2024 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament: Semifinals Preview

It's "Semifinal Saturday" in the 2024 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. Friday was full of great games, and we hope to see more of the same over the weekend. Here's a preview of Purdue-Wisconsin and Illinois-Nebraska on Saturday from Minneapolis.

We're one step closer to crowning a champion in Minneapolis. Four teams remain in the 2024 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, setting up an incredibly intriguing semifinal round on Saturday, featuring No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 3 Nebraska.

After an entertaining round of games on Friday, we're hoping to see more of the same on Saturday. Here's a preview for the semifinal round of the Big Ten Tournament.

You can view the complete 2024 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament bracket here.

No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Wisconsin

• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS
• Game: No. 11

Preview

• Purdue record: 29-3 (17-3 in Big Ten)
• Wisconsin record: 21-12 (11-9 in Big Ten)
• Regular season meeting(s): Purdue def. Wisconsin 75-69 on Feb. 4; Purdue def. Wisconsin 78-70 on March 10.

Purdue had to scrap and claw its way to a win over Michigan State in the quarterfinal round. The Boilers were tested by a physical Spartans squad, but prevailed 67-62. Zach Edey scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win to lead Purdue. There was a scare in the game, with star guard Braden Smith suffering a calf injury that forced him to leave the game for a short period of time.

Wisconsin has been shooting extremely well through the first two games of the tournament. The Badgers made 16-of-25 shots from 3-point range in a blowout win over Maryland and converted on 10-of-22 in the victory over Northwestern in the quarterfinals. AJ Storr enters the game coming off a career performance against the Wildcats, scoring 30 points.

In the regular season, Purdue and Wisconsin had two tough battles, with the Boilers winning both. Purdue obviously has the biggest X-factor in Edey, but Wisconsin's offense seems to be surging at the right time.

Purdue players to watch

• Zach Edey, senior: Edey needs no introduction. He's on the way to winning back-to-back National Player of the Year awards after averaging 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. The 7-foot-4 center recorded 22 double-doubles on the year and has been virtually unstoppable. The underrated aspect of his game? Edey is a very good passer from the post.
• Braden Smith, sophomore: Smith has been really good at finding his teammates this season, averaging 7.2 assists per game, one of the best marks in college basketball. Where he's most improved is with his shot selection, scoring 13 points per game and shooting better than 44% from 3-point range. The sophomore guard has also improved as a defender, averaging 1.7 steals per game.
• Lance Jones, senior: An athletic senior guard, Jones is an athletic player who is capable of pushing tempo and scoring points in transition. It's an added element to Purdue's offense that it didn't have a season ago. He's also a confident player and has no problem stepping into a 3-point shot. Jones is another scrappy defender on the perimeter and is capable of creating turnovers on that end of the floor.

Wisconsin players to watch

• Tyler Wahl, senior: Wahl is a really talented forward with excellent post moves and good mobility. He's averaging a 11.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He's also done a good job defensive in the post. He has quick, active hands and is capable of creating turnovers, even when defending bigger opponents down low. Wahl also has solid vision for a big man, averaging 1.8 assists per game.
• AJ Storr, sophomore: The Badgers have struggled as of late, but Storr provided a completely new element to Wisconsin's offense after transferring in from St. John's. The sophomore guard can attack the rim and has no problem driving the basketball in traffic. He hasn't had the best season from behind the 3-point line (31.4%), but he is capable of knocking that shot down. Storr has scored in double figures in all but two contests this year.
• Max Klesmit, junior: Opponents will want to keep an eye on Klesmit, as he has a knack for hitting the 3-point shot. He's hitting at a 37.5% mark on the season, not bad for someone who has attempted 136 on the season. He's knocked down five shots from behind the arc in three different games. 

No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 3 Nebraska

• Time: 25 minutes after Game 11
• TV: CBS
• Game: No. 12

Preview

• Illinois record: 24-8 (14-6 in Big Ten)
• Nebraska record: 23-9 (12-8 in Big Ten)
• Regular season meeting(s): Illinois def. Nebraska 87-84 (OT) on Feb. 4.

