Big Ten Network : Men's Basketball Top Stories

Ohio State wins tournament title

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:18:00 +0000

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 No. 8 Michigan 59, No. 9 Iowa 52 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 7 Northwestern 73, No. 10 Indiana 58 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 6 Minnesota 76, No. 11 Penn State 55 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY FRIDAY, MARCH 12 No. 1 Ohio State 69, No. 8 Michigan 68 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 5 Illinois 58, No. 4 Wisconsin 54 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 2 Purdue 69, No. 7 Northwestern 61 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 6 Minnesota 72, No. 3 Michigan St 67 OT RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY SATURDAY, MARCH 13 No. 1 Ohio State 88, No. 5 Illinois 81 2 OT RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY No. 6 Minnesota 69, No. 2 Purdue 42 RECAP & VIDEO BOX & PLAY-BY-PLAY INDIANAPOLIS -- Evan Turner didn't need any late-game heroics on Sunday. When it appeared there was nothing more he could do to make his Big Ten tournament performance better, the junior had 31 points and 11 rebounds to lead Ohio State (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) over Minnesota 90-61 in the championship game. Turner hit a 37-foot shot at the buzzer to beat Michigan in the quarterfinals, then scored 12 of his 31 points after regulation in a double-overtime win against Illinois in the semifinals. He topped it by setting the tournament record for points in a championship game and was the obvious choice as the tournament's most outstanding player. Ohio State (27-7) made nine 3-pointers in the second half to pull away after leading by just three points at halftime. David Lighty scored 20 points and Jon Diebler added 19 for the Buckeyes, who tied the record for largest victory margin in a Big Ten tournament game. Ohio State coach Thad Matta said Turner's weekend was as good as he has seen. The point guard averaged 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists in three games. Matta told Turner to take over the game, and he responded with 22 points in the second half. "When you look at the body of work over the weekend, I mean, this has to go down as probably -- I know I've been in this league for six years," Matta said. "I've never seen anything like it." Ohio State received a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Buckeyes will play Cal-Santa Barbara in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday in Milwaukee. Ohio State was a team many experts thought could draw a No. 1 seed, but the Buckeyes didn't mind where they ended up. "It's a good draw," Turner said. "We're close to home in Milwaukee. We've just got to go out there and take care of business, try and handle what we can control." Lawrence Westbrook scored 17 points and Devoe Joseph added 14 for the Golden Gophers (21-13), who had beaten Purdue by 27 on Saturday. Minnesota received an at-large bid, and the 11th-seeded Golden Gophers will play No. 6 seed Xavier in the West Regional on Friday in Milwaukee. The team gathered in a room at Conseco Fieldhouse, unsure if it would get a bid. The Golden Gophers might have persuaded the selection committee by beating Michigan State and Purdue to reach the final. "We came here and impressed a lot of people, I guess, and we made our way in the tournament," Westbrook said. "It's a great feeling. We broke a couch in there because we were all jumping around and celebrating." They weren't celebrating a Big Ten title because Turner did a little bit of everything. He made four 3-pointers and several acrobatic layups, and had six assists. After one layup, during which he was fouled, Ohio State fans started chanting M-V-P. Minnesota had won four straight games and seven of nine, but struggled defensively for the first time in the tournament. The Golden Gophers held their first three opponents to combined 36 percent shooting in the tournament, and had locked down Purdue in a 69-42 victory on Saturday. Ohio State shot 58 percent on Sunday, but things started slowly. Consecutive 3-pointers by Turner and Diebler gave the Buckeyes a 24-18 lead and forced Minnesota to call time out. A steal and two-handed jam by Diebler gave the Buckeyes a 28-21 lead, but Minnesota came back with a 3-pointer by Joseph at the halftime buzzer to cut the Buckeyes' lead to 33-30. Both teams shot poorly for most of the first half, but warmed up toward the end. The Buckeyes opened the second half with an 8-0 run. Three-pointers by Turner and William Buford helped Ohio State take a 41-30 lead. Minnesota responded with a 7-0 spurt, highlighted by a 3-pointer by Joseph, to trim Ohio State's lead to 41-37 just over 4 minutes into the second half. Turner hit another 3-pointer, then Lighty made consecutive layups to push the Buckeyes' lead back to 11 points midway through the second half, and the rout was on. The Buckeyes outscored Minnesota 57-31 in the second half. "When our minds are right, our game is right, and I think we came out with the right mentality to go out and get the job done," Lighty said. "You know, they kept fighting, but we withheld and kept fighting, as well, then things started falling for us when we picked up the defense."

