Dekker, Kaminsky lead Wisconsin past North Carolina

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10 years ago

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) blocks a shot against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (22) during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Sam Dekker (15) moves in to score a basket against North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (22) scores a basket against Wisconsin Badgers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Bronson Koenig (24) shoots against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (22) during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Dekker posted 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Badgers topped the Tar Heels 79-72 in the West Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles.

Frank Kaminsky added 19 points and eight boards as top-seeded Wisconsin moved on to the Elite Eight, where it will attempt to reach the Final Four for the second straight season Saturday against No. 2 Arizona or sixth-seeded Xavier. Nigel Hayes contributed 12 points and Bronson Koenig added nine for the Badgers (34-3), who went 20-of-23 from the foul line and committed only five turnovers.

Fourth-seeded North Carolina (26-12) turned the ball over only four times and went 8-of-13 from 3-point range, including three apiece from Justin Jackson (15 points) and Marcus Paige (12). Brice Johnson added 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting for the Tar Heels, who were outrebounded 35-28.

The Badgers trailed by seven with 10 1/2 minutes to go before an extended 19-7 push put them up 65-60, and they led by five until Paige drained a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to get the Tar Heels within 71-70 with 54.1 seconds to play. Koenig, Hayes and Kaminsky combined to go 8-of-8 from the line in the final 42 seconds, while two missed foul shots by Isaiah Hicks and an airballed 3-pointer by Paige sealed North Carolina’s fate.

The Tar Heels led 33-28 – the largest lead for either team in the first half – before Wisconsin got within two on a late layup by Dekker, who shot 6-of-8 for 15 points in the opening 20 minutes. North Carolina led by two with 13 1/2 minutes left in the second half, when Jackson made a jumper, Joel Berry II drained a 3-pointer and Paige knocked down a shot on consecutive trips to create a 51-44 cushion.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wisconsin PG Traevon Jackson returned after missing the previous 19 games with a foot injury. He made a 3-pointer on his first shot attempt and finished 1-of-3 for four points off the bench. … North Carolina F Kennedy Meeks, the team’s third-leading scorer who sprained his knee in the round of 32, shot 1-of-4 and finished with four points and four rebounds. … Dekker, who went 10-of-15 from the field, posted his first double-double of the season.