Wisconsin ends Kentucky's perfect season

INDIANAPOLIS >> Nobody ever said they were perfect. Now, the Kentucky Wildcats aren't undefeated, either.

The hard-nosed Wisconsin Badgers did what nobody else could this season -- knocking off the Wildcats 71-64 on Saturday night behind 20 points and 11 rebounds from Frank Kaminsky and a clutch comeback down the stretch.

Now, instead of Kentucky going for history, it's Wisconsin heading to the final to play Duke, an 81-61 winner over Michigan State in the earlier -- and much less entertaining -- semifinal.

"It gives us another 40 minutes, I know that," said Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who leads the Badgers to their first final since 1941.

The Badgers, who lost 80-70 to Duke in December meeting in Madison, opened as one-point favorites over the Blue Devils.

Kentucky can watch it from the couch.

"I just feel like we wanted to win the national title, and we didn't do it, so the season was a waste," Wildcats freshman Tyler Ulis said.

Kentucky closes the season at 38-1 -- two wins short of becoming the first undefeated team in college basketball since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers. Instead, these NBA-ready group of Wildcats join the star-studded 1991 UNLV team as the latest to take an undefeated record into the Final Four but lose in the semifinals.