Gophers' first foe, Xavier, is an NCAA tournament veteran

Shannon Russell Cincinnati Enquirer — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Xavier secured its fifth straight NCAA tournament bid Sunday and will face Minnesota for the first time in 54 years. Eleven coaches, including current coach Chris Mack, have led the Musketeers' program since then-coach Ned Wulk and his team lost a third and final series game to the Golden Gophers. But this year's edition of the Muskies celebrated when Xavier's name was unveiled in the West Regional. The sixth-seeded Musketeers (24-8) play 11th-seeded Minnesota (21-13) in a first-round game in Milwaukee at 11:25 a.m. Friday. "It's the NCAA tournament, and we're honored to be in it," Xavier senior Jason Love said. "(We're) just happy to be there. Not many teams get to experience it, and I've been able to experience it all four years here, so I'm just excited." Though Mack had less than 90 minutes to take a first look at Minnesota before Xavier's press conference, he described the Gophers as a team that shoots three-pointers well and likes to rebound. The person perhaps most familiar with Gophers players is former Indiana guard Jordan Crawford. He was there when then-freshman Blake Hoffarber hit a jumper at the buzzer to give Minnesota a 59-58 victory over the Hoosiers in a 2008 Big Ten tournament game at Conseco Fieldhouse. Tournament-tested Xavier made it to the Sweet 16 last season and the Elite Eight in 2008 and 2004. It could face third-seeded Pittsburgh in a second-round game, should the Panthers beat 14th seed Oakland and Xavier down Minnesota. Last season, Pittsburgh knocked Xavier out of the tournament. Xavier junior Jamel McLean quickly halted any rematch talk and insisted the Muskies weren't looking at any game but the first. "I think Minnesota is our prime objective right now, and as a team we've got to get ready to go out there and win games," McLean said. "If we see Pittsburgh, we'll take that game from where we left off last year." Mack said the Muskies were seeded about where he thought they would be. He and his staff planned to to hole up Sunday night studying the Gophers until they could no longer keep their eyes open and then return in the morning for more. The NCAA tournament announcements came just one day after Xavier lost an overtime contest to Richmond in an Atlantic 10 tournament semifinal in Atlantic City, N.J. Copyright 2010 St. Paul Pioneer PressAll Rights Reserved

Relieved Gophers hoping to make some noise in NCAA tournament

Marcus R. Fuller — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS -- Cheers and screams broke out behind the closed door of Star Room B off a hallway in Conseco Fieldhouse early Sunday evening. The Gophers erupted with equal parts joy and relief when they learned they weren't snubbed by the NCAA tournament selection committee. There was some doubt in the room, especially after top-seeded Ohio State blew Minnesota out 90-61 in the Big Ten tournament title game earlier in the afternoon. Adding to the tension was the fact that fellow NCAA tournament bubble teams Florida and Texas-El Paso were announced before the 11th-seeded Gophers found out they would play in the West region against sixth-seeded Xavier (24-8) in a first-round game at 11:25 a.m. Friday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The winner will play Saturday against the winner of No. 3 Pittsburgh (24-8) against No. 14 Oakland University of Michigan (26-8). "We all jumped together; everyone started jumping and I think we might have damaged a couch in there," sophomore Devoe Joseph said. "I was very nervous, you know. It's my dream ever since I was young to play in the NCAA tournament. Once I (saw) our name come up, I was super happy. It was the same feeling as last year, but maybe better." The Gophers were more of a borderline bubble team than last season, when they made the field as a 10th seed and lost 76-62 to No. 7 seed Texas in the first round in Greensboro, N.C. But they might have a better team this time around. Last year's signature win over the NCAA tournament's overall No. 1 seed, Louisville, carried Minnesota's resume. But that win against the then-No. 9 ranked Cardinals was in December in Arizona. This season, the Gophers picked up a quality nonconference victory over then-No. 10 Butler in November in Anaheim, Calif. But this time Minnesota followed up with impressive wins in March. The Gophers clobbered No. 6 Purdue 69-42 in Saturday's Big Ten tournament semifinal. The night before, they upset 11th-ranked Michigan State 72-67 in the quarterfinals. The Boilermakers are a fourth seed in the NCAA tournament; the Spartans are a fifth seed. "Our kids have worked extremely hard, especially in the last month," said Gophers coach Tubby Smith, who is in the NCAA tournament for the 16th time in 19 seasons. "I think they've earned some respect in the way we competed here in Indianapolis." Minnesota's players felt disrespected, and even had "RESPECT" T-shirts made heading into the Big Ten tournament. They knew they had to at least reach the program's first Big Ten final to have a chance at making the NCAA tournament. The signature wins over Michigan State and Purdue overshadowed the lopsided loss Sunday to Ohio State and earned the Gophers the respect of the selection committee. But now, they have to earn it all over again. Since former coach Clem Haskins' 1997 Final Four season that was vacated because of NCAA violations, Minnesota is 0-3 in first-round NCAA games (1999, 2005 and 2009). But the Musketeers, who finished 14-2 in the Atlantic 10 to tie Temple for the regular-season championship, aren't an overwhelmingly talented team like Texas was last year. And that gives the Gophers a shot. "We're excited again to make it to the big stage," senior Lawrence Westbrook said. "And I feel like we can make a run in the tournament. We have to play like we did in the first three games of this (Big Ten) tournament, then we will be good." If they can make it to the second round, Minnesota has one of the easiest paths to the Sweet 16 of any lower-seeded team. The Gophers definitely have more talent than Oakland if the Grizzlies pull off an upset. Pittsburgh's physicality could pose a problem, but the Panthers lost twice this year to Notre Dame. They also suffered a 10-point loss to Indiana in December. Xavier had an eight-game winning streak snapped in the conference tournament semifinal in an 89-85 overtime loss Saturday to Richmond. Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford, a sophomore who averaged 19.7 points this season, leads the Musketeers. They have a solid post player in 6-foot-9, 265-pound senior Jason Love, who averages 11.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game. They also can bring 7-foot, 265-pound center Kenny Frease off the bench. But Xavier isn't a very big team. That's where the Gophers might have an advantage, with 6-11 sophomores Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III. They struggled with just 12 points, four rebounds and a block Sunday against the Buckeyes, but might have been worn out after playing four games in four days. Smith called Iverson and Sampson the most improved players on the team for the second season. They were the main reasons why Minnesota dominated Purdue on Saturday, winning the rebounding battle 50-24. They also combined for 24 points and 11 rebounds. Iverson, who had his streak of three straight double-figure games snapped, said he and Sampson got bigger and stronger in the offseason after being overpowered by Texas big man Dexter Pittman in last year's NCAA tournament loss. "We just need to keep playing physical," Iverson said. "We have to play with the same mindset. We have to have a chip on our shoulder. We have to get respect from our opponent. (Last year's NCAA tournament) was too quick." Copyright 2010 St. Paul Pioneer PressAll Rights Reserved

