On Saturday, the Big Ten had an uneven day in March Madness. Michigan State and Illinois were in action, but only Illinois won. Entering play on Sunday, three teams in the conference still have a shot at a national title.
After pulling off an upset against Mississippi State in the first round, Michigan State could not replicate its success. They took on No.1 North Carolina and did not take care of the basketball. In an 85-69 loss, the Spartans lost the turnover battle 11-5 and were outrebounded 37-32.
While Michigan’s season came to a disappointing end, there were a few bright spots, including Tyson Walker. The Westbury native scored a team-high 24 points, finishing the tournament with 43 total points.
MARCH ON!#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/Tih4o1246S
— Illinois Men’s Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 24, 2024
Following their elimination, No.3 Illinois gave Big Ten fans a reason to celebrate with an 89-63 win over No.11 Duquesne. The Fighting Illini built a large lead early on that they would not relinquish, which included a 50-point first half.
As the Big Ten champions punched their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen, they were led by Terrence Shannon Jr. The Chicago native added 30 points to his resume and was hard to stop, shooting 71.4 percent from the field. Through his first two games of the tournament, the talented guard has 56 points.
After a few days off, Illinois will be back in action on Thursday afternoon. They will take on No.2 Iowa State at TD Garden.