Bill Scott spoke with Badger right wing Jim Johnston about the game that led to the Badgers’ first NCAA championship.  “Being the first, it’s special. Especially considering that only four years prior we weren’t in the league,” said Johnston.

Johnston says the team owes a lot to its fans. He recalls, “We had in the stadium about 3,000 Badger fans. And they didn’t quit. They were there. They were screaming and yelling. We were down four, but they were there cheering us on.”

AUDIO: Bill Scott talks to Jim Johnston

Shining Moments in Badger History are sponsored by Marshfield Clinic.
AUDIO: Shining Moments Radio Feature for 01/21/13 – Road to the First Badger Hockey NCAA Crown

March 3, 1979, the Badgers faced 4th ranked Michigan State at the UW Field House.  Wisconsin had lost at the last three meetings with the Spartans. This time the Badgers were looking for a conference title. The score remained close the entire game, with neither team gaining a comfortable lead.  At halftime, Wisconsin had a 44-43 lead. With 3 seconds remaining superstar Magic Johnson hit two free-throws for Michigan State to tie the game at 81. That’s when the Badgers inbounded the ball and Wes Matthews hit a shot from 50 feet away at the buzzer to win, 83-81.  Matthews would leave the court with 19 points, five assists and four rebounds. The Spartans would go on to win the 1979 National Championship, making the Badger victory that much sweeter. The season-ending win gave Wisconsin its fourth consecutive Big Ten victory, the first time the Badgers had won four straight conference games since 1967.

Claude Gregory played forward for Wisconsin and led the team with 25 points and 16 rebounds, a block and a steal. WRN Sports Director Bill Scott spoke with Gregory about the game. “I figured at that point, you know it was the last game of the season, or close to it, and I think we finally found a groove. We were in a good groove and what-not. And it reflected in that game at that time,” said Gregory.

AUDIO: Bill Scott talks to Claude Gregory

Gregory went on to be Wisconsin’s career leader in point, with 1,475, and rebounds, 904.  His points record would stand until 1990. Today, he is in 4th place. He went on to play for Washington in the NBA. The game featured several other future NBA players, including Wisconsin’s Wes Matthews, Larry Petty and Joe Chrnelich, and eventual basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson of MSU.

Shining Moments in Badger History are sponsored by Marshfield Clinic.
AUDIO: Shining Moments Radio Feature for 01/14/13 – 1979 Win Over Michigan State

WRN Sports Director Bill Scott spoke with the game’s senior guard David Burkemper, who accumulated two rebounds, two assists and one steal in the Kohl Center’s first game, about the facility’s success.  About the facility’s reputation since that first game, Burkemper said, “Everybody’s looking to build the best and the newest facilities. And when you’re bringing in recruits, you know if you bring them into a dingy locker room in the Field House versus bringing them into the Kohl Center with, you know, huge lockers and TVs and the practice facility and eighteen thousand fans. I think that makes a difference when you’re recruiting kids, no matter where they’re from.”

AUDIO: Bill Scott talks with guard David Burkemper

The Kohl Center continues to be known across the country as one of the toughest venues for road teams to play in, in college basketball.

Shining Moments in Badger History are sponsored by Marshfield Clinic.
AUDIO: Shining Moments Radio Feature for 12/24/12- First Kohl Center Game