Purdue hopes to prove experts wrong

Pete DiPrimio — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Suddenly Purdue is everybody's favorite NCAA tourney upset special, the highly seeded team picked most likely to lose before its time. Yes, the fourth-seeded Boilermakers have noticed. Some of this is due to the reputation of its first-round opponent –- 13th-seeded Siena, which is 27-6, has one of the nation's top point guards in Ronald Moore (guards are huge in postseason play) and which has upset Vanderbilt and Ohio State in opening-round games the past two years. Most of it comes from the perceived Purdue vulnerability from the loss of Robbie Hummel and the bad-as-it-could-be loss to Minnesota. Purdue is 27-5, finished 10th in the final AP poll, has won 13 of its last 15 games, has won its last 11 NCAA tourney first-round games, is the Big Ten co-champ and still has three standout players in E'Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson and Chris Kramer, plus decent depth, yet is being dismissed as easily as an Illinois-should-have-made-the-field protest. So of course the Boilers are ticked. They plan to show how much come Friday's South Region game in Spokane, Wash. "The best thing about it is we don't have to wait too long to prove them wrong," guard Keaton Grant said. "A lot of people say we won't go deep in the tournament. A lot of people have already counted us out in the first game." Such lack of respect has helped fuel Purdue's rise to Big Ten prominence. Could it fuel a Final Four run now? "Winning is not done on paper," Grant said. "It's done on the court." He paused. "On Friday we'll be ready to play." Losing Hummel was the major reason the selection committee dropped Purdue to a No. 4 seed instead of a No. 3. The Boilers are 4-2 without him. They've played two NCAA tourney teams in that span, Minnesota twice and Michigan State once. They rallied for a 59-58 win at Minnesota, then got hammered by the Gophers and Michigan State. In both losses their offense was atrocious –- 44 points against the Spartans, 42 against the Gophers. So the bad mouthing continues and the Boilers, at least for now, have to take it. "You can't say anything," Kramer said. "We haven't given anyone a reason not to write us off. We have to win. That's the only way to prove it. You've got to prove it on the court." Purdue knows what it can do if it plays to its potential, if it defends ferociously, rebounds aggressively and shoots accurately. It has spent the season proving it belongs among the nation's elite and to have CBS announcer Seth Davis imply that this might be the only No. 4 vs. No. 13 game where the 13th-seed is favored strikes a nerve. "You have to take it for what it's worth," Kramer said. "All we have to do is win basketball games and people will give us credit." The good news is that guard Lewis Jackson is expected to play Friday. He was injured Saturday when 6-11, 241-pound Ralph Sampson stepped on his surgically repaired left foot. X-rays were negative. Jackson, who missed 19 games following surgery to repair ligament damage, said the foot is sore, but he'll be fine. "It scared him more than anything," coach Matt Painter said. As far as playing the underdog to Siena, well, bring it on. "I take that as a big challenge that they pick Siena over us," Johnson said. "We'll be ready to play." Added Jackson: "This team is eager to show we belong. We need the respect we got during the (regular) season." ___ (c) 2010, The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Visit the News-Sentinel, at http://www.news-sentinel.com / Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com , call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. Copyright 2010 The News-Sentinel

Minnesota-Michigan St. game sets ratings record

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:18:00 +0000

Minnesota-Michigan St. game sets ratings record

Iowa fires Lickliter after three seasons

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:48:00 +0000

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa fired coach Todd Lickliter on Monday, ending a brief and disappointing tenure that included three losing seasons in a row and a parade of players leaving the once-proud program. Athletic director Gary Barta announced the firing at a news conference in Iowa City. The 54-year-old Lickliter had four years left on a seven-year contract that paid him $1.2 million a year. He was not at the news conference and not immediately available for comment. The Hawkeyes, who had just two upperclassmen play significant minutes, finished the season 10-22 -- their first with 20 losses. In all, Lickliter was 38-58 with Iowa. Rumors about Lickliter's shaky job status picked up steam late last week after a 59-52 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament. But his stint at Iowa was also marred by a series of player departures. Four transferred after the 2008-09 season, and sophomore guard Anthony Tucker left last month. Lickliter spent six seasons at Butler before coming to Iowa to succeed Steve Alford, who left for New Mexico in the spring of 2007. Lickliter led the Bulldogs to a 29-7 mark and the NCAA regional semifinals in 2007 and was named the Division I Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. But Lickliter could never get the Hawkeyes moving in the right direction. Iowa finished 13-19 in 2007-08, Lickliter's first season, but that was expected to be a rebuilding year following Alford's departure. Iowa improved to 15-17 in 2008-09, but key contributors Jake Kelly and Jeff Peterson and reserves Jermain Davis and David Palmer transferred following the season. The Hawkeyes were forced to start from scratch yet again this season. Their starting lineup featured four underclassmen for most of the season -- including true freshman point guard Cully Payne -- and the results were predictable. Iowa lost to the likes of Texas-San Antonio and Duquesne at home and finished just 4-14 in the Big Ten. Though the Hawkeyes seemed to be improving in the later half of the year, they finished the regular season with a 27-point loss at Wisconsin and an 88-53 drubbing at Minnesota. Though Iowa lost more than 20 games for the first time, Lickliter's job seemed safe until last week's conference tournament. After the loss to Michigan, Barta issued a statement that praised the players but did not mention Lickliter. Off the court, Lickliter had a health scare in early December. He went to the hospital because of headaches, and tests revealed the beginning of a tear in Lickliter's carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain. Doctors added a stent the next day, and Lickliter missed three games while recovering. Iowa has also seen its attendance dwindle in recent years. The Hawkeyes, who routinely had near-capacity crowds during the Tom Davis era in the late 1980s and '90s, drew just 9,550 fans per home game this season.

