Wisconsin ended Kentucky's bid to become the first college basketball team to remain undefeated in nearly 40 years, beating the Wildcats 71-64 in their NCAA semi-final behind 20 points and 11 rebounds from Frank "The Tank" Kaminsky.
Wisconsin will play Duke, an 81-61 winner over Michigan State in Saturday's earlier semi-final, in the national championship game on Monday night.
"It gives us another 40 minutes, I know that," said Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who leads the Badgers to their first final since 1941.
And Kentucky faced a long ride home, finishing the season at 38-1 - two wins short of becoming the first undefeated team in college basketball since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers.
Instead, the 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 semi-finals.
Trailing by four and gasping for breath after going six minutes without a bucket, the Badgers (36-3) responded with an 8-0 run to take a lead Kentucky couldn't overcome.
Centre Kaminsky and Bronson Koenig went 7 for 8 from the line over the last 24 seconds to seal the win.
Kentucky's last, best chance came while trailing by three with 12 seconds left. But Karl-Anthony Towns received the ball in the post and got fouled. He made only one free throw, and from there, Wisconsin clinched it from the foul-line.
Earlier Saturday, Justise Winslow scored 19 points and Jahlil Okafor added 18 to lead top-seeded Duke to an 81-61 victory over Michigan State on Saturday and a shot at its fifth national championship.
Winslow, who played through some early foul trouble, had nine rebounds and was 5 for 7 from the field, while Okafor grabbed six rebounds and was 7 for 11 from the field.
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