Wisconsin’s long list of NCAA Tournament disappointments added another headline on Saturday, as the Badgers fell 91-89 to No. 6-seed BYU, missing the Sweet 16 for the eighth consecutive season.

The nature of the loss adds to the sting it creates. The Badgers had the ball down two points with 13 seconds left. Star wing John Tonje, who finished the game with a program NCAA Tournament record 37 points, failed to convert at the buzzer. Considering the ‘what-ifs’ of Wisconsin allowing a five-point swing at the end of the first half, playing its worst defensive game of the season, handing away two points on a confusing technical foul and getting only three points from its usually dependable bench unit, it’s hard not to look at the game as one that Wisconsin should have won.

The Badgers’ 2024-25 season was still one of impressive progress. Greg Gard took a team projected to finish 12th in the Big Ten to 27 wins and a top-three seed in the NCAA Tournament. The team was fun to root for, led by a previously unheralded transfer in Tonje who nearly set the program’s single-season scoring record.

But, just like the 2017-18 team (missed tournament), 2018-19 (first-round loss to Oregon), 2020-21 (second-round loss to Baylor), 2021-22 (second-round loss to Iowa State), 2022-23 (missed tournament), 2023-24 (first-round loss to James Madison, Wisconsin’s season ends before the tournament’s second weekend.

BYU, on the other hand, looks like a team capable of making a deep run. It has now won 11 of its last 12 games dating back to mid-February. That one loss was to Houston, a national title contender, in the Big 12 Tournament semifinal.

The Cougars are finding immense success in their first year under head coach Kevin Young, who had spent the last eight seasons as an assistant at the NBA level (2016-19 with the Philadelphia 76ers, 2020-23 with the Phoenix Suns). Young met with the media after his team’s statement win over Wisconsin. Here is everything he had to say, including perspective on Wisconsin wing John Tonje and his record performance.

Opening statement

Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Greg Gard reacts during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“Man, just what an unbelievable basketball game. Two hungry teams. Obviously, there was a decent amount of talk of how prolific both of our offenses were. That was on full display for both teams in the second half. Just an unbelievable game, glad that we were on the winning side of it. Just super proud of our guys’ resiliency. We just found a way, we feel like we couldn’t stop them at all in the second half. And we just, in that last timeout, we just looked at each other in the eye and said ‘All we got to do is get one stop that’s it.”

Just good discipline [on the final play], I mean, John Tonje is a really, really good ball player. He had a remarkable game. But our guys just found a way. All these guys made huge plays. That was just really fun for me and for our group.”

On BYU making its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2011

Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) reacts after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

“I’ve had good memories in this building. This is by far the best one. The energy in the building, you can’t describe it. It felt like a home game in certain moments for us. Cougar nation, so much blue out there. Denver has been good to us.”

On Dawson Baker’s ejection, Wisconsin’s late comeback

DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 22: John Tonje #9 of the Wisconsin Badgers drives to the basket against Mawot Mag #0 of the Brigham Young Cougars during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Ball Arena on March 22, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

“Talent [was the reason for the Wisconsin comeback]. John Tonje. He’s one of the best players in the country. So you try to do as good a job as possible. Learning to adjust to how the game is getting called. The Big 12 is very physical. This game, I thought they had a tighter whistle. So we have to do a better job of adjusting, I thought that was a huge part of it.

Relative to Dawson’s ejection, I’m going to need an in-depth explanation of that one. So I can’t comment on that.”

On his emotions, the Sweet 16 run in his first season

Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Greg Gard during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

“I think the emotion just stems from how happy I am for all of our players and everyone that supports BYU. You look up in the stadium and see that much support. It’s really gratifying to be able to lead this team for everyone that supports it. For me personally, just seeing my kids over there, my wife and all my family. There are so many people who care about this. That part, the emotion got to me once we got that last stop.”

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball BYU postgame coach Kevin Young comments