Illinois to face Stony Brook in NIT

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:39:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois (19-14) will face Stony Brook (22-9) in the first round of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament, on Wednesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. CT. The Illini have received a No. 1 seed and will play at No. 8 Stony Brook in Stony Brook, N.Y. The game will be broadcast by ESPNU.

Five Big Ten teams land NCAA tourney bids

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:23:00 +0000

Five Big Ten teams were selected to participate in the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Big Ten Tri-Champions Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State will represent the conference along with Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Ohio State, also the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Champion, is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional and will be at the Milwaukee first/second round site. The Buckeyes will face No. 15 UC Santa Barbara for their first game while the winner of that will take on the winner of No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech in the second round. Ohio State is making its 22nd appearance in the in the NCAA Tournament and second consecutive. Overall, the Buckeyes have a 32-19 record in the tournament and eight appearances in the Final Four, including a championship in 1960. Purdue is the No. 4 seed in the South Regional and will be in Spokane for its first/second round games. The Boilermakers will take on No. 13 Siena with the winner of that game facing the winner of No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 12 Utah State. Purdue's appearance is the 23rd in school history and its fourth consecutive. The Boilers have a 31-23 record in NCAA tournament games as well as two Final Four appearances. Wisconsin is the No. 4 seed in the East Regional and will travel to the Jacksonville first/second round site. First up for the Badgers will be No. 13 Wofford with the second round pitting the winner of that game against the winner of No. 5 Temple vs. No. 12 Cornell. Wisconsin will be playing in the tournament for the 16th time and making its 12th straight appearance. The Badgers are 20-14 in their previous trips and have made two Final Four appearances, including winning the 1941 title. Michigan State is the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Regional and will visit the Spokane first/second round site. The Spartans are slated to play No. 12 New Mexico State first with the winner facing the winner of No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Houston. MSU is making its 24th NCAA appearance overall and 12th consecutive. Michigan State has a 48-22 mark in the NCAA Tournament and seven Final Four appearances, including the 1979 and 2000 national championships. Minnesota is the No. 11 seed in the West Regional and will be at the Milwaukee first/second round site. The Gophers will face No. 6 Xavier for their first game while the winner of that will take on the winner of No. 3 Pitt vs. No. 14 Oakland in the second round. Minnesota is making its seventh appearance in the in the NCAA Tournament and second consecutive. Overall, the Gophers have a 7-6 record in the tournament.

Spartans score 13th straight tourney bid

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:40:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State has earned an NCAA bid for the 13th straight year and was named a No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region. The Spartans (24-8) will face 12th-seeded New Mexico State (22-11) Friday in Spokane, Wash., in first-round action. The Aggies claimed an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Western Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday against Utah State.

Gophers earn second straight NCAA berth

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:35:00 +0000

Following a run to the Big Ten Tournament title game for the first time, the Gopher Basketball team earned a second-straight NCAA Tournament berth. The Gophers (21-13) were granted a No. 11 seed and will face No. 6 Xavier (24-8) on Friday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The game time has not been decided. This marks Minnesota's eighth NCAA Tournament berth and just the second time that it has earned berths in consecutive seasons. The Gophers earned a No. 10 seed last season and lost to No. 7 Texas in the first round. The Gophers were placed in the West region with their pod in Milwaukee. If they are able to advance, they will face the winner of No. 3 Pittsburgh and No. 14 Oakland on Sunday. Minnesota has won seven of its last 10 games including three over top 15 ranked opponents entering the NCAA Tournament. This marks Tubby Smith's 16th trip to the NCAA Tournament 19 seasons as a head coach. Smith stretched his NCAA-leading streak of consecutive seasons with 20 victories or more to 17 with the Gophers' Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Michigan State on Friday. Smith is 29-13 all-time as a head coach at the NCAA Tournament. As the sixth-seed at the Big Ten Tournament, the Gophers recorded wins over Penn State (76-55), 11th-ranked Michigan State (72-67 in OT), and sixth-ranked Purdue (69-42) to advance to their first championship game. But fifth-ranked Ohio State (27-7) went on an amazing run midway through the second half, and earned the Big Ten's automatic NCAA Tournament berth. The Gophers and 24th-ranked Musketeers have played three times, but have not met on the court since Minnesota recorded an 83-76 win on Dec. 27, 1956. The Maroon and Gold has won all three games in the series. Xavier went 14-2 in the Atlantic 10 this season, tying for the regular season crown with Temple. The Musketeers fell to Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinals.

Purdue to face Siena in first round

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:11:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue men's basketball team earned its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament berth on Sunday night, garnering a No. 4 in the South Region from the selection committee. The Boilermakers will face Siena on Friday in first-round action in Spokane, Wash. The Boilermakers and the Saints will square off on Friday at Spokane Arena. Purdue has won 11-straight first-round games in the NCAA Tournament, having not lost its opening game in the Big Dance since 1993. After claiming a share of its first Big Ten title since 1996, Purdue will make its 24th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Boilermakers are 31-23 (.574) all-time in the tournament, with two Final Fours, three Elite Eights and seven Sweet 16s to their credit. In 2009, fifth-seeded Purdue advanced to the program's first Sweet 16 in nearly a decade. Sunday's announcement marks the first time in program history that the Boilermakers have been selected as a No. 4 seed, and Purdue's highest draw since garnering a No. 2 seed in 1998. Purdue has never played in Spokane, and is 2-1 all-time in the state of Washington. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions, Siena is led in scoring by senior forward Alex Franklin, who averages 16.3 points per game to pace a quartet of Saints who average double figures. Senior guard Edwin Ubiles averages 15.2 points per game, while junior forward Ryan Rossiter averages 13.9 points and 11.1 rebounds per contest. The Saints' offense runs through senior guard Ronald Moore, who averages 7.8 assists per game. Game time and ticket information will be updated when available.

