INDIANAPOLIS – Illinois may have dropped its final regular-season game to Wisconsin last Sunday, but it beat Bo Ryan’s squad when it mattered most. The Illini got to the basket early and often Friday afternoon, defeating the Badgers, 58-54, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, moving them one step closer to securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The Illini led the entire game, but the Badgers came within two points with 31 seconds left before Bruce Weber’s squad was able to squeak out the victory. Illinois was led by junior center Mike Tisdale’s 21 points, giving the team its first win on a neutral court all season. Junior guard Demetri McCamey played all 40 minutes and finished with 13 points.

“When you usually lose away from home, your confidence gets shot down,” McCamey said. “But we just wanted to prove on a new season and a new court that we can come out and compete and win ball games.”

But the key factor Friday was the defense. Illinois won the rebounding battle 35-30 and slowed the Wisconsin offense.

“I told them we needed our best defensive effort of the year,” Weber said. “For most of it we did. (Trevon) Hughes didn’t go down quiet, or (Jason) Bohannon, two seniors that have had tremendous careers had some big shots and put a scare to us. But we still won, and the most important thing is that we’re playing tomorrow.”

Much of the success on the defensive end can be credited to the team containing Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer to just two points in the second half.

“The first game, we didn’t know how good he was,” junior forward Mike Davis said of Leuer. “Today, we kind of made that adjustment: don’t let him catch the ball in the sweet spots, be a little physical with him and push him out a little bit. That’s what I did. I kind of pressured him in the second half.”

Illini guard D.J. Richardson showed up big for a freshman under pressure, contributing 12 points while also helping Davis contain Leuer.

“I tried to get my swagger back and knock down shots because I’ve been in a slump the last couple of games,” Richardson said.

The Illini got off to a hot start, as they began the game on a 7-0 run in the first three minutes with the help of Tisdale’s shot and every player crashing the boards on the opposing end. Tisdale was 4-for-5 in the first 20 minutes, putting up nine points.

Illinois grabbed 22 boards in the first half alone – all on the defensive end – and McCamey eventually found his shot to put up 10 points and give the squad a boost, putting the team up 29-20 at halftime.

Wisconsin shot 6-for-33 from the field in the first half, and Leuer led the Badgers with 11 points heading into the break.

Badgers head coach Bo Ryan was upset his upperclassmen weren’t able to complete the comeback, though.

“You got to get it done when the clock’s moving, and we didn’t and we paid for it,” Ryan said.

Meanwhile, the Illini will face Ohio State in the first semifinal contest of the tournament Saturday at 12:40 CT.

“We have another day to live,” Tisdale said. “Hopefully, we’ll have the same thing tomorrow.”