Michigan State Upsets No. 9 Illinois

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Michigan State Upsets No. 9 Illinois

Associated Press
Saturday, March 11, 2006; E10

INDIANAPOLIS, March 10 -- Michigan State seniors Paul Davis and Maurice Ager took matters into their own hands against No. 9 Illinois.

Davis and Ager each scored 16 points and Davis added eight rebounds to help the Spartans beat the Illini, 61-56, Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.

Sixth-seeded Michigan State (22-10) had lost three of four entering the tournament, including last Saturday's 75-68 loss to Illinois in its home finale. The Spartans will face No. 20 Iowa in Saturday's semifinals.

This time, in front of a decidedly partisan Illinois crowd, the Illini (25-6) couldn't duplicate their effort from last Saturday. James Augustine had 16 points and 15 rebounds, but the Illini failed to reach the semifinals for the first time in the nine-year history of the tournament.

The Spartans overcame a bad start, withstood a late Illinois charge and didn't trail in the final 37 minutes. They held Illini guard Dee Brown to just five points. Brown didn't make a basket until there were 2 minutes 8 seconds left in the first half.

Illinois continued to struggle after halftime.

Michigan State extended its lead to 41-31 before Illinois rallied with a 12-3 run. That got them within 44-43, but Davis responded with a three-point play, and Michigan State scored seven straight points to rebuild its lead.

· INDIANA 61, WISCONSIN 56: Marco Killingsworth and Marshall Strickland dominated the second half, combining for 28 points as the Hoosiers held off the Badgers.

It was the Hoosiers' fifth straight win since Coach Mike Davis announced his resignation last month. Killingsworth scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, while Strickland added 14 of his 16 in the final 20 minutes. Killingsworth finished with 12 rebounds.

Indiana (18-10) also solidified its hopes for an NCAA tournament bid by reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2003. It will face Ohio State in the semifinals.

· OHIO ST. 63, PENN ST. 56: Ron Lewis scored 17 points and the Buckeyes rallied from 12 down in the second half with a flurry of three-point baskets.

The top-seeded Buckeyes, who found out shortly before that the game that the university had been put on three years' probation by the NCAA, advanced to the semifinals against Indiana.

Ohio State (24-4) never led until there were less than six minutes to go, when a three-pointer by Jamar Butler put the Buckeyes up 50-49. Ohio State had seven three-pointers -- including two by Lewis and two by Matt Sylvester-- during a 28-11 run that erased a 42-30 lead by the eighth-seeded Nittany Lions (15-14).

Two free throws by Je'Kel Foster sealed the game with 24 seconds to go.

· IOWA 67, MINNESOTA 57: Jeff Horner scored 26 points to lead the No. 20 Hawkeyes.

Horner's six three-pointers tied a tournament record. He also had six assists, six rebounds and five steals.

Vincent Grier led Minnesota (15-14) with 29 points, the eighth-highest total in tournament history. He set a tournament record with 13 field goals, but the rest of the Golden Gophers shot 9 for 37. Iowa (23-8) will face Michigan State in the semifinals.