INDIANAPOLIS - Wisconsin's Michael Flowers chased Michigan State's Drew Neitzel all day with little success.
Flowers finally slowed down the senior guard and put the Badgers in the Big Ten Conference tournament championship game.
A steal and a layup by Flowers was the difference as top-seeded Wisconsin rallied to nip the fourth-seeded Spartans 65-63 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Badgers will face Illinois in Sunday's title game. The 10th-seeded Illini knocked off sixth-seeded Minnesota in the other semifinal.

Continue reading "Big Ten: Semifinal recap" »

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - After battling through some clock issues, Illinois advanced to the championship game with a 54-50 victory over Minnesota.
The Illini, the tournament's 10th seed, will face top-seeded Wisconsin in Sunday's title game.
Illinois opened up a 10-point lead with two minutes to play and hung on to knock off the sixth-seeded Gophers. Sunday will be the Illini's fourth game in four days.
Shaun Pruitt led Illinois with 16 points. Lawrence McKenize had 13 for the Gophers.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It didn't take long for Illinois to open up a 10-point lead (50-40).
Shaun Pruitt made two free throws, added a dunk and Brian Randle scored a layup. There's 2:30 to play.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Illinois is up 44-40 with 3:54 remaining but Shaun Pruitt is shooting free throws.
The Illini have been a bad free throw shooting team all season but they're 12 of 15 today.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - After scoring just three points during the first 9:51 of the second half, Illinois' offense showed some life.
Breaking away from 32-all tie, the Illini scored seven straight points to open up a 39-32 lead. Freshman Demetri McCamey's 3-pointer was the spark.
Minnesota has come back to pull within 41-35 with 6:55 to play.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - We're tied at 32 with 11:19 to play between Illinois and Minnesota.
The Gophers have rallied from a 29-23 halftime deficit. Both teams are now shooting under 40 percent and points are becoming difficult to come by.
First one to 40 wins?

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - The six-point lead Illinois held at halftime has been reduced to four. The Illini are up 32-28 with under 15 minutes to play.
Not much has happened in the first five minutes.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Illinois is trying to keep its run in the tournament going. The Illini are leading Minnesota 29-23 at halftime.
Big man Shaun Pruitt has 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting and Illinois is an impressive 9 of 11 from the free throw line.
Senior Dan Coleman leads the Gophers with six points. Minnesota is shooting just 34 percent from the field and also has missed six free throws.
We'll see if Tubby Smith can rally his Gophers in the second half.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Cold shooting dominated the start but now the pace has picked up.
Illinois is leading 22-15 with six minutes left until halftime. The Illini are shooting 50 percent and are 7 of 7 from the free throw line (a weakness all season). The Gophers are shooting just 35 percent but that's an improvement from the start.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Through the first eight minutes, it looks like two teams who are playing their third game in three days.
Illinois is leading Minnesota 9-5 but both teams are a combined 5 of 20 shooting.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Today's winner between Minnesota and Illinois will have the right to earn their way into the NCAA tournament.
The Gophers have a good overall record (20-12) but finished sixth in the league and feature a poor RPI. The Illini have no other choice but to win the tournament to advance to the NCAA. Illinois is 15-18 overall. In fact, one more loss and the Illini will set a school record.
We're at the first media timeout with Illinois leading 7-4.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - How about four missed free throws, two questionable calls and one game-winning shot.
All that in just 3.4 seconds.
Minnesota continued its wild ride through the Big Ten Conference tournament with a thrilling 59-58 victory over third-seeded Indiana in quarterfinal action at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Gophers, the tournament's sixth seed, will face another surprise, 10th-seeded Illinois in Saturday's second semifinal. Wisconsin and Michigan State face off the in the opener.
But what a wild finish to Friday's nightcap.

Continue reading "Big Ten: Crazy night in Indy" »

Posted by Mike Carmin at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Just when Minnesota thought a victory was taken away, Blake Hoffarber brought the Gophers a miracle.
Hoffarber, a freshman, tossed in an off-balanced left-handed shot as time expired to give Minnesota a thrilling 59-58 victory in the Big Ten tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.
With 1.5 seconds to play, Hoffarber took a long pass from Travis Busch. Hoffarber turned to his left and let go the game winner.
The Hoosiers had taken a 58-57 lead when D.J. White made the second of two free throws.
Minnesota, the tournament's sixth seed, will face Illinois in Saturday's second semifinal.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Did Lawrence McKenzie give Minnesota the breathing room it needs down the stretch against Indiana?
McKenzie's 3-pointer with 3:52 to play pushed the Gophers' lead to 53-48 lead. There's 3:24 remaining in regulation.
The Hoosiers need a rally.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Give Minnesota's Lawrence McKenzie a lot of credit.
He took a charge against Indiana's DeAndre Thomas, who weighs nearly 300 pounds. It was Thomas' fifth foul.
Indiana took the lead at 44-42 for the second time when D.J. White hit two free throws. White is stepping up in the second half, scoring 13 of his 20 points.
There's 7:43 to play.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana can't seem to take the lead against Minnesota, which is still on top 38-36.
The Gophers keeping find a way to stay tied or ahead of the Hoosiers. Both teams can't shoot in this half, missing 15 of 19 attempts during the first eight minutes.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana has cut into Minnesota's seven-point halftime lead, pulling within 34-32 with 15:51 to play.
The Gophers haven't scored in the second half. Not a good sign

