Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament semifinals: Wisconsin and Illinois to meet for title

It's semifinal Saturday in Minneapolis.

Author:
Joe Nelson for Bring Me The Sports and Nolan O'Hara for Bring Me The Sports
Updated:
Mar 16, 2024 6:17 PM EDT
Original:
Mar 16, 2024

Day 4 of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Minneapolis features four of the top five seeds as No. 1 Purdue takes on No. 5 Wisconsin in the first game of semifinal Saturday and then No. 2 Illinois plays No. 3 Nebraska in the second game.

We'll be tracking the games live from Target Center – and they'll be televised on CBS if you want to watch at home.

No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Wisconsin

Final: Wisconsin 76, Purdue 75 (OT)

Tied 36-36 at the half. Wisconsin led by 14 points from AJ Storr while Zach Edey has been held to six points and four rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Braden Smith, who left Friday's quarterfinal win over Michigan State with what looked like a scary leg injury, started today and has seven points and four assists in the first half.
Still tight in this one and we're nearly halfway through the second half with Purdue leading 49-47. Steven Crowl up to 11 points for the Badgers, Storr has 16. Edey getting hot for the Boilermakers now with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Carter Gilmore 3 gives Wisconsin the lead at 58-56. Minnesota native Cam Heide answers with a 3 for Purdue. It’s 59-58 with 3:25 to go.
We are tied at 62-62 with 90 seconds to play.
Edey with an and-1 and it’s 65-62 with 40 seconds and the clock ticking.
Edey turnover gives the Badgers the ball with 22.6 on the clock.
Chucky Hepburn layup cuts it to 65-64 with 6.1 second to go.
Edey knocks down 1 of 2 free throws. Timeout Badgers with 2.7 to go, trailing 66-64.
Tied! Hepburn darts in and lays it off the glass at the buzzer to force overtime.
Minnesota natives Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter have all fouled out. Purdue up 70-68 with three minutes left in OT.
Storr highlight reel follow-up dunk ties the game!
Storr contested elbow jumper goes and it’s 72-all with a minute left.
It’s 75-74 Purdue and Braden Smith just fouled out by pushing off Hepburn. 21.3 to go. Wisconsin has the ball.
Wisconsin wins on Klesmit’s floater with 4 seconds to go. Purdue’s buzzer beater is airballed. Game over.

No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 3 Nebraska

Final: Illinois 98, Nebraska 87

We're underway for the second game of the day!
We're all tied at 12-12 with 14:40 to play in the first half. Terrance Shannon Jr. is leading the Illini with six points, while Rienk Mast has seven for the Huskers.
Cornhuskers lead 22-14 at the timeout, with Shannon set to shoot free throws on the other side. Nebraska is in the midst of a 7-0 run. Mast up to 13 points.
Huskers lead 31-24 with 7:47 to play in the half. Shannon is keeping the Illini within punching distance with 18 of their 24 points. He'll need some help if they're going to pull out this game.
Brice Williams' 3 puts Nebraska up 38-27 with 5:23 remaining in the half.
The Huskers will take a 51-40 lead into the half. Mast and Williams with 13 and 11 points, respectively, for Nebraska, while Jamarques Lawrence has nine. Shannon leading the Illini with 18 points, while Marcus Domask has 10 points and five assists.
The Illini have made their last four shots and have outscored the Huskers 42-23 this half. Shannon up to 33 points now as Illiois leads 82-74 with 5:19 remaining in this one.
The Huskers haven't made field goal in the last 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
It's now been 2 minutes, 32 seconds since the Huskers have scored. The Illini lead 85-74 with 2:47 remaining. Big turnaround. What a game from Shannon, who is up to 36 points now.
The Huskers on a 6-0 run in a last-minute push. Illini lead 90-81 with 1:05 remaining. Williams up to 23 points for the Huskers. Keisei Tominaga has 16.
It'll be the Illini and Badgers in the Big Ten Championship! Shannon with a 40 piece to lead the charge. Domask and Quincy Guerrier with 16 and 13 points, respectively. Williams had 23 and five boards for the Huskers, while Tominaga and Mast finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively.