgers post a 69-61 victory over SMU on Wednesday in the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off's Beach Division in Florida.

Tyler Wahl scored 14 points and Max Klesmit added 12 points and three steals for Wisconsin (4-2), which trailed by as many as 11 points. AJ Storr had 11 points and John Blackwell added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Badgers.

Zhuric Phelps recorded 19 points and three steals and Chuck Harris added 13 points for SMU (4-2), which led for more than 35 minutes. The Mustangs were outscored 39-21 over the final 12:50.

Hepburn was scoreless until he made a 3-pointer with 4:36 remaining to cut Wisconsin's deficit to one. He added a three-point play with 3:52 left to give the Badgers their first lead of the game at 55-53.

Just 91 seconds later, Storr slammed home a massive dunk to give the Badgers a 59-57 lead. Hepburn added a 3-pointer to make it a five-point lead with 1:31 to play. Blackwell added two free throws 23 seconds later to make it 64-57.

SMU later moved within 65-61 on two free throws by Tyreek Smith with 39.7 seconds to go. Klesmit and Blackwell each made two free throws down the stretch as Wisconsin closed it out.

The Badgers made 41.9 percent of their shots and were just 5 of 24 (20.8 percent) from behind the arc.

The Mustangs shot 45.1 percent from the field, including 8 of 16 from 3-point range.

SMU held a 40-30 lead on Jalen Smith's 3-pointer with 13:21 left in the game.

Wisconsin battled back and Klesmit scored five straight points — on a layup and 3-pointer — to tie it at 46 with 7:56 remaining.

Keon Ambrose-Hylton followed with a dunk as SMU scored seven of the next 10 points to lead 53-49 with 5:04 left. Then came the Hepburn-fueled charge.

Phelps scored 14 points to help the Mustangs take a 32-24 lead into halftime. Wahl had eight in the half for Wisconsin.

SMU started fast and led 15-4 after Harris' jumper with 13:18 left in the first half. The gap was later 25-15 after a 3-pointer by Jalen Smith with 3:38 remaining until intermission.

—Field Level Media

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