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player ready...A word of advice to the Michigan State Spartans: Better check Ohio State guard Sean Connolly in the Big Ten semifinals Saturday.
Slowed by an ankle injury most of this season, Connolly has come alive at the United Center and is a big reason the eighth-seeded Buckeyes are still in town.
Connolly is a combined 13-for-23 from the floor (56.5 percent) in Ohio State’s victories over Iowa and Wisconsin. He has hit 8-of-14 three-pointers (57 percent). The rest of the Buckeyes are a combined 1-for-8 beyond the arc.
Connolly shot 34.6 percent from the floor and 31.7 percent from beyond the arc during the Big Ten season, both career lows.
“I’m not second-guessing,” he said. “If I’ve got good looks, I take ’em.”
No wonder: The top seed has become a perilous place in the Big Ten tournament brackets.
When Wisconsin lost to No. 8-seeded Ohio State 58-50 Friday, the Badgers became the fourth No. 1 seed to be eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Only one No. 1 seed has won the tournament: Michigan State in 1999. The top seed is 4-5 overall.
Rim shots: Buckeyes guard Brent Darby hit all eight of his free throws against Wisconsin, giving him 189 this year, the fourth-highest single-season total in school history. … Ohio State is 16-0 when it leads with five minutes to play in the game.