WISC

MICHST

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Tonje scores 32 as No. 18 Wisconsin tops No. 7 Michigan St. 77-74 in Big Ten semis

AP
Mar 15, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) John Tonje scored 32 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help No. 18 Wisconsin beat No. 7 Michigan State 77-74 on Saturday in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

John Blackwell added 14 points as the Badgers (26-8) won for the third time in four days. They will play No. 22 Michigan for the tournament title on Sunday. The Wolverines beat No. 11 Maryland 81-80 on a last-second layup.

Jase Richardson had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Spartans (27-6). Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 points and six assists, but he had the ball knocked away in the waning seconds as he tried to tie the score with a heave from near the midcourt logo.

Michigan State, the league's regular-season champs, had won eight in a row.

Wisconsin erased a 45-41 deficit with an 11-0 run in the second half. The Badgers were pushed to the very end, but they used four straight points to make it 72-67 with 1:10 to play.

Wisconsin: The Badgers followed an 86-point game with 19 3-pointers by showing they could win a grind-it-out game, too. Tonje could make Wisconsin a sneaky Final Four pick.

Michigan State: The Spartans were rolling until Saturday. Could this loss cost the Spartans a No. 2 seed for the NCAA tourney? Maybe. But getting an extra day off might help more.

After Tonje missed a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, Blackwell tried to chase down the rebound, but his path was impeded by Jaden Akins, who was called for the foul. Blackwell made both free throws to give the Badgers a 74-70 lead with 31.4 seconds to go.

The Badgers made three more free throws than Michigan State, 22-19.

Wisconsin will play No. 22 Michigan on Sunday and try to win its first Big Ten tourney title since 2015 and claim the league’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid. The Spartans will find out their tourney fate Sunday.

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1st Half
WISC
Badgers
37
MIST
Spartans
33

