Cockburn scores 26 as No. 3 Illinois beats No. 5 Iowa, advances to Big 10 title game

INDIANAPOLIS » Kofi Cockburn scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, and No. 3 Illinois beat No. 5 Iowa 82-71 on Saturday to advance to the Big Ten Tournament title game.

The Fighting Illini (226) have won six straight, with three coming against top-10 foes. If Illinois wins one more, against No. 9 Ohio State, it would claim its first tourney title since 2005.

Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 points for Illinois, and reserve guard Andre Curbelo finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Luka Garza had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Iowa (21-7). Jordan Bohannon scored 20 points.

NO. 9 OHIO STATE 68, NO. 4 MICHIGAN 67 » Duane Washington Jr. scored 24 points, E.J. Liddell had 18 and Ohio State held off Michigan to advance to the Big Ten Tournament championship.

The Buckeyes (21-8) will play their fourth game in four days against No. 3 Illinois on Sunday.

Michigan managed to cut a 13-point deficit to one in the final 4 ½ minutes. After a third consecutive Buckeyes turnover in the final 90 seconds, Mike Smith’s long jumper with 2 seconds left bounced off the back of the rim and time expired in the scramble for the loose ball.

Hunter Dickinson had 21 points and eight rebounds for the Wolverines (20-4), who played without Isaiah Livers after he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Ohio State forward Kyle Young sat out after he was hit in the head with an inadvertent elbow against Purdue.

NO. 6 ALABAMA 73, TENNESSEE 68 » Herbert Jones had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, helping Alabama rally for the win.

Jahvon Quinerly had 19 points for the Crimson Tide, including two free throws with 15.5 seconds left.

Top-seeded Alabama (236) faces LSU in Sunday’s championship in search of its first SEC Tournament title since 1991.

Tennessee (18-8) awaits an NCAA Tournament seeding on Sunday.

Trailing 48-33 with 16:56 remaining, the Crimson Tide stormed back to lead 60-59 with 5:26 left.

Keon Johnson had 20 points for Tennessee, and Jaden Springer finished with 18.

LSU 78, NO. 8 ARKANSAS 71 » Cameron Thomas scored 21 points, and LSU reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the first time since 1993.

The Tigers (18-8) will play No. 6 Alabama on Sunday looking to improve their NCAA Tournament seeding even more. LSU has won this tournament only once — back in 1980.

Javonte Smart scored 19 points for LSU, and Darius Days had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Marcus Moody tied his season high with 28 points for Arkansas (22-6). Justin Smith added 21.