Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk hoops from Conseco Fieldhouse here.

Photos here.

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Even though Illinois and Wisconsin had already started their game, the buzz inside Conseco Fieldhouse wasn't about Illinois' 7-0 run to start the game. The place was still going crazy about Evan Turner's buzzer-beater to edge Michigan in the first quarterfinal Friday.

"That was amazing, that's what I wanted to see, something like that, that was incredible," former Illini forward Roger Powell said from his seat behind the Illinois bench. "It's cool, he's a great player and I heard he's a great kid, so I'm real excited for him."

Those outside the Ohio State program continue to be amazed at the season the Big Ten Player of the Year is having. But what about the guys who see him every day?

"Sometimes I get caught up just watching him on the court, but he made a big bucket," Buckeyes guard Jon Diebler said. "He's got the triple-double, got a game-winner, I don't know what else he has to prove on the basketball court."

Inside the Illinois locker room, the Illini players were watching the Ohio State-Michigan thriller, oohing and ahhing like any other fan.

"We got to watch the last couple of seconds," Illinois' Mike