Sam Dekker Leads Wisconsin Over Arizona and Into the Final Four

For the second straight year, Arizona and Wisconsin met in West Region championship game in the NCAA Basketball Tournament with the winner moving on to the Final Four. Wisconsin pulled out a victory in overtime last year, and Arizona was determined to make up for that in 2015.

But it was not to be. Top seeded Wisconsin won the rematch over #2 Arizona 85-78 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on March 28th. In last year’s game Frank Kaminsky was introduced to a nationwide audience with a 28 point 11 rebound performance, and while he led the way with 29 points in this game, forward Sam Dekker will be the Badger most remembered in this game.

Wisconsin was down by three in the first half, but came on strong in the second half. Dekker hit five three point baskets in the half, including two as the game came down to the wire, destroying Arizona’s hopes. Dekker had a career high 27 points, and his last three pointer is being called “Dekker’s Dagger”:

Dekker has been on fire in this tournament. He had a 23 point, 10 rebound performance against North Carolina in the Badger’s previous game.

This isn’t the first time Dekker has had clutch 3 point shooting in a big game. Here he is in 2012 hitting the winning shot on his high school team to win the Wisconsin Division 5 championship that year:

Last season, Wisconsin played Kentucky in the Final Four, and lost to the Wildcats by one point. Kentucky beat Notre Dame 68-66 in a thriller and also advances to the Final Four. Wisconsin and Kentucky will again play each other in a national semifinal on April 4th.