CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Boyd scored a career-high 38 points, John Blackwell added 31 and No. 23 Wisconsin fought back from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat No. 9 Illinois 91-88 in overtime on Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
In overtime, Boyd scored in the paint and Austin Rupp hit a three-pointer to give Wisconsin a five-point lead with 2:33 left in the game and the game was tied at 80.
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With about a minute left in the game, Boyd rebounded a missed 3-pointer from Rupp to give the Badgers a four-point lead. Blackwell hit two free throws to make the score 87-81 with 46 seconds left.
David Mirkovic’s layup with 6 seconds left brought Illinois to 90-88. Wisconsin’s Brayden Carrington then missed a free throw and hit his second 3-pointer, and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Badgers (24-9) advance to the semifinals against No. 3 Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines defeated Ohio State 71-67 in search of a second consecutive Big Ten Conference championship.
Boyd surpassed his previous high of 36 points on November 27 against Providence. Blackwell, who scored a career-high 34 points a day earlier against Washington, became Wisconsin’s all-time leading scorer in a Big Ten tournament game with 144 points.
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Wagler and Milkovich each scored 19 points for Illinois (24-8). Andrei Stojakovic had 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Illinois seemed to be in good shape midway through the second half, leading 60-45, but Wisconsin fought back. After Blackwell made a 3-pointer, the Badgers fell behind 63-67. Boyd made two free throws and Rupp made two more free throws. With just over 4 minutes left in regular time, the Badgers led 70-67. Stojakovic then hit a tying three-pointer for Illinois.
With just over a minute left in the game, Stojakovic rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Wisconsin’s Alexas Biliuskas and scored on a layup to tie Illinois at 76.
Blackwell then tied the game with two free throws. Illinois’ Wagler missed a hook shot, and Blackwell missed a long 3-pointer before the final buzzer to send the game into overtime.
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Next
Wisconsin will face No. 3 Michigan State in Saturday’s semifinals. Wisconsin handed Michigan its first loss on Jan. 10, beating the Wolverines 91-88 in Ann Arbor. ___
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