LOS ANGELES — North Carolina looked like the No. 1 seed for 33 minutes. The deeper, sharper, quicker team.
Wisconsin was just biding its time, apparently, because the top-seeded Badgers were clearly the superior team when it mattered most — in crunch time, with an Elite Eight berth on the line.
The Big Ten power executed perfectly over the final seven minutes, making the fourth-seeded Tar Heels pay for every mistake, every poor shot, every defensive lapse. As a result, Wisconsin moved on after a serious scare, advancing to Saturday's West Region finale with a hard-fought, 79-72 victory over North Carolina on Thursday night at Staples Center.
North Carolina (26-12) appeared to be in control, its depth wearing down the Badgers, up 53-46 midway through the second half, but Wisconsin predictably rallied, reeling off six straight points. It was still 60-56 North Carolina when the Badgers took control with a 13-4 spurt, Frank Kaminsky starting the run with his one and only 3-pointer.
Traevon Jackson, in his first game back since breaking his right foot Jan. 11, followed with a reverse layup and Zak Showalter picked Nate Britt's pocket and went the other way for a hoop. Sam Dekker's offensive rebound led to a backbreaking Josh Gasser 3-pointer, extending the Wisconsin lead to 68-64 with 3:27 to go.
North Carolina got within a point, after a Marcus Paige 3-pointer with 54 seconds remaining, but Bronson Koenig answered with two free throws and Isaiah Hicks missed two free throws.
Dekker led the Wisconsin (34-3) charge with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Kaminsky added 19 and eight despite a slow start and Nigel Hayes had 12 points. Brice Johnson and Justin Jackson each scored 15 points for North Carolina and Paige had 12.
Neither team's star — Paige nor Kaminsky — was impressive in the opening half, the duo combining for just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting, but both teams received important contributions from other sources. Dekker was the best player on the floor in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to go along with six rebounds, while North Carolina received points from all 10 of its players who stepped on the floor, led by Johnson's eight points and six from Justin Jackson.
After missing over two months, Jackson returned, checking in at the 14:45 mark of the first half to a loud ovation from the Badgers fans in attendance. Jackson hit his first shot, a 3-pointer from the right wing, but only saw three minutes of action.
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