Badgers earn No. 4 seed, face Wofford

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:07:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin men's basketball team (23-8) received a No. 4 seed in the East Region and will face 13th-seeded Wofford (27-8) in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament on Friday at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. UW will be making its 12th consecutive appearance in the Big Dance. The Badgers have never been a No. 4 seed for the NCAA tournament. It will be the second all-time meeting between the Badgers and Terriers, with the teams' previous matchup coming on Dec. 3, 2007. Wisconsin won that game, 70-43, at the Kohl Center. Wofford enters the NCAA tournament as the Southern Conference champion after defeating Appalachian State in the SoCon title game last weekend. The winner of UW's first-round game will meet the winner of the game between No. 5 seed Temple and No. 12 seed Cornell on Sunday, March 21. Important News Regarding NCAA Men's Basketball First/Second Round Tournament Tickets: The Wisconsin Athletic Ticket Office will be accepting requests for first/second round tickets beginning Sunday, March 14 at 7 p.m., and ending Monday, March 15 at 1 p.m. online at www.UWBadgers.com. For your convenience, requests will also be accepted by phone on Monday, March 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. by calling 1.800.GO BADGERS. Requests will only be accepted from Coach's Club level donors (minimum $1,000 donated in 2009) and above. Donors will be notified as to the status of their request on Monday afternoon. If tickets remain after the initial offering to donors at the Coach's Club level and above, tickets will be sold to all donors and season ticket-holders on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 1 p.m., while supplies last. First round tickets are $72. If Wisconsin advances, second round tickets will also be $72. Patrons will automatically receive second round tickets if and only if Wisconsin wins its first round game. Visit www.UWBadgers.com for more information.

NCAA.com: Full interactive bracket

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:09:00 +0000

NCAA.com: Full interactive bracket

Wildcats earn NIT bid, open at Rhode Island

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:30:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - For the first time in school history, Northwestern has earned postseason appearances in consecutive seasons. The Wildcats picked up a No. 7 seed in the National Invitation Tournament and will play at second-seeded Rhode Island Wednesday evening. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. Central with ESPNU providing live television coverage. The winner of the match will face the winner of the game between third-seeded Wichita State and sixth-seeded Nevada on a date to be determined. It is the fifth NIT appearance for the Wildcats. Northwestern (20-13, 7-11 Big Ten) also participated in the tournament in 1983, 1994, 1999 and 2009. It will be the second all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Rams. Rhode Island won the only previous matchup 91-87 Dec. 28, 1966, incidentally at Madison Square Garden in New York, the current host of NIT semifinals and championship game. Rhode Island brings a 23-9 record into Wednesday's matchup. A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Rams tied for fifth place with a 9-7 record and fell to eventual tournament champion Temple 57-44 in the semifinal round. Senior guard Keith Cothran leads URI with an average of 14.6 points per game, while senior forward Lamonte Ulmer contributes 11.8 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds per contest. Northwestern fans interested in seating the Wildcats' section should check NUsports.com Monday morning for more information. Tickets will be on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster.com beginning at 9 a.m. Central time Monday.

Minnesota runs right past Purdue

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:50:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota held No. 6 Purdue to the worst first half in the Boilermakers' record books and rolled to a 69-42 victory in the Big Ten tournament semifinals Saturday. Ralph Sampson III scored 13 points for the sixth-seeded Golden Gophers (21-12), who reached the final for the first time. They'll play No. 5 Ohio State on Sunday for the championship. Minnesota led 37-11 at halftime. It was the fewest points by Purdue in a half since the school started keeping track in 1950. Only a late layup by Patrick Bade allowed the Boilermakers to avoid the worst defeat ever in a Big Ten tournament game. Colton Iverson scored 11 points and Devoe Joseph added 10 as Minnesota won its fourth straight and seventh of nine. Purdue beat Minnesota twice in the regular season. The Boilermakers had won 13 of 14 and avenged their only loss during that stretch Friday against Northwestern. JaJuan Johnson scored 17 points and D.J. Byrd added 11 for Purdue (27-5). The Golden Gophers shot 48 percent from the field and outrebounded the Boilermakers 50-26. Johnson shot 7-for-16 from the field, but his teammates were 9-for-42. The Boilermakers couldn't even score with no one guarding them, making just 8 of 18 free throws. Minnesota started the game with a 9-2 run. After a bank shot by Chris Kramer , the Golden Gophers went on a 17-0 spurt to take a 26-4 lead. E'Twaun Moore missed his first eight shots, but finally scored to end Minnesota's run. Purdue went more than 11 minutes without scoring. The Boilermakers barely reached double figures in the first half, getting there on a basket by Johnson. Minnesota shot 61.5 percent in the first half and held Purdue to 5-for-27 shooting. Eight different Gophers joined in the fun by scoring before halftime, while only three Purdue players scored. Moore, who tied a career high with 28 points in the quarterfinals against Northwestern, shot 1-for-12 in the first half. He hurt his left ankle on a drive with 18:21 left in the second half and was ineffective when he returned with 12:41 to play. As the game approached the final seven minutes, Minnesota turned it into a dunk-off. First Sampson, then Devron Bostick threw down two-handed power jams to give the Gophers a 58-28 lead. Lewis Jackson , Purdue's starting point guard, left the game with 6:21 remaining and was helped off the court, unable to put much pressure on his left leg.

