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No. 4 Wisconsin faces Illinois in Big Ten semis

Mar 10, 2007 - 3:48 PM Illinois (23-10) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (28-4) 4:05 pm EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan was breathing easier after Alando Tucker overcame Friday's slow start.

Tucker can become the all-time scoring leader for the fourth-ranked Badgers, who can advance to the Big Ten Conference tournament championship game with a victory over Illinois on Saturday.

Despite breaking Devin Harris's single-season scoring mark with a free throw in the first half, Tucker was 0-for-2 with just three points in the first 20 minutes against Michigan State in Friday's quarterfinals.

However, the conference Player of the Year came alive with four 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 21 points, leaving him one shy of Michael Finley's career mark (2,147).

Tucker resurgence enabled second-seeded Wisconsin to move on with a 70-57 triumph over the Spartans.

Searching for their first tournament title since 2004, the Badgers set their sights on Illinois, who they defeated, 71-64, on January 20. It was Wisconsin's first victory at Assembly Hall in 10 years.

The sixth-seeded Fighting Illini are in the semifinals for the eighth time in nine years. Illinois won the championship in 2003 and 2005 and is hunting for its sixth appearance in the final.

After Thursday's first-round victory over Penn State, Illinois limited Indiana to 31 percent shooting (16-of-51) in Friday's 58-54 triumph. Warren Carter scored 17 points and Shaun Pruitt added 16 for the Illini.