Final Four live blog: Wisconsin ends Kentucky's perfect season

Lucas Oil Stadium is a madhouse splashed with plenty of red, blue and green for tonight's Final Four.

We'll keep you updated with all the action, beginning with the 6 p.m. tip for the first national semifinal between Michigan State and Duke. Forty minutes following the conclusion of the first game, undefeated Kentucky will look to continue its quest for 40-0 against Wisconsin, who the Wildcats edged by a point in last year's Final Four.

11:15 p.m. -- There it is. Kentucky's perfect season is no more. Wisconsin pulls off retribution for last year's Final Four loss to the Wildcats with a 71-64 win.

The Badgers will face Duke Monday night in the national title game.

Wisconsin did what no other team could this season -- beat Kentucky.

The AP Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Badgers, while Sam Dekker added 16 points and Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig added 12 apiece.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wildcats with 16 points.

11:11 p.m. -- Bronson Koenig sinks two free throws to push the Badgers' lead to 68-64 with 10 seconds remaining. Timeout Kentucky. Perfect season on life support.

11:07 p.m. -- Frank Kaminsky hits two free throws with :24.5 left to give the Badgers a 3-point advantage.

Wildcats' unbeaten season in real, real jeopardy.

11:04 p.m. -- This. Game.

Badgers now up 64-60 with a minute to go.

Hold on to your hats, Wildcats fans.

10:56 p.m. -- The tension is certainly rising and the Badgers' defense is beginning to force Kentucky deep into the shot clock, and has managed back-to-back shot clock violations.

Wildcats still lead 60-58 with 3:16 remaining.

As for today's attendance, it comes in at 72,238, a new Lucas Oil Stadium record.

10:45 p.m. -- Kentucky grabs its first lead of the second half on an Andrew Harrison basket and Big Blue Nation is going nuts here at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Bo Ryan calls timeout to calm the Badgers, but it's UK up 58-56 with 7:40 remaining.

Folks in Madison aren't too pleased with the officiating:

10:34 p.m. -- Of course, Kentucky comes roaring back. What else did you expect?

Trey Lyles with the basket and a foul cuts Wisconsin's lead to 54-51, but Lyles will have a free throw after the media timeout with 11:24 left.

10:27 p.m. -- Wisconsin now leads by 8 after a Bronson Koenig after a 3-pointer. Things getting interesting here. Kentucky's unbeaten season in jeopardy here.

10:19 p.m. -- No rest for the weary in this one. Back and forth we go. Some big plays on both ends by both teams. We're looking at a potential classic. Much like last year's 1-point game between these two teams in the Final Four.

Wisconsin leads 48-44 with 15:47 left.

10:17 p.m. -- The Harrison twins, who combined for 18 points in the first half, begin the second half on the bench. Curious move by Coach Cal.

9:48 p.m. -- Halftime: Kentucky 36, Wisconsin 36. Down by as many as 9 in the first half, Kentucky regained the lead on Trey Lyles breakaway dunks, which had the Kentucky fans in a frenzy. But a Bronson Koenig jumper at the buzzer for Wisconsin knotted the game back up at 36-36. What an awesome game so far.

9:39 p.m. -- Two fouls on Karl-Anthony Towns. He'll be heading to the bench. 5:11 left in the first half. Big blow for the Wildcats, but then again, they have a forest of trees on their bench.

9:36 p.m. -- The Harrison twins have 11 of Kentucky's 21 points, but the Wildcats still trail 25-21.

9:24 p.m. -- A 3-pointer from Frank Kaminsky forces a Kentucky timeout. Badgers up 21-14. The seven-point deficit is Kentucky's largest of the tournament.

9:22 p.m. -- IU coach Tom Crean at midcourt right now being honored during timeout. Kentucky fans, and perhaps Wisconsin fans, heavy with the boos.

9:20 p.m. -- A 7-0 run capped off by a Nigel Hayes jumper gives the Badgers their first lead of the game, in a great paced first half. Wisconsin leads 18-14.

9:10 p.m. -- Wisconsin ins't going anywhere. Sam Dekker hits a three and Bronson Koenig adds another jumper. Tied 9-9 early on. A really nice pace to this game early on. And yeah, it's loud in here.

9:07 p.m. -- A quick 5-0 start for UK. Andrew Harrison with a 3-pointer, then an alley oop to Willie Cauley-Stein. Place is going nuts.

8:55 p.m. -- UK just announced. The decibel level has to be up there with some of the biggest Colts games in Lucas Oil Stadium history.

8:30 p.m. -- Wow, this place just got a whole lot louder once Kentucky took the court. A whole new level.

Now that the appetizer is done with, it's time for the main course: Kentucky vs. Wisconsin.