Buckeyes prevail in 2 OT thriller

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:47:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Evan Turner has accepted his mission at this year's Big Ten tournament. He'll rescue No. 6 Ohio State from any sign of trouble. One day after making a 37-foot buzzer-beater in the quarterfinals, Turner bailed out the Buckeyes again Saturday, scoring 12 of his 31 points after regulation to lead Ohio State past pesky Illinois 88-81 in double overtime. ''Coach (Thad) Matta and I always talk about if I get my teammates shots I might find myself open a little bit more, and you know maybe hitting more shots,'' Turner said. ''Sometimes you just have to will your way and make things happen and that's it.'' That's what the Big Ten player of the year did on a wacky day in Indianapolis. The result: Ohio State will play in Sunday's title game against No. 6 Purdue or sixth-seeded Minnesota, hoping to make its case for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney. The Buckeyes shared the regular-season title with Purdue and No. 11 Michigan State, which lost to Minnesota on Friday night. Turner finished with a rare triple double - 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 of Ohio State's 18 turnovers. Turner also had six assists and two steals. Still, Turner and the Buckeyes (26-7) almost didn't get their chance. Twice Illinois had shots at the buzzer for the win. But Mike Davis didn't get a wide open layup off in time at the end of regulation, and D.J. Richardson missed a long jumper after the red lights lit up on the backboard at the close of the first overtime. So when Turner got a third chance to save the Buckeyes, he didn't let them down. The junior swingman found Jon Diebler for an open 3 to start the second overtime, then made back-to-back layups to give the Buckeyes enough breathing room. Turner played more than 14 minutes with four fouls and never went to the bench until he fouled out with a minute left in the game. He said afterward he still didn't need a break. ''We were in it to win it - we could have went for 80 minutes,'' he said. ''We were going to win the game, however long it took.'' Illinois (19-14) heads home to mull over another close call and whether its resume is strong enough to get one of the selection committee's 34 at-large bids. ''I don't know what's going to happen. Obviously, I think we had a good showing here, but that doesn't mean anything,'' said coach Bruce Weber, whose voice was hoarse. ''Hopefully, the word got out because I think if we're one of the top 65 teams in the country and we get in the tournament, I think we can do some damage.'' Turner was unstoppable when it mattered most. He tied the score in regulation with a nifty drive down the baseline for a reverse layup. He scored the final eight Ohio State points in the first overtime, tying it with a layup with 22 seconds left, and then dominated over the final five minutes. Diebler finished with 14 points, joining the Buckeyes' 1,000-point club. His fourth 3, just 15 seconds into the last overtime, gave him a school record 273. Jamar Butler held the previous mark of 272. William Buford had 22 points and 10 rebounds. Ohio State has won six straight, 12 of 13 and has not lost to an unranked team since Jan. 9. Illinois was led by Demetri McCamey , who had 22 points, five assists and four steals. Richardson had 15 points, and Davis had 13 points and 18 rebounds, one short of Greg Oden 's single-game tournament record (19). It was almost enough. Ohio State endured two long scoring droughts, more than 7 minutes in the first half and more than 4 minutes in the second half. The combination left the Buckeyes in a 45-35 hole. That's when Ohio State started to rally around Turner. He scored seven points in a 20-0 run that gave the Buckeyes a 59-50 lead with 8 minutes left in regulation and seemingly had the them headed toward a rout. Not so fast. Illinois scored six straight points to get back in the game and took a 64-61 lead when McCamey hit a 3 with 1:17 to go. Buford tied the score with a layup, McCamey hit two free throws and Turner drove in for the reverse layup that tied it with 12 seconds left to force overtime. Turner was just getting started. ''What a tremendous college basketball game and the turn of events, the changes of momentum,'' Matta said. ''There were so many guys making great plays, I can't remember them all. They showed great toughness to win this basketball game.

