Wolverines & Spartans pull off semifinal wins in Big Ten tourney

The Michigan Wolverines survived another second-half scare, but held on for a 72-69 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament inside Banker's Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The Wolverines advanced to the tournament's championship game for the first time since 1998 -- the first year of the tourney.

Sophomore Nik Stauskas led the Wolverines with 18 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Classmate Caris LeVert was right behind him with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting while also grabbing a game-high eight rebounds.  Fellow sophomore Glenn Robinson III was Michigan's final double-digit scorer with 11 points while freshman Derrick Walton Jr. posted eight points, five rebounds, and four assists.




Adreian Payne scored 18 points and Branden Dawson had 14 as the Michigan State Spartans defeated the Wisconsin Badgers, 83-75, in the other semifinal game to reach the Big Ten Championship.

The Spartans (25-8 ) won consecutive games for the first time since an 11-game run ended in January. They will meet their in-state arch-rival Michigan Wolverines in the finals this Sunday afternoon at 3:30 pm.