WASHINGTON -- Derrick Walton Jr. had 29 points, nine assists and five rebounds to carry eighth-seeded Michigan into the Big Ten title game with an 84-77 victory over fourth-seeded Minnesota on Saturday.
Walton had a hand in 18 consecutive Michigan points down the stretch, grabbing the rebound of a Minnesota miss that helped seal it. The Wolverines (23-11) have defeated Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota since their plane skidded off the runway earlier in the week and delayed their arrival in D.C. and will face No. 24 Wisconsin or Northwestern in the final Sunday.
As soon as coach John Beilein entered the locker room, sneaking around the door in dramatic fashion, players rose from seated silence and started jumping around him spraying drinks and screaming, "Hey, hey, hey.