Ohio State wins on Turner's last-second shot

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:25:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Evan Turner's accuracy was off, and the player widely regarded as one of the nation's best was becoming visibly frustrated in the final minutes. When the game clock showed 2.2 seconds, those issues no longer mattered. Turner took an inbounds pass, dribbled upcourt and drained a 37-footer at the buzzer to give No. 5 Ohio State a 69-68 win over Michigan on Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. "You can't really practice for those moments, you just have to come out and come ready," he said. The Big Ten player of the year left his arm in the air after the release, confident that the long shot would fall. "I was just trying to get the ball up and get it in shooting range and keep my follow-through, and it went in," he said modestly. Turner finished with 18 points and eight assists for the Buckeyes (25-7), who advanced to play Illinois in the semifinals on Saturday. The Fighting Illini beat No. 13 Wisconsin 58-54 on Friday afternoon. Turner's final attempt was so close to the buzzer that the play was reviewed. When the officials signaled the shot was good, the red-clad section of the crowd erupted. Ohio State coach Thad Matta said he wasn't sure the Buckeyes deserved such good fortune. "It's funny because I was so mad kind of at how we had played throughout the course of the game. But as he let it go, I thought, 'That thing has got a chance to go in,'" he said. "As it kept going, going, going, boom, went in, and obviously I'm not sure it was supposed to go in with how we had played for 39 minutes and 57.8 seconds, but fortunately it did." Turner had shot 1 for 8 in the second half, but took the biggest shot of the game without hesitation. He was surprised that no one impeded his progress as he dribbled up the court. "Honestly I thought they were going to press or something like that,"" Turner said. "The whole game, they were swarming me. They gave me one good look. Being open felt a little bit free. I felt like I was in the gym by myself." Michigan coach John Beilein thought the shot was good right away. "It's not the first time I've heard that buzzer and saw that ball go in, and son of a gun, it looked in from the get-go, as well."" Michigan's Manny Harris hit a jumper from 11 feet with 2.2 seconds left to give Michigan a 68-66 lead. Harris led the Wolverines (15-17) with 26 points, and his big performance made the final result all the more disappointing for the Wolverines. "It definitely hurt,"" Harris said. ""We were excited (after his shot), but at the same time we knew anything could happen. They had two seconds, a lot of time to shoot and score, and that's what Evan Turner did."" Michigan began the season ranked 15th, but Friday's game was representative of the season for Wolverines. "That's a great catch phrase, microcosm of the season," Beilein said. "That's a little bit of the frustration that we have this year. Some things that you can't always control happen to you. It's certainly indicative of some things that happened." David Lighty and William Buford each scored 15 points for Ohio State. Stu Douglass and DeShawn Sims each had 16 points for Michigan. The Buckeyes led 39-29 early in the second half before back-to-back 3-pointers by Douglass chopped the Buckeyes' lead to 39-35. Another 3 by Douglass trimmed Ohio State's lead to 42-38, but Ohio State responded with a 9-0 run. A 3-pointer by Turner capped the spurt midway through the second half. Michigan surged again, and a 3-pointer by Harris while fading away from beyond the key cut Ohio State's lead to 59-57, leading to the frantic final minutes. Matta wasn't happy the Buckeyes let Michigan back in the game, and he hopes his team learned from the experience. "Hopefully this game can shake us, some of the cobwebs out, and get us back on track," he said.

Minnesota upsets Michigan State

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:31:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS -- Devoe Joseph wasn't going to let an errant desperation heave detour Minnesota's NCAA tourney quest. So the sophomore came up with a different plan. He made two of his three 3-pointers during a decisive 10-0 overtime run, leading the Gophers to a 72-67 upset of No. 11 Michigan State in Friday's Big Ten tournament quarterfinals -- and perhaps into next week's bigger tournament. "I was very composed, I was just really excited to win the game," Joseph said. "I was in the zone, to the point where I wasn't really thinking too much, I was just playing basketball." Joseph couldn't have scripted his night any better, though it was an emotional night. Game officials had twice had to separate players, calling a double technical after the second shoving match. And the Spartans (24-8) were playing short-handed after coach Tom Izzo suspended starting guard Chris Allen for not meeting responsibilities to his teammates. Allen, dressed in a white shirt and green-and-white striped tie, spent most of the night fidgeting at the end of the Spartans' bench. During timeouts, Allen encouraged teammates and he embraced Korie Lucious before the Spartans headed to the locker room at halftime. Afterward, Allen wouldn't talk. "He was just trying to keep everybody motivated, telling people to take shots when they're there," Lucious said. "He was just being another coach on the sideline. We would have loved to have him on the court, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case today." Izzo did not say whether Allen's indefinite suspension would be extended into the NCAA tournament. He did acknowledge, though, that Allen's absence hurt the Spartans, especially against Minnesota's perimeter shooters. Joseph finished with 17 points, eight in overtime. He also had six rebounds and three 3s. Blake Hoffarber made four 3s and finished with 14 points, and the Gophers (20-12) were 10 of 23 from beyond the arc. It was enough to give Minnesota a third straight victory and set up a surprise semifinal contest with No. 6 Purdue on Saturday. The defending tourney champs rallied to beat Northwestern 69-61 earlier Friday. The day's other upset came in the afternoon session when No. 13 Wisconsin lost 58-54 to Illinois. The Gophers are hoping they've done enough to impress the NCAA selection committee. "We all watch ESPN and we all see who's on the bubble and we've been in that talk," senior Lawrence Westbrook said after scoring 11 points. "For us to get in there, we have to get quality wins. Everybody collectively gave 100 percent effort to move toward our resume for the tournament." Minnesota could have made it much easier after leading for all but 90 seconds of the final 29:58 in regulation. Michigan State rallied in the final 3:24, going on a 7-0 run to finally tie it on Raymar Morgan's layup with 1:30 to go. Morgan finished with 23 points and six rebounds to lead the Spartans. Both teams had chances to win it in the final five seconds, but 2008 Big Ten player of the year Kalin Lucas lost the ball out of bounds with 3.9 seconds left and Joseph's desperation heave was off the mark. It didn't take Joseph long to make amends. Sixteen seconds after Morgan completed a three-point play to open overtime, Joseph hit a 3 to tie it. Westbrook free throw made it 59-58 and Joseph followed that with another 3, giving the Gophers a 62-58 lead with 2:26 to go. Michigan State couldn't get closer than three the rest of the way, losing for just the second time in seven games. "He put his team on his back and he carried them," Spartans forward Draymond Green said of Joseph. "He hit some tough shots, but tough shots or not, we still have to defend him. He played like a warrior and he rallied his troops." Lucas finished with 18 points for the Spartans. Colton Iverson had 12 points and four rebounds for Minnesota.