In Friday night's win over Ohio State, Illinois got production from an unexpected source. Dain Dainja came off the bench to give the Fighting Illini 18 points and eight rebounds. His effort, along with a 28-point night from Terrence Shannon Jr. and a double-double from Ty Rodgers, propelled Illinois to a hard-fought victory over the Buckeyes.

Nebraska had absolutely no trouble with Indiana in the quarterfinals on Friday night. The Huskers knocked down 14-of-31 shots from 3-point range and got 23 points from both Keisei Tominaga and Brice Williams in the win. Jamarques Lawrence also played a huge role, scoring 15 points off the bench in a 93-66 victory. 

The lone regular season bout between the Fighting Illini and Huskers went to overtime in Champaign. Four of Illinois' starters got scored in double-figures, getting 20 from Coleman Hawkins, 19 from Marcus Domask and 18 from Shannon. Nebraska made 12-of-28 shots from 3-point range, and had a 31-point outing from Tominaga. This has all the makings for a fun rematch in Minneapolis.

Illinois players to watch

• Terrence Shannon Jr., senior: Shannon is one of the most explosive players in the Big Ten and is at his best when he gets into transition. The senior guard was a first-team All-Big Ten selection after averaging 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He does an excellent job at getting to the basket and can be a problem in up-tempo games. He finished the regular season scoring 20 points or more in seven of the final nine games, including a 35-point outing vs. Penn State.
• Coleman Hawkins, senior: At 6-foot-10, Hawkins as a well-rounded game for a player of his size. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game during the 2023-24 campaign. He can defend multiple positions on the floor and can step back and knock down the 3-point shot, hitting at a 39.2% rate. Hawkins does have bouts of inconsistency, but when he's also a tough matchup.
• Marcus Domask, senior: A transfer from Southern Illinois, Domask has been one of the top pick-ups from the transfer portal in the Big Ten this season. The senior forward has been a major scoring threat for the Fighting Illini, averaging 16 points per game and hitting a 30-point total in three different games this season. Domask has also posted 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per games on the year. 

Nebraska players to watch

• Keisei Tominaga, senior: Tominaga is known for his ability from behind the 3-point line, connecting on 37.1% of his shots from long range. But where the senior guard has really show improvement is in his ability to get to the basket and create off the dribble. Tominaga is a microwave player and can heat up almost instantly once he sees the ball go through the net.
• Rienk Mast, junior: The junior forward has been a great addition to Fred Hoiberg's team. Mast is averaging 12.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and three assists per game. He has impressive range for a big man and has proven to be a scrappy defensive player. Mast recorded six double-doubles this year and had an impressive 34-point, 10-rebound effort in a win over Ohio State.
• Juwan Gary, junior: Although he didn't receive Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors, Gary is one of the top defenders in the league. He doesn't have eye-popping stats, but his length has caused problems for a lot of opponents. Gary is averaging 11.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He's also a player willing to do whatever it takes to win, whether that's on the glass, locking down on defense or putting the ball in the basket.

Related Big Ten stories

• BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TRACKER: The 2024 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament bracket is set. Here's a look at the matchups, dates, times and television information for every game from the Target Center in Minneapolis. CLICK HERE
• BIG TEN BANTER: Purdue won the Big Ten regular season title and has essentially locked up a No. 1 seed for March Madness. There's really nothing for the Boilermakers to gain in the Big Ten Tournament. Should Matt Painter limit minutes for the starters in Minneapolis? CLICK HERE
• BIG TEN AWARD WINNERS, ALL CONFERENCE: The Big Ten Conference announced the individual award winners and All-Big Ten teams for the 2023-24 men's basketball season. Purdue's Zach Edey was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for a second straight season and Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg and Matt Painter split Coach of the Year honors. CLICK HERE