OMAHA, Neb. ­— Kansans can stop dreaming about that potential Elite Eight matchup between Kansas and Kansas State.

Blame the Wisconsin buzz saw that cut down K-State 72-55 in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday.

The Badgers were too disciplined, too fundamentally sound and too experienced to lose to a youthful Wildcat squad that had earned its matchup with Wisconsin by upsetting Southern California on Thursday. The victory against USC was K-State’s first NCAA tournament victory since 1998.

“If you’re down 10 to them, it’s the equal of being down 25 to somebody else,” K-State coach Frank Martin said.

Wisconsin’s deliberate, grind-it-out style slowed down K-State in the second half, holding the Wildcats to 22 points after the break.

Kansas State needed a brilliant effort from freshman Michael Beasley to have a chance, and the Wildcats got an average effort — at least by Beasley standards — from its freshman star.

Beasley finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, but the All-American candidate scored just six points in the second half. Wisconsin’s front court trio of senior Brian Butch, senior Greg Stiemsma, and junior Joe Krabbenhoft frustrated Beasley into 8-of-19 shooting from the field.

“They was double teaming, triple teaming every time I touched the ball,” Beasley said.

With Wisconsin holding a double-digit lead in the second half, the focus shifted to whether the fans at the Qwest Center were watching Beasley play his final game for K-State.

Beasley deflected questions about his upcoming decision to declare for the NBA draft.

“As of right now, I’m a Kansas State Wildcat. I haven’t thought into what I’m going to do next year.”

Beasley said he wouldn’t think about the NBA future for a couple of weeks.

The rest of the Wildcats weren’t much help. K-state was 0-of-13 from the three-point line.

While K-State’s offense sputtered, Wisconsin’s received a lift from sophomore Trevon Hughes. The Badger guard connected on four three-pointers and finished with 25 points.

Senior guard Michael Flowers added 15.

For a few minutes, it looked like the Wildcats might have another upset in them. K-State played even with Wisconsin for nearly eight minutes and took a 10-8 lead on a Michael Beasley layup.

But a jumper by Hughes and three-pointer by sophomore Jason Bohannon gave the Badgers a 13-10 lead ­— a lead they would never relinquish.

Beasley’s one-handed dunk with 1:05 left in the first half pulled K-State to within three and made the score 36-33, but Wisconsin’s Michael Flowers made a three-pointer 30 seconds later to stretch the Badgers lead to 39-33 at halftime.

K-State freshman Bill Walker, who’ll also have a decision to make regarding the NBA draft, finished with 18 points.

“We expected them to be physical,” Walker said. “They just forced us into taking contested shots. That’s how they wanted it.”

­— Edited by Katherine Loeck