Hayes' overtime heroics save No. 7 Badgers at Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nigel Hayes hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 18.4 seconds left in overtime and Ethan Happ blocked Tai Webster's shot on Nebraska's last try, giving No. 7 Wisconsin a 70-69 victory on Thursday night.

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Nebraska's Michael Jacobson forced overtime with his 3 just ahead of the buzzer, tying the game at 58-all.

Hayes scored 18 of his 20 points after halftime for the Badgers (21-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who won their eighth straight and 17th of their last 18.

Zak Showalter made 4 of 6 3s and finished with 15 points, and Bronson Koenig added 12 for Wisconsin.

Webster had 19 points and Glynn Watson Jr. added 15 for the Huskers (10-14, 4-8), who have lost eight of their last nine.

Jacobson came up big in overtime when he beat the shot clock with a jumper in the lane to put Nebraska in front 65-64, but Koenig banked in a 3-pointer to tie it at 67.

Webster made two free throws to make it 69-67 with 1:11 to play. Koenig missed a shot on the other end and Nebraska's Ed Morrow got the rebound and was fouled.

Morrow missed the two free throws, and Hayes' 3-pointer put the Badgers up a point.

Webster tried a shot from underneath with 3.3 seconds left, but Happ blocked it, got the rebound and was able to call time out before falling out of bounds.
Hayes missed two free throws with 2.2 seconds left, but the Huskers couldn't get off another shot.

On seven occasions in the second half Nebraska was within one possession of the Badgers. The Huskers took their first lead of the game when Isaiah Roby made a steal and went for a layup to make it 50-49 with 5:10 to play.

The Badgers couldn't get the lead back until Hayes bounced in a shot from underneath with 14 seconds left to make it 58-55.

Nebraska inbounded the ball and called time out to set up a final play. Instead of fouling and sending the Huskers to the line for two free throws, the Badgers let the possession play out, with Jacobson swishing his 3 from the wing with one-tenth of a second showing.

BIG PICTURE

Wisconsin: The Big Ten-leading Badgers shot just 36.5 percent and were outrebounded 50-37, but they were able to win for the eighth time in 11 games away from Madison and stay 1 1/2 games ahead of Purdue.

Nebraska: The Huskers were trying for their first win over a top 10 opponent since knocking off the Badgers in Lincoln in March 2014, but their 22 turnovers and 15-of-24 shooting from the free throw line weren't going to get it done.

UP NEXT

Wisconsin hosts Northwestern on Sunday.

Nebraska hosts Penn State on Tuesday.