Badgers' Rally Falls Just Short
November 24, 2006 | Men's Basketball
The Wisconsin men's basketball team (4-1) lost to Missouri State (4-0), 66-64, today in the semifinals of the 2006 South Padre Island Invitational. UW overcame a 19-point first-half deficit to take a brief lead in the second half but Missouri State was able to close the game with a 9-2 run and come out with the win.
Senior Alando Tucker scored a game-high 26 points, including 17 in the second half. Michael Flowers was the only other Badger in double figures, scoring 10 points to go with his six assists.
Missouri State came out on fire in the first half, shooting 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the field. Guard Blake Ahearn scored 19 points in the first half for the Bears, making all three of his 3-pointers and all six of his free throws. MSU extended their lead to 19 points with 1:04 left in the half but UW scored the last six points on the frame. Kevin Gullikson scored with two seconds left and Michael Flowers intercepted the in-bounds pass and scored a reverse lay-up as time expired to make the score 45-32 going into halftime.
Trailing by 11 with 16:40 left in the game, Wisconsin went on an 11-2 run to pull within 51-49 with 10:56 left. After the teams traded baskets, UW scored eight straight points to take its first lead of the game. Tucker and Joe Krabbenhoft combined for all eight points. The Badgers took their largest lead of the game, five points, after a three-point play by Tucker with 5:24 left.
UW went scoreless for almost four minutes after that, turning the ball over on three consecutive possessions. Missouri State took the lead for good on a lay-up by Spencer Laurie with 2:26 left. With the Bears leading 66-64 and having possession, they turned the ball over, giving UW the ball with 15 seconds left. After a Badger timeout, Alando Tucker 's baseline 3-pointer bounced off the rim as time expired, giving MSU the win.
Wisconsin will play either Auburn or Oklahoma State tomorrow at 2 p.m.