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana made a run but Minnesota heads into the locker room with a 34-27 lead.
Minnesota ran out to a 22-8 lead but the Hoosiers stormed back, pulling within 26-22.
Here's the question: Did the Gophers give Indiana their best shot in the first half?
Lawrence McKenize leads Minnesota with 12 points. Eric Gordon, who picked up two early fouls, has nine points for the Hoosiers.
The winner faces Illinois, which upset Purdue in the previous quarterfinal game.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana has cut a 14-point deficit to 28-22 at the final media timeout before halftime.
The Hoosiers, who trailed 22-8, responded with defense, rebounding and free throws. The large crowd is back in the game in support of Indiana with 3:31 remaining until halftime.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - How about these Gophers?
They've run out to a 19-8 lead with 11:12 left in the first half on Indiana, which has all the fan support at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Lawrence McKenzie is Minnesota's star right now with eight points. IU coach Dan Dakich put freshman Eric Gordon back in the game, despite two fouls.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It's early but Minnesota is giving Indiana all it can handle through the first four minutes.
The Gophers have built a 9-4 lead and are missing regular starter Spencer Tollackson, who suffered an ankle injury in Thursday's win over Northwestern.
IU freshman Eric Gordon has picked up two fouls already. Not a good sign for the Hoosiers.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It's our last game at Conseco Fieldhouse with Indiana and Minnesota ready to start in about 10 minutes.
Can Indiana avoid a similiar fate as its in-state rival? Minnesota needs wins to get in the NCAA tourmament.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It was almost a great day for the lower seeds at the Big Ten Conference
tournament.
Instead, the underdogs will have to settle for two out of three wins.
Ninth-seeded Michigan and No. 10 seed Illinois pulled off upsets but sixth-seeded Minnesota
rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to put away No. 11 seed Northwestern in the nightcap at
Conseco Fieldhouse.

Continue reading "Big Ten Day 1 recap" »

Posted by Mike Carmin at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Dan Coleman saved Minnesota from going home early.
The senior scored the go-ahead layup with 1:34 to play, collected a key steal and hit two free throws with 3.9 seconds to play to give the Gophers a 55-52 victory over Northwestern.
In the first half, Minnesota trailed by 16 points.
The sixth-seeded Gophers will face Indiana in Friday's quarterfinals.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Dan Coleman's steal and dunk with 4:11 to play has given Minnesota a 48-47 lead.
We're at the last media timeout and Northwestern hasn't scored since taking a five-point lead with 9:21 to play.
There's a reason why the Wildcats have won just once against Big Ten opponents this season.
Should be an exciting finish.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Did Northwestern take Minnesota's best shot to open the second half?
The Gophers used a 21-8 run to tie the game at 42 but now the Wildcats are back in front at 47-42, thanks to five straight points Craig Moore.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - That had to be some halftime speech by Tubby Smith.
Minnesota has come back to trail 42-39 at the 13-minute mark. Looks like we have a game

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - If you're a Northwestern fan, pinch yourself.
The Wildcats are leading 34-21 at halftime against Minnesota. Yes, a big upset in the Big Ten.
Sophomore Kevin Coble has 13 points for Northwestern, the tournament's 11th seed. The Wildcats have made 11 of 17 shots.
Tubby Smith's team is in big trouble right now.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - You've got to like Northwestern right now.
The Big Ten's 11th seed is taking it to Minnesota 31-18 at the last media timeout before halftime.
Kevin Coble is the story, scoring 13 points. The Wildcats have made 10 of 16 field goals, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range to build a big lead.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - I'll say one thing about Northwestern's offense; it's fun to watch.
The screens, the backcuts and the ball movement. That's the Princeton-style offense.
How long can the Wildcats keep it up against Minnesota? They lead 21-11 at the eight-minute timeout.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Kevin Coble is keeping Northwestern ahead of Minnesota at the Big Ten Conference tournament.
The sophomore has nine points for the Wildcats, who lead 14-9 with 11:59 before halftime.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - The final game of the Big Ten Conference tournament has a surprise element to it.
Northwestern, the 11th seed, is leading sixth-seeded Minnesota 12-5 at the first timeout.
Still a long way to go.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Do you think rebounding will be important to Minnesota coach Tubby Smith
in this game against Northwestern?
The Gophers were outrebounded 45-19 - that's right - in their loss at Illinois to close out the
regular season. Smith and his staff kept football equipment on the sidelines to motivate his team
during practice this week.
Minnesota is the No. 6 seed and needs some wins to receive any consideration for an at-large bid
to the NCAA tournament. Only two of the Gophers' 18 wins have come against teams currently
with a winning record.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats won once during the Big Ten regular season.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)