March 10, 2007

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CHICAGO (AP) -Alando Tucker showed why he is the Big Ten's player of the year, setting the school's career scoring record and finishing with 21 points to lead No. 3 Wisconsin past Illinois 53-41 in the semifinals of the conference tournament Saturday.

Kammron Taylor did his part, too, scoring all but two of his 16 points in the second half to help set up a championship matchup with No. 1 Ohio State, which beat Purdue 63-52 behind a superb effort from freshman center Greg Oden.

Tucker and Taylor were impressive, too.

Tucker carried over the momentum from Friday's quarterfinal win over Michigan State, when he scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half, and asserted himself immediately.

He began the day with 2,146 points - one shy of Michael Finley - and set the record on his first attempt, when he pulled up in the lane less than two minutes into the game. Tucker hit his first four shots and was 10-of-17.

Taylor got going midway through the second half, after Illinois pulled within 39-34.

He scored 10 points in a 3 1/2-minute stretch, starting with a 3-pointer from the right corner and a jumper that sent the Illini into a timeout with 9:18 remaining. He hit another 3 from the right side to increase the lead to 13 and answered Rich McBride's 3 with another basket that made it 49-37 with 7:16 left.

Warren Carter scored 14 for Illinois, which had won 18 straight at the United Center.