Chicago – Kevin Kruger made dad proud. And
he made UNLV a winner again in the NCAA tournament.
Kruger connected on three straight 3-pointers late in the second
half Sunday and the Runnin’ Rebels rallied to beat second-seeded
Wisconsin 74-68 in the second round of the Midwest Regional.
The Badgers (30-6) became the highest-seeded team to lose in the
tournament.
Kruger was shooting just 1-of-15 in the NCAAs including 1-of-7
Sunday when he found the range. He tied it with a 3, then hit
another to give the Runnin Rebels the lead with just under six
minutes left.
Seventh-seeded UNLV (30-6) led by 12 at the half, but Wisconsin
rallied with 11 straight points. A 16-2 run gave the Badgers a
five-point lead to the delight of their red-clad fans at the United
Center.
But Kruger, who transferred from Arizona State to play his final
season for his dad Lon, delivered. After his three 3-pointers, he
was fouled on another long-range attempt and made all three free
throws to make it 64-56 with a little more than three minutes left.
Wisconsin’s Kammron Taylor sank a 3-pointer and converted a
three-point play with 59 seconds to go to get the Badgers to 70-67.
Curtis Terry, who earlier made a 3-pointer, had a free throw and a
little jumper in the lane to give the Runnin’ Rebels a five-point
cushion with 29 seconds to go.
UNLV’s first-round victory over Georgia Tech was its first in the
NCAA tournament since the 1991 team went to the Final Four behind
Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon and towel-chewing coach
Jerry Tarkanian.
Wisconsin fell into an 18-point hole in the first round Friday
against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before Taylor led them back in the
second for a 76-63 victory.
This time the Badgers couldn’t come all the way back.
Wendell White, playing with sore ribs, led UNLV with 22 points.
Kruger finished with 16 points and seven assists. Taylor paced the
Badgers with 24.