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Steven Crowl vs. Szymon Zapala (Jeremy Fears Jr. gains possession)
19:48		Jase Richardson offensive foul (Max Klesmit draws the foul)
19:48		Jase Richardson turnover (offensive foul)
19:37		Max Klesmit turnover (bad pass) (Szymon Zapala steals)
19:08		Jaxon Kohler misses two point jump shot
19:06		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
19:00	+3	Jase Richardson makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	0-3
18:48		Steven Crowl misses three point jump shot
18:46		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
18:17		Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
18:15		John Tonje defensive rebound
18:07		Jeremy Fears Jr. shooting foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
18:07	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	1-3
18:07	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-3
17:53	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point driving layup	2-5
17:25	+2	Carter Gilmore makes two point fadeaway jump shot	4-5
17:05		Steven Crowl personal foul (Szymon Zapala draws the foul)
16:57	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point driving layup	4-7
16:48		Carter Gilmore misses two point hook shot
16:46		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
16:27	+3	Jase Richardson makes three point stepback jump shot	4-10
16:14		John Tonje misses three point jump shot
16:12		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
16:07	+3	Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)	4-13
15:51	+3	Nolan Winter makes three point jump shot (Max Klesmit assists)	7-13
15:37		Max Klesmit personal foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
15:37		TV timeout
15:30		Carter Gilmore shooting foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
15:30	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-14
15:30	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-15
15:17		John Blackwell misses three point jump shot
15:15		Jack Janicki offensive rebound
15:09		Kamari McGee misses three point jump shot
15:07		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
14:42		Frankie Fidler misses two point turnaround jump shot
14:40		Carter Gilmore defensive rebound
14:21	+2	Jack Janicki makes two point driving layup (Carter Gilmore assists)	9-15
13:49		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
13:47		John Blackwell defensive rebound
13:39	+3	Carter Gilmore makes three point jump shot (John Blackwell assists)	12-15
13:13		Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
13:11		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
13:11		Nolan Winter personal foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
13:00		Coen Carr misses three point jump shot
12:58		Max Klesmit defensive rebound
12:49		Max Klesmit misses three point jump shot
12:47		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
12:40		Coen Carr misses two point layup
12:38		Coen Carr offensive rebound
12:34	+2	Coen Carr makes two point tip layup	12-17
12:18		Xavier Amos misses three point jump shot
12:16		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
11:57	+3	Tre Holloman makes three point jump shot (Carson Cooper assists)	12-20
11:42		Jaxon Kohler shooting foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
11:42	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	13-20
11:42	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-20
11:25	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point pullup jump shot (Jaxon Kohler assists)	14-22
11:07	+2	Xavier Amos makes two point driving finger roll layup (Max Klesmit assists)	16-22
11:07		Jaxon Kohler shooting foul (Xavier Amos draws the foul)
11:07		Xavier Amos misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:07		Coen Carr defensive rebound
10:46		Xavier Amos shooting foul (Tre Holloman draws the foul)
10:46	+1	Tre Holloman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-23
10:46	+1	Tre Holloman makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-24
10:33	+2	John Blackwell makes two point jump shot (Max Klesmit assists)	18-24
10:25		Xavier Booker misses three point jump shot
10:21		Badgers defensive rebound
10:11		John Tonje offensive foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
10:11		John Tonje turnover (offensive foul)
9:48		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
9:46		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
9:44		Carter Gilmore blocks Szymon Zapala's two point layup
9:44		John Tonje defensive rebound
9:44		Jase Richardson blocks John Blackwell's two point jump shot
9:42		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
9:40		John Blackwell personal foul (Jase Richardson draws the foul)
9:40	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-25
9:40	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-26
9:29	+2	Kamari McGee makes two point cutting layup (Nolan Winter assists)	20-26
9:21		Xavier Booker turnover (lost ball) (Carter Gilmore steals)
9:12	+3	John Tonje makes three point pullup jump shot (Carter Gilmore assists)	23-26
8:44		Coen Carr misses two point jump shot
8:42		Kamari McGee defensive rebound
8:26		Nolan Winter misses three point jump shot
8:24		Coen Carr defensive rebound
8:16		Nolan Winter personal foul (Xavier Booker draws the foul)
8:16		Xavier Booker misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:16		John Tonje defensive rebound
7:53		Jack Janicki misses three point jump shot
7:51		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
7:29	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point pullup jump shot	23-28
7:13	+2	John Tonje makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot	25-28
6:54		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
6:52		Steven Crowl defensive rebound
6:46		John Tonje misses three point jump shot
6:44		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
6:35		Xavier Booker turnover (lost ball)
6:35		TV timeout
6:20		John Blackwell misses three point jump shot
6:18		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
5:56		Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
5:54		Xavier Amos defensive rebound
5:40		Steven Crowl turnover (bad pass)
5:26	+2	Frankie Fidler makes two point reverse layup	25-30
5:16		Carson Cooper shooting foul (John Blackwell draws the foul)
5:16	+1	John Blackwell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-30
5:16		John Blackwell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:16		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
4:51		Carson Cooper turnover (bad pass) (John Blackwell steals)
4:46		Jaden Akins blocks John Blackwell's two point layup
4:44		Jaden Akins defensive rebound
4:30		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
4:28		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
4:22		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
4:20		Carter Gilmore defensive rebound
4:05	+2	Max Klesmit makes two point driving layup	28-30
3:56		TV timeout
3:43		Frankie Fidler misses two point turnaround jump shot
3:41		John Tonje defensive rebound
3:14		Steven Crowl misses three point jump shot
3:12		Frankie Fidler defensive rebound
3:06		Frankie Fidler misses two point layup
3:04		Spartans offensive rebound
3:04		Max Klesmit personal foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
3:04	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-31
3:04	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-32
2:57		Coen Carr personal foul (Carter Gilmore draws the foul)
2:44	+3	John Tonje makes three point jump shot (Steven Crowl assists)	31-32
2:11		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (traveling)
1:59		Carter Gilmore misses three point jump shot
1:57		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
1:53		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (John Blackwell draws the foul)
1:53		Official timeout
1:53		John Blackwell technical foul
1:53		John Blackwell turnover
1:53	+1	John Blackwell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-32
1:53		John Blackwell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:53		John Blackwell technical foul
1:53		John Blackwell turnover
1:53		Tre Holloman misses technical free throw 1 of 2
1:53	+1	Tre Holloman makes technical free throw 2 of 2	32-33
1:26		Jase Richardson turnover (bad pass) (Kamari McGee steals)
1:13	+3	Steven Crowl makes three point jump shot (Carter Gilmore assists)	35-33
0:44		Tre Holloman misses two point floating jump shot
0:42		Steven Crowl defensive rebound
0:31		Szymon Zapala shooting foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
0:31	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	36-33
0:31	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-33
0:28		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:03		Jase Richardson misses two point layup
0:01		Kamari McGee defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
WISC
Badgers
40
MIST
Spartans
41

