After trailing seemingly all afternoon long in Las Vegas, the Wisconsin Badgers found a way to finish strong and take home the 2021 Maui Invitational hardware.
Their 61-55 win over Saint Mary’s was Wisconsin’s third win in as many days, as the Badgers outscored the Gaels 36-24 in the second half to come away with the trophy. After Johnny Davis’ 30-point effort against Houston propelled Wisconsin into the championship game, it was the duo of Davis and Tyler Wahl who combined for 38 points in the final.
Saint Mary’s opened up a 31-25 halftime lead and started the second half by maintaining a slight advantage. The Badgers responded by putting together a late 7-0 run to take a 50-46 lead with 4:21 left in the contest.
Wisconsin found themselves up by a pair with just under a minute remaining when a late shot clock turnaround jumper from Wahl sealed a Badger victory.
En route to their Maui Invitational championship, Wisconsin defeated Texas A&M, Houston, and finally the Gaels. All three teams were previously undefeated before the Badgers handed them a loss.
Davis scored 71 combined points in Wisconsin’s three wins, leading the way for the Badgers offensively. The Badger wing was named the 2021 Maui Invitational’s Most Outstanding Player.
Wisconsin will have a week off before heading on the road to Georgia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC challenge.