Almost every college basketball player has a certain set of dreams. One is to make the Final Four — not every player thinks a national title is realistic, but the Final Four is much more widely accessible, as Loyola of Chicago reminded us in its 2018 run to the big show in San Antonio.
Another dream is to play in the NCAA Tournament — no explanation needed there.
The third and most central dream of any college basketball player is to play one’s very best in the NCAA Tournament, to make the most of the opportunity if it ever emerges.
In the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Bronson Koenig of the Wisconsin Badgers had the kind of day every player dreams of.
It is true that the Badgers needed strong defense down the stretch to defeat the Virginia Tech Hokies in Buffalo. Wisconsin held Virginia Tech without a field goal in the final 2:20, going on a 10-1 run to seal an 84-74 victory. The Badgers needed Nigel Hayes’ cleverness near the basket. They needed Ethan Happ’s work on the glass to secure crucial added possessions down the stretch. They needed to withstand a Virginia Tech team which played UW on even terms for the first 38 minutes of play. Yet, Wisconsin would not have been in position to win with just over two minutes left had it not been for Bronson Koenig.
Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky were and are the two iconic Wisconsin players on the 2014 and 2015 Final Four teams, but one can’t ignore how important it was that Bronson Koenig was part of the roster, forming an essential piece to the puzzle and a complementary player who fit together with the superstars on the Badgers. With Dekker and Kaminsky long gone in 2017, it was up to Koenig and Hayes to take on a more central leadership role for Wisconsin. They answered the call against Virginia Tech, Koenig in particular.
Yes, Hayes scored 16 points and notched the game’s biggest basket, an old-fashioned 3-point play to give Wisconsin some breathing room after Virginia Tech pulled within a point, at 74-73, with just over two minutes left. Hayes’ “and-one” 3-point play pushed UW’s lead to 77-73 and gave the Badgers the finishing kick they needed. However, Koenig was the player who carried the Badgers through the first 38 minutes. Koenig made sure Virginia Tech’s resilient performance was not rewarded with a victory.
Koenig hit eight 3-point shots in that Thursday night game in Western New York. He finished the game with 28 points and was the central reason the Badgers eclipsed 80 points against Virginia Tech. Koenig’s hot shooting enabled Wisconsin to score 50 points in the second half, offsetting Virginia Tech’s 44-point explosion after halftime and a surprising 23-point game from Hokie reserve Zach LeDay.
Bronson Koenig didn’t hit a 3-point shot in UW’s 2016 first-round win over Pittsburgh. He made sure this NCAA Tournament first-round game contained a different game flow and shooting line… but the same winning result for the Badgers.