Purdue holds off Northwestern

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:30:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—E'Twaun Moore took advantage of his expanded role in Purdue's offense. The junior guard tied a career high with 28 points to help No. 6 Purdue beat Northwestern 69-61 on Friday night in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Purdue improved to 3-1 without all-conference forward Robbie Hummel, who is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Moore, also an all-Big Ten pick, filled in for some of Hummel's scoring by attacking the basket. He shot just 6 for 16 from the field, but he made 12 of 17 free throws. "I just tried to drive the ball strong until someone stopped me," Moore said. "I had to be patiently aggressive."" Purdue will play the winner between No. 11 Michigan State and Minnesota in a semifinal on Saturday. The Boilermakers remained hopeful of gaining a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. "I've said a 1 to a 3, no matter what happens in the Big Ten tournament and I'll stay with that," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "I don't think we're a 1 seed if we don't win it, but we're somewhere in there. To win it, and a team or two has to stub their toe, probably. If we don't win it, we're going to be a 2 or 3. In my opinion, that's what we deserve." Moore played a key role in allowing Purdue to remain a contender for a top seed by getting hot in the first half while his teammates struggled. He scored 16 points and shot 4 for 10 from the field in the first half while his teammates shot 4 for 17. Moore got help from JaJuan Johnson, who had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Boilermakers (27-4). Moore and Johnson were the only Purdue players who scored more than five points. John Shurna scored 16 points, Drew Crawford had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Michael Thompson added 12 points for the Wildcats (20-13). The Wildcats have never reached the NCAA tournament, and their chances took a hit with the loss. "That's not really for us to decide," Crawford said. "We're just going out here working hard everyday, working hard in practice. We do what we can on the court, but it's not for us to decide." Northwestern won the only regular-season meeting between the teams, and the Wildcats looked capable of pulling off another upset. The Wildcats held the Boilermakers to 35 percent shooting, and it took the Boilermakers until midway through the first half to reach double figures in points. "The key for us was just getting a win, not playing well at all," Purdue guard Chris Kramer said. Purdue led 62-58 in the final minute when Kramer turned the ball over on a fast break attempt. Northwestern quickly moved back the other way, and Jeremy Nash made a 3-pointer with 45.8 seconds left to make it 62-61. Kramer made up for his mistake with a layup on the other end. He was fouled and made the free throw with 36 seconds remaining to give the Boilermakers a 65-61 lead. "Nash came down and hit that pullup 3, and we took the ball out and we broke the press, got it to JaJuan and I was diving down the middle and JaJuan hit me," Kramer said. "I don't even know how the ball got up to the rim. I don't know how it went in either." Moore made 4 of 4 free throws in the final 15 seconds to close the game. Purdue missed 12 of its first 13 field goal attempts. The Wildcats made 5 of 6 3-pointers to take a 17-6 lead. The Boilermakers rallied behind Moore, and cut their deficit to 34-30 at halftime. "He killed us in the first half," Crawford said. "They were running a play where he was getting out to the corner and just kind of isolating. He hurt us a lot in the first half and then getting to the line a lot, as well. I think we could have defended him much better as a team." A three-point play by Keaton Grant in the opening minutes of the second half gave Purdue a 36-34 lead, its first of the game. The Boilermakers extended that advantage to 45-38 on a turnaround jumper by Johnson with 11 minutes remaining. "I think that first 10 minutes (of the second half) really was the difference," Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. "Credit their defense. We just weren't able to score." Northwestern trailed 45-41 when the game took a dramatic swing. Johnson made a free throw, and Luka Mirkovic was called for an intentional foul for elbowing Kelsey Barlow in the chin while fighting him for rebounding position. Johnson made the second free throw, and Barlow made the free throw on the intentional foul. Purdue got the ball back, and Johnson was fouled and made two free throws to give the Boilermakers a 50-43 lead. Northwestern never led again. "We did a good job of keeping our composure and just staying in the flow of things," Johnson said. "It started working out for us in the second half."

Illinois scores key tourney win

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:28:00 +0000

; INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Mike Tisdale scored 21 points and Demetri McCamey had 13 as fifth-seeded Illinois hung on for a 58-54 upset of No. 13 Wisconsin in Friday's Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. The Fighting Illini (19-13) are hoping the win solidifies their NCAA hopes. Illinois faces No. 5 Ohio State in Saturday's semifinals. After sharing the regular-season title with No. 6 Purdue and No. 11 Michigan State, the top-seeded Buckeyes needed a 37-foot buzzer-beater from Big Ten player of the year Evan Turner to eliminate Michigan 69-68. It was nearly as tough for Illinois. Wisconsin (23-8) was led by Trevon Hughes and Jon Leuer, each with 14 points. Hughes led a frantic flurry in the closing minutes that got the Badgers in position to force overtime. But Jason Bohannon's 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds left clanked off the front of the rim, Mike Davis grabbed the rebound for Illinois, made 1 of 2 free throws and the Illini hung on. The loss ended Wisconsin's four-game winning streak and prevented coach Bo Ryan from earning his 600th career win. But it was a surprise the Badgers were that close after shooting 28.6 percent from the field in the game and going 6 of 33 from the field in the first half. Illinois took its biggest lead of the game at 46-30 when Brandon Paul hit a 3-pointer with 6:44 left. That's when the Badgers finally jump-started. Jordan Taylor and Bohannon hit back-to-back 3s and Leuer followed with a 19-footer to make it 46-38 with 3:58 to go. The Illini rebuilt a 50-38 lead, but then Hughes almost single-handedly shot the Badgers back into the game. Hughes and Keaton Nankivil knocked down five consecutive 3s for Wisconsin, the last coming when the 6-foot guard hit an arching rainbow jumper over 6-foot-9 Bill Cole with 31.4 seconds left. Suddenly, the Badgers were within 56-54. Hughes fouled out on Illinois' next possession, sending Jeff Jordan to the free-throw line. Jordan made the first but missed the second, giving Bohannon a chance to tie it from the right wing. But Bohannon missed, Davis grabbed the loose ball and the Badgers never got another chance to tie it.