Big Ten Tournament 2017 scores and bracket: Michigan headed to conference title game

The Michigan Wolverines are heading to the Big Ten Championship game after defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 84-77, Saturday. The victory comes only days after their plane skidded off the runway during takeoff in Ann Arbor, causing them to arrive late for their opening game in Washington, D.C.

Michigan will meet Wisconsin after the Badgers destroyed upstart Northwestern in the other semifinal.

Wolverines senior Derrick Walton Jr. led the way for the Maize and Blue. He scored a game-high 29 points and added nine assists in the winning effort. He grabbed five rebounds as well, and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Michigan was in total control during the first half. It held a double-digit lead for much of the opening period, as Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin looked near unstoppable while the Wolverines scored 47 first-half points. An impressive offensive display by the Gophers’ junior Nate Mason kept them in the game early, though.

Minnesota kept within striking distance. A 17-7 run by the Gophers reduced Michigan’s lead all the way down to one, and they stayed within striking distance for the remainder of the game. The Wolverines led the entire game, though, and managed to see out the game to clinch their spot in the Big Ten final.

Moritz Wagner was the Wolverines second-leading scorer, behind Walton Jr., adding 17 points to the winning effort. Irvin scored 13 and Duncan Robinson added 10 points off the bench.

Mason led the Gophers with 23 points. Jordan Murphy nearly had a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds, and the entire Gophers starting five finished the game with double figures.

Game 1: No. 8 Michigan 84, vs No. 4 Minnesota 77

Game 2: No. 2 Wisconsin 76, No. 6 Northwestern 48

Game 3: No. 8 Michigan vs No. 2 Wisconsin