Time		Play	Score
19:49		Jase Richardson shooting foul (Max Klesmit draws the foul)
19:49	+1	Max Klesmit makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-33
19:49	+1	Max Klesmit makes regular free throw 2 of 2	39-33
19:28	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point bank jump shot (Carson Cooper assists)	39-35
19:11		Max Klesmit misses three point jump shot
19:09		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
19:05		Jase Richardson personal foul (Max Klesmit draws the foul)
18:47		Max Klesmit misses two point turnaround jump shot
18:45		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
18:36		Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
18:34		Steven Crowl defensive rebound
18:28		John Tonje turnover (bad pass)
18:10	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point fadeaway jump shot (Carson Cooper assists)	39-37
17:50		Jaxon Kohler shooting foul (Nolan Winter draws the foul)
17:50	+1	Nolan Winter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-37
17:50	+1	Nolan Winter makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-37
17:21		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
17:19		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
17:19		Nolan Winter personal foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
17:08	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	41-39
16:52		Max Klesmit misses two point jump shot
16:51		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
16:51		Max Klesmit personal foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
16:35	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point reverse layup	41-41
16:25		John Tonje misses three point jump shot
16:23		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
16:15	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point driving finger roll layup	41-43
16:02		John Tonje misses three point pullup jump shot
16:00		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
15:54	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	41-45
15:26	+2	John Tonje makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot	43-45
14:56		Coen Carr misses two point jump shot
14:54		Carter Gilmore defensive rebound
14:39		Jaden Akins personal foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
14:39		Tre Holloman technical foul
14:39		TV timeout
14:39	+1	John Tonje makes technical free throw 1 of 2	44-45
14:39	+1	John Tonje makes technical free throw 2 of 2	45-45
14:35	+3	John Tonje makes three point jump shot (Carter Gilmore assists)	48-45
14:08		Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
14:06		Jack Janicki defensive rebound
13:56		Xavier Amos offensive foul
13:56		Xavier Amos turnover (offensive foul)
13:34		Jack Janicki personal foul (Tre Holloman draws the foul)
13:22		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
13:20		Carter Gilmore defensive rebound
13:08	+2	Carter Gilmore makes two point running dunk (John Tonje assists)	50-45
13:01		Jaden Akins turnover (bad pass)
12:49	+2	John Tonje makes two point driving layup (Xavier Amos assists)	52-45
12:45		Spartans 30 second timeout
12:45		TV timeout
12:31		Jase Richardson misses three point jump shot
12:29		Kamari McGee defensive rebound
12:08		Xavier Amos misses three point jump shot
12:06		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
11:42	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point driving layup	52-47
11:24		TV timeout
11:22		John Tonje misses three point jump shot
11:20		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
11:00		Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
10:58		John Tonje defensive rebound
10:42	+2	John Tonje makes two point jump shot	54-47
10:27		Carson Cooper misses two point hook shot
10:25		John Tonje defensive rebound
10:16		John Blackwell misses two point driving layup
10:14		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
10:05	+3	Jase Richardson makes three point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists)	54-50
9:50		John Tonje misses two point driving finger roll layup
9:48		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
9:24	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point driving layup (Tre Holloman assists)	54-52
9:01		John Blackwell misses two point jump shot
8:59		Coen Carr defensive rebound
8:43		Coen Carr misses three point jump shot
8:41		Kamari McGee defensive rebound
8:27		Carter Gilmore misses two point driving layup
8:25		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
8:09		Carter Gilmore blocks Tre Holloman's two point layup
8:07		Kamari McGee defensive rebound
7:57	+3	John Tonje makes three point stepback jump shot	57-52
7:33	+2	Coen Carr makes two point alley-oop dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	57-54
7:11	+3	John Blackwell makes three point jump shot (Carter Gilmore assists)	60-54
