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Notre Dame advances to Elite 8 with 61-56 win over Badgers

Notre Dame players, including Demetrius Jackson (11), celebrate their victory over Wisconsin. (Associated Press)
Dan Gelston Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA – Demetrius Jackson stripped the ball and scored the go-ahead layup with 14.7 seconds left and Notre Dame advanced to the brink of its first Final Four in 38 years with a 61-56 win over Wisconsin on Friday night in the East Region semifinal of the NCAA Tournament.

Jackson sealed the win with a pair of free throws to send the Irish (24-11) into a regional final for the second straight season.

Notre Dame lost to Kentucky a year ago. This year, the Irish will get a shot at top-seeded North Carolina or Indiana on Sunday.

Vitto Brown’s 3-pointer with 26 seconds left put the Badgers (22-13) up 56-53 and kept Wisconsin’s shot at a third straight Final Four alive.

But the Irish shook off a miserable shooting game down the stretch and have their first Final Four since 1978 in sight.