Walton, Michigan fly past Illinois

[March 10, 2017]  Senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. scored 19 points, and Michigan overcame scary travel issues to beat Illinois 75-55 Thursday in the Big Ten tournament at Verizon Center in Washington.

The Wolverines got off to a quick start and maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the game. Walton Jr. hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the second half to help Michigan put away the Fighting Illini.

Senior guard Zak Irvin added 18 points, and junior guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman finished with 17 for the Wolverines (21-11), who advanced to face top-seed Purdue in Friday's quarterfinal round.

Michigan's team plane was involved in an accident while trying to take off for the tournament on Wednesday.

After aborting a takeoff attempt due to high winds, the plane slid off the runway and suffered significant damage. No one was injured, but the Wolverines were forced to arrive late to the tournament and had to wear their practice uniforms against Illinois, with their normal game uniforms stuck on the plane.

None of it seemed to impact the Wolverines, though. They stormed out to a 26-11 lead and were up 40-29 at halftime.

Senior guard Tracy Abrams tried to keep the Illini (18-14) within striking distance and scored a game-high 23 points. But no other Illinois player reached double figures in points, and the Illini never seriously challenged in the second half.

Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10) dribbles the ball in front of Illinois Fighting Illini guard Te'Jon Lucas (3) and Wolverines forward Moritz Wagner (13) in the first half during the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois entered the Big Ten tournament squarely on the bubble and will now have to sweat out Selection Sunday to see if it earns an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Walton hit four 3-pointers in the game, and the Wolverines shot 53.6 percent from the field as a team.

Michigan beat Purdue 82-70 two weeks ago in the Big Ten rivals' only meeting of the regular season.

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.