BIG TEN ROUNDUP Illini, Badgers slated for title contest today

Illinois held off Minnesota 64-56, while Wisconsin nipped Iowa.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO -- Illinois had its 14-point lead shaved to two with six minutes to go. But the top-ranked Illini weren't going to let this game slip away.
Illinois (31-1) held Minnesota without a field goal for the final 4:05 on the way to a 64-56 win Saturday and a trip to the Big Ten tournament championship game for the third straight season. The Illini will face Wisconsin.
The Illini also tied a school record for victories, matching the mark set by the 1988-89 team that went to Final Four.
Remembered Dawn Weber
The Illini wore black bands on their jerseys in memory of Dawn Weber, the mother of coach Bruce Weber who died Friday, and the emotional drain showed early in what became a somewhat sloppy performance. They committed a season-high 23 turnovers and shot just 36 percent from the field.
"We were probably feeling a little too emotional," said Luther Head, who led five Illini in double figures with 14 points. "We're feeling the same way he's feeling."
The Illini, winners of 12 straight at the United Center, got going midway through the first half and took a 14-13 lead on the first of Head's four 3-pointers. They used a 14-0 run to turn an 13-8 deficit into a 22-13 lead.
Illinois led 30-26 at halftime and looked to be in control with 12:04 to go after Head's fourth roof-raising 3-pointer put the Illini ahead 49-35.
Gophers make run
But Illinois missed its next four shots and committed three turnovers, and the Gophers went on a 16-4 run.
Vincent Grier and Aaron Robinson scored all 16 points. After Robinson started the push with a 3-pointer, Grier hit a driving layup, a free throw and two runners to trim the Illinois lead to 50-46.
Deron Williams broke Illinois' drought with a 3-pointer, but Robinson hit another 3-pointer and Grier had a dunk that made it 53-51.
But Roger Powell Jr. converted a three-point play that pushed the Illini lead back to five, and the Gophers managed just three free throws down the stretch. Grier led the Gophers with 24 points. Robinson had 12 and Jeff Hagen scored 10 points.
Williams scored 12 points for Illinois, James Augustine scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and Dee Brown and Powell each scored 10.
No. 23 Wisconsin 59, Iowa 56
Alando Tucker banked in the biggest shot of Wisconsin's season, hitting a running 3-pointer at the buzzer.
After two timeouts with 3.7 seconds to play, Tucker took an inbounds pass from Zach Morley, raced up the right side of the court just in front of Adam Haluska and let it fly.
When the ball kissed off the glass and went through, the No. 23 Badgers raced to the floor in celebration. After a short wait for an officials' review, they had an emotional victory to take into today's title game.
Greg Brunner tied the score with 3.7 seconds to go for Iowa (21-11) when he followed in a miss by Haluska on a 3-point attempt.
Wisconsin's Mike Wilkinson, saddled with foul problems, hit two baskets in the final 1:18, including a jumper that put the Badgers ahead 56-54 with 32 seconds to go.
Iowa set up a last shot with Jeff Horner firing a pass to a wide-open Haluska in the corner. His 3-point attempt went high off the rim and Brunner was there to put it back in, tying the score at 56.
Tucker finished with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting and Morley added 17.
Brunner had 18 points and Horner chipped in 12 as Iowa's five-game winning streak ended in painful fashion.