7:01	+3	Jase Richardson makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	60-57
6:43		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (Carter Gilmore draws the foul)
6:43		TV timeout
6:31		Jack Janicki misses three point jump shot
6:29		Spartans defensive rebound
6:18		Kamari McGee shooting foul (Jase Richardson draws the foul)
6:18	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 1 of 3	60-58
6:18	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 2 of 3	60-59
6:18	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 3 of 3	60-60
5:55	+2	John Blackwell makes two point driving layup	62-60
5:55		Jaden Akins shooting foul (John Blackwell draws the foul)
5:55	+1	John Blackwell makes regular free throw 1 of 1	63-60
5:36		Nolan Winter shooting foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
5:36		Jaden Akins misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:36	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-61
5:23	+2	Steven Crowl makes two point hook shot (John Tonje assists)	65-61
5:06		John Tonje shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
5:06	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-62
5:06	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-63
4:49	+3	Carter Gilmore makes three point jump shot (John Blackwell assists)	68-63
4:27	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point driving layup	68-65
4:27		Max Klesmit shooting foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
4:27		Jaden Akins misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:27		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
4:17	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point hook shot	68-67
3:50		Steven Crowl misses two point jump shot
3:48		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
3:47		Steven Crowl misses two point tip layup
3:46		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
3:45		John Blackwell misses three point jump shot
3:43		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
3:26		Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
3:24		Spartans offensive rebound
3:24		Carter Gilmore personal foul
3:24		TV timeout
3:24		Jaxon Kohler misses regular free throw 1 of 1
3:24		Jase Richardson offensive rebound
3:05		Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
3:03		John Blackwell defensive rebound
2:51		Jaden Akins shooting foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
2:51	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-67
2:51	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	70-67
2:37		Tre Holloman misses two point driving layup
2:35		John Blackwell defensive rebound
2:12		John Blackwell turnover (lost ball)
1:42		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
1:40		Steven Crowl defensive rebound
1:10	+2	John Blackwell makes two point driving layup	72-67
1:02	+3	Jaxon Kohler makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	72-70
1:01		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:34		John Tonje misses three point jump shot
0:32		Badgers offensive rebound
0:31		Jaden Akins personal foul (John Blackwell draws the foul)
0:31	+1	John Blackwell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	73-70
0:31	+1	John Blackwell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	74-70
0:31		Badgers 30 second timeout
0:22		Kamari McGee personal foul (Jase Richardson draws the foul)
0:22	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	74-71
0:22	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	74-72
0:21		Coen Carr personal foul (Nolan Winter draws the foul)
0:21	+1	Nolan Winter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-72
0:21		Nolan Winter misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:21		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
0:14		John Tonje shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
0:14	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-73
0:14	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	75-74
0:14		Badgers 30 second timeout
0:14		Coen Carr personal foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
0:14	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-74
0:14	+1	John Tonje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	77-74
0:14		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:08		Carter Gilmore blocks Tre Holloman's three point jump shot
0:06		John Tonje defensive rebound
0:06		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (John Tonje draws the foul)
0:06		John Tonje misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:06		John Tonje misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:06		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
0:02		John Tonje blocks Jeremy Fears Jr.'s three point jump shot
0:00		Carter Gilmore defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Carter Gilmore defensive rebound