Florida earns dramatic OT win over Wisconsin on buzzer-beating three pointer

NEW YORK – Florida junior guard Chris Chiozza didn't know what he was going to do with the ball, but he was confident four seconds was enough time to operate.

With his team down two points, Chiozza drove the length of the court and hit a leaning three-pointer at the buzzer to give No. 4 seeded Florida a dramatic 84-83 overtime win over No 8 seeded Wisconsin in a classic Sweet 16 East Regional NCAA game at Madison Square Garden.

The game, which began on Friday and ended on Saturday, vaulted Florida (27-8) into Sunday's 2:20 p.m. all-SEC regional final against No. 7 South Carolina.

"I just knew I had four seconds and I was trying to get down the court as fast as I could and if somebody was open I was going to pass it," Chiozza said. "I was really trying to get to the rim, but they did a good job of bumping me and slowing me down and that was the only shot I had, so I had to take that one."

And what a shot it was.

Wisconsin (27-10) had taken an 83-81 lead when Nigel Hayes, who had a team-high 22 points, hit two free throws with four seconds left.

"They were lining up for the free throw and I told Canyon (Barry) take the ball out and pass it to me and we'll get somebody a shot," Chiozza said.

Chiozza was hoping that somebody would be sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen, who had a career high 35 points.

"I wasn't able to get to him, they slowed me down a little bit, but I knew I had time to get the shot off and ran as fast as I could, got my feet set, threw up a shot and it went in," Chiozza said.

With Florida trailing 81-77, Barry, son of basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, made two free throws with 38 seconds left in overtime. Barry then chased down Wisconsin's Khalil Iverson for a spectacular block.

"They threw a risky deep pass and hit it on the money and he (Iverson) kind of slowed up to make the layup and I sprinted as hard as I could and was able to jump and make a clean play on the ball and make the block," Barry said.

Chiozza, who finished with eight points, tied the score, 81-81 on a driving layup with 24 seconds remaining.

After Hayes made his two free throws, Chiozza hit a shot that will be talked about for the rest of his life.

Trailing by 12 points after Florida made one of two free throws with 5 minutes and 23 seconds left in regulation, the Badgers stormed back to send the game into overtime.

Just last week Wisconsin overcame a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in their 65-62 upset of top seeded Villanova.

"With our last game being down seven to Villanova with five minutes to go, we came back and won that one, so we were definitely confident in the same regard," said 6-10 junior Ethan Happ, who had 21 points and six rebounds.

Wisconsin kept hanging in there and got to within 72-67 on a three-pointer by Bronson Koenig with 1:29 left in regulation. After a Florida turnover, Koenig missed a three but Happ scored on the follow with 44 seconds left.

Wisconsin caused another turnover, brought the ball over half-court and called time with 6.5 seconds remaining. Zac Showalter then tied the score at 72-72 by hitting a tough three-pointer off the dribble with three seconds left.

Florida called two timeouts with 2.5 seconds remaining. The Gators then had a long inbounds pass intercepted and Wisconsin's D'Mitrik Trice wasn't close on a three-point attempt, sending the game into overtime.

Florida, which trailed by as many as 11 in the first half, led 34-32 at halftime.

Both teams continued to make second half runs before Chiozza settled matters.

"For Chris to have the wherewithal to know that he can get all the way the length of the court in four seconds (was impressive)," Florida coach Mike White said. "He obviously utilized his speed and quickness and had tremendous composure."

And his touch wasn't bad either.

"When I let it got it was either we win or we were going home and it went in," Chiozza said well past 1 a.m.. "And now we have another day to play."