March 15--For most of the first half Saturday at the United Center, Purdue looked like the team with a sparkling resume and best player in the league.
Then the real Badgers showed up.
Wisconsin used a blistering second-half run for a 71-51 victory against the Boilermakers in the Big Ten tournament semifinals.
Center Frank Kaminsky, the Big Ten's most valuable player, sparked the Badgers with his defense, finishing the game with 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Top-seeded Wisconsin advances to play the winner of the second semifinal game between third-seeded Michigan State and second-seeded Maryland in Sunday's championship game.
The Badgers played arguably their best half of the season, putting themselves in contention for a possible No. 1 NCAA tournament seed with a victory in the championship game after potential top seeds Duke and Virginia fell in the ACC tournament.
After falling behind by seven points in the first half against the fourth-seeded Boilermakers, Wisconsin started the second half with a 10-0 run. After Purdue crept to within 46-44, Wisconsin went on an 11-0 run as part of a 22-2 run.
The Badgers held Purdue to only 6 of 25 shooting in the second half and held A.J. Hammons (10 points) scoreless after halftime.
Bronson Koenig finished with a career-high 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting.