Here are the starting lineups:

Wisconsin -- Sam Dekker, Nigel Hayes, Frank Kaminsky, Josh Gasser and Bronson Koenig.

Kentucky -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Aaron Harrison and Andrew Harrison.

8:25 p.m. -- Game 1 wasn't nearly as close as most people had hoped.

Michigan State's quick start fizzled and Duke's defense and post play blew this one open as the Blue Devils will head to the national title game after dispatching of the Spartans 81-61.

They await the winner of Kentucky-Wisconsin.

Jahlil Okafor scored 18 points, Justice Winslow added 19 points and 9 rebounds and the Blue Devils took advantage of a 37-to-16 free throw disparity, making 17 more free throws than the Spartans even attempted.

Denzel Valentine poured in 22 points for Michigan State, while Travis Trice added 16, but offensive droughts late in the first half were a bridge too far for the Spartans.

8:16 p.m. -- 74-59 Duke and these last two minutes may take an eternity.

8:06 p.m. -- Branden Dawson with a basket and a foul. He'll have a chance to get Spartans to within 12 after under-4 media timeout.

So far it's been the Denzel Valentine show for the Spartans, as he has 21 points, but it hasn't been quite enough so far.

8 p.m. -- Michigan State just can't cut into the Blue Devils' lead. Duke isn't helping by not turning the ball over (just four so far). Plus, Duke has made 19 free throws, while the Spartans have only attempted 9. Blue Devils lead 65-51 with 6:30 remaining.

7:47 p.m. -- Spartans go on a 7-0 run, but Branden Dawson picks up two quick fouls and heads to the bench with four fouls. That's a big blow for Michigan State.

7:42 p.m. -- Five quick points from Travis Trice gives those in green a glimmer of hope. Duke leads 54-39 with 11:57 remaining.

7:38 p.m. -- Things look like they might be getting away from the Spartans. One play that illustrated that was Grayson Allen missing a 3-pointer from the corner, chasing down his own rebound and then throwing down an emphatic dunk for Duke.

Blue Devils lead now at 20, up 54-34. Woof.

7:32 p.m. -- Duke outscores Michigan State 12-6 in early stages of second half, including some easy baskets, highlighted by a monster dunk from Jahlil Okafor. Blue Devils lead 48-31 with 14:54 remaining.

Duke looking every bit the 1 seed. Michigan State, well...

7:27 p.m. -- Duke adds three quick, easy buckets to start the second half as the Blue Devils' lead balloons to 42-25.

7:01 p.m. -- Halftime: Duke 36, Michigan State 25. Michigan State opened the game 5-of-7 from the field, but improved Duke defense coupled with cold Spartans' shooting, saw MSU miss 3 of its next 20 shots. Duke on the other hand, began knocking down 3s and went to Jahlil Okafor with great effect (10 points).

Turnovers aren't helping the Spartans' cause. Michigan State committed seven first half turnovers.

Denzel Valentine leads all scorers with 11 points, but the Spartans are shooting just 29.6 percent, while Duke is at 45.8 percent.

6:48 p.m. -- After opening the game 5-of-7 from the field, including 4-for-4 from behind the arc, Michigan State's offense has slowed considerably, hitting just 3 of their last 15 shots. Duke extends its lead to 29-20, 3:58 left in the first half.

6:43 p.m. -- Blue Devils on a 22-6 run and the Spartans look lost on offense. Duke leads 28-20, and Tom Izzo needs a timeout.

6:35 p.m. -- Not sure Matt Costello can handle Jahlil Okafor 1-on-1 in the post. Duke big man has 9 points, looks every bit a high lottery pick. Blue Devils lead Spartans, 22-18.

6:31 p.m. -- A six-minute scoring drought for Michigan State allows the Blue Devils to grab its first lead of the game with a putback dunk from Jahlil Okafor. Duke leads 20-16 courtesy of a 14-2 run.

6:22 p.m. -- After coming out blazing, Michigan State hasn't scored in four minutes as Duke claws back into the game, trailing 14-11.

6:13 p.m. -- Spartans start out hot from behind the arc, hitting their first four 3-point attempts, including three from Denzel Valentine. Michigan State leads 14-6 at the first media timeout. Valentine leads the way with 9 early points.

6:01 p.m. -- A nice touch with the Star Spangled Banner sung by athletes from all four schools in the Final Four. The pyrotechnics caught most a little off guard.

5:51 p.m. -- We've got smoke and flames for team intros. No expense spared here in Indy…

5:35 p.m. -- Tonight's starting lineups for Game 1:

Michigan State: Gavin Schilling, Branden Dawson (Gary, Ind.), Travis Trice, Lourawls Nairn Jr., Denzel Valentine.

Duke: Justice Winslow, Jahlil Okafor, Matt Jones, Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones.