Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech: Score and Twitter Reaction from March Madness 2017

The eighth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers didn't perform their best but did enough to fight off a dogged challenge from the ninth-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies to pick up an 84-74 win in the first round of the 2017 NCAA tournament Thursday night in Buffalo, New York.

Bronson Koenig had a record-breaking night, making the most three-pointers in school history (eight), per ESPN Stats & Info. The team's official Twitter account celebrated the occasion:

Houston Rockets forward Sam Dekker was cheering on his former teammate:

"

BK!!!

— Sam Dekker (@dekker) March 17, 2017"

Koenig finished with a game-high 28 points. Nigel Hayes posted a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) for the Badgers as well.

Zach LeDay came off the bench for Virginia Tech to lead the team with 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

Wisconsin entered Thursday ranked eighth in adjusted defense on KenPom.com. The Badgers struggled early inside against Virginia Tech, though, allowing the Hokies to shoot 47.8 percent from the floor in the first half.

On balance, TechSideline.com's Ricky LaBlue thought Virginia Tech was lucky to only be down 34-30 at the half:

Wisconsin shot just 37.5 percent in the first half but grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, which offset the offense's inefficiency by creating numerous second chances. CBS Sports shared a replay of Hayes grabbing a rebound that helped set up a two-handed jam for Khalil Iverson:

Virginia Tech continued hanging with Wisconsin in the second half. As Evan Flood of Badger247 tweeted, the Hokies' confidence grew the longer they remained within striking distance:

LeDay energized the Hokies with a right-handed slam with 11 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the game to cut Wisconsin's lead to two points, 53-51, as NCAA March Madness relayed:

Virginia Tech closed the gap to a point, 74-73, with 2:25 left before Hayes made a contested layup and sunk a free throw to complete the three-point play. On Wisconsin's next possession following a miss by Seth Allen, Ethan Happ brought down an offensive rebound and scored to put the Badgers up six points, 79-73, with 1:27 remaining.

Virginia Tech's loss means no more Buzz Williams this season. SB Nation's Jason Kirk marveled at the Hokies head coach's constant energy on the sideline:

"

Need a Buzz Williams heat map to track his movements throughout a game. The FitBit must be off the charts

— AlternativeSB51champ (@JasonKirkSBN) March 17, 2017"

While a first-round exit is disappointing for Virginia Tech fans, the 2016-17 campaign was a success for the program. The Hokies' win total has increased in each of Williams' first three seasons, and their trip to the Big Dance this year was their first since 2006-07.

The Badgers will take on the defending national champion Villanova Wildcats in the second round.

Villanova started slowly against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers but outscored their opponents 46-27 in the second half to erase any drama.

Wisconsin will need to play much better if it is going to topple the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. The Wildcats' somewhat sluggish showing will likely be a wake-up call, and they won't take the Badgers lightly.

Postgame Reaction

LeDay blamed himself for Virginia Tech's inability to take the lead over Wisconsin despite getting close in the final minutes of the game.

"I just know I had a couple opportunities, that's my fault, I've got to be better as a leader," he said, per the Washington Post's Ava Wallace. "We weren't really thinking about the score, I was just out there playing as hard as I could, playing for my teammates."

Hayes thought the Badgers were lucky to escape with a win.

"Our defense wasn't good at all," he said, per Scout's Benjamin Worgull. "We were fortunate that we got a school record-breaking performance to beat a good team."

According to Wallace, Koenig said he was fully embracing the pressure that comes with the NCAA tournament en route to his big night: "You could definitely say I was looking for my shot. It's something I take pride in as a senior point guard, being able to make plays in critical moments."