40 // VARSITY April 3, 2014
A
NAHEIM, Calif. ― It was just one rebound,
one of his team's 38, one of his 431 career
rebounds. But none may have been time-
lier than the rebound that Wisconsin's Josh Gas-
ser took away from Arizona's 7-foot Kaleb Tarc-
zewski and kept away from Nick Johnson during
Saturday's Elite Eight tug-of-war in Anaheim.
The Badgers were clinging to a 61-59 lead in
the West Regional final when Johnson missed
a layup with a little more than two minutes left
in overtime. Protecting the defensive glass has
always been a high priority, never more so than
against the Wildcats, the top rebounding team in
the Pac-12.
"I actually don't know how I came out with
that," Gasser admitted. "I was just trying to bat
it out of his hands (Tarczewski) and it somehow
wound up in my hands and I just wasn't going to
let go."
Gasser was fouled by Johnson. While covering
up the ball like a fullback in a short-yardage situ-
ation, Gasser swung his elbows and he appeared
to make contact with Johnson, which prompted
the refereeing crew of Bryan Kersey, Tony Greene
and Mike Eades to review the play on the TV
monitor.
It would be the precursor of things to come.
"I was kind of nervous that they were going to
call me for a flagrant; it's two shots and the ball,
and that's a huge swing in close game like that,"
Gasser said. "I didn't think I hit him. But I wasn't
quite sure. I even asked Nick on the court if I did,
and he said that I didn't. That made me feel better
about it."
Upon further review, the officials didn't see
enough to call a flagrant. Gasser then made the
front end of a bonus before missing the second
free throw. Still, it gave the Badgers some much
needed wiggle room; a 3-point lead, 62-59, that
they would not relinquish to Arizona.
WISCONSIN RIDING EMOTIONAL WAVE INTO FINAL FOUR
Badgers playing for Bo, for Butch and, especially, each other
BY MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS,COM