Edey helps rally No. 3 Purdue to 77-71 win at No. 12 Illinois to clinch outright Big Ten title
Zach Edey had 28 points and eight rebounds as No. 3 Purdue rallied in the second half to beat No. 12 Illinois 77-71, becoming the first team in 17 years to win consecutive outright Big Ten regular-season championships.
Nun-and-done: Loyola Chicago stuns top-seeded Illinois 71-58
And if Sister Jean didnโt have any plans for next weekend, well, she does now. Loyola Chicago carried out its 101-year-old superfan's plans to a T on Sunday, moving to the Sweet 16 with a 71-58 win over Illinois, the first No. To anyone outside of Champaign โ or now holding a freshly obliterated bracket โ itโs hard to argue this Loyola team isnโt the breath of fresh air this tournament-in-a-bubble sorely needed. But thereโs nobody quite like Sister Jean to put the whole thing in perspective. The point guard sparked Loyolaโs national-championship run in 1963 โ a win, of course, that Sister Jean watched on an 11-inch TV loaned to her by a friend.
No. 3 Illinois beats No. 9 Ohio State to take Big Ten title
As the Fighting Illini celebrated their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2005 with a 91-88 overtime victory over No. 9 Ohio State on Sunday, they quickly turned the focus to their No. Instead of withering in their fourth game in four days and being without forward Kyle Young for the second consecutive game, Ohio State (21-9) continually fought back. BIG PICTUREOhio State: They didn't win the title but the fifth-seeded Buckeyes overperformed expectations. ALL-TOURNEY TEAMAdDosunmu and Cockburn were joined on the all-tournament team by Washington and Liddell from Ohio State and Iowaโs Luka Garza, the leagueโs player of the year.
Michigan State beats No. 2 Michigan 70-64, boosts NCAA hopes
Rocket Watts scored 21 points and Aaron Henry had 18 to lead the Spartans in a 70-64 victory over No. The Wolverines (19-3, 14-3) closed the regular season getting routed at home by the Fighting Illini, beating Michigan State handily to clinch the Big Ten title and losing the rematch three days later. They were ready to play today and we werenโt.โAdJoey Hauser scored nine of his 11 points off the bench in the first half as Michigan State led 30-26. SENIOR MOMENTFifth-year senior Joshua Langford, who missed much of the previous two seasons with injury, made a 3-point shot with 49 seconds left to give Michigan State a 64-59 lead. UP NEXTThe Big Ten Tournament begins Wednesday in Indianapolis, where first-seeded Michigan may meet Michigan State for a third time.
Michigan St tops No. 5 Illinois 81-72, bolsters NCAA chances
AdIn the opening 20 minutes against Illinois, he matched a career high with 10 rebounds and scored seven points to help Michigan State lead 36-26. The Alabama was a highly touted recruit when he signed with Michigan State five years ago in a recruiting class that included Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Michigan State: Izzo, a Hall of Fame coach, hasn't missed the NCAA Tournament since 1997. POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Illini, who haven't won at Michigan State since 2015, will likely slip in the AP Top 25 after getting upset as a seven-point favorite. Michigan State welcomes the fourth-ranked Buckeyes on Thursday night.
Illinois hires Bielema as coach to lift struggling program
Bielema is returning to the Big Ten and his home state to coach Illinois. Illinois hired the former Wisconsin and Arkansas coach, hoping he can turn around a program with nine straight losing seasons. Illinois said Bielema will receive a six-year contract with an annual salary starting at $4.2 million, and begin work immediately. He became the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his rookie season when Wisconsin went 12-1 in 2006. In January, the New York Giants and new head coach Joe Judge hired Bielema as outside linebackers coach and senior assistant.
No. 2 Baylor uses stout defense to get past No. 5 Illinois
And after an uncharacteristic first half, Drew understood why his players might have been a little unnerved. โIt was a frustrating night," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua started the decisive stretch by making two free throws with 12:51 left. After Illinois made a 3-pointer, Baylor scored five more points and then took control with another run, this time 9-0. ... MaCio Teague added 11 points and Tchamwa Tchatchoua had nine points and nine rebounds.