MICHIGAN 73 ILLINOIS 55 F...The MAIZE & BLUE hammers the Fighting ILLINI in the MADHOUSE in Chicago, Illinois!..."CAMPUS HARDWOOD" talking BIg 10 Tourney with Big Dance Hopes on the line for a few! #UM #Illini #Bigf10Tourney

The Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini knew in order to get into the "Big Dance" they would have top run the table and win the 2015 Big 10 Tourney. The Wolverines played with "Urgency" from the get and the Illini Players appeared to be looking for the N.I.T. or Spring Break 2015 or both!

The game was nearly scoreless for the first 1:30 and then the UM came out hitting on all cylinders and all this with a sea of Orange at the Madhouse on Madison. Michigan jumped out to a 12-2 lead only to see Illinois get right back into tying the game at 19-19 at the seven minute mark. That would be as close as the Illini would be the rest of the way.

The Wolverines close the 1st half on a 21-4 run and led at the break 40-23 included in that was two 10-0 runs. UM floated in the 2nd half to a convincing 73-55 win as they shoot the magic numbers of 50 (FG%) 50 (3pt FG%) and 100 (FT%).  Aubrey Dawkins had a game-high for UM with 18 points as his back court mates Muhammad Abdur-Rahkman added 15 points and eight boards with Zak Irvin chipping in with 14 points. That trio of guards simply outplayed the Illini's wave of guards.

Illinois shot 1 for 13 from the arc and 37% from the field as SF Malcolm Hill led the Illini with 13 points. Its just another disappointing season for Illinois and my guy trains their shooter coming in next season in Aaron Jordan (Rivals Top 75) from Plainfield, Illinois East as he should be an asset if he can get on the hardwood his freshman season.

Michigan now will get #1 seed Wisconsin on Friday the 13th at 11am CT at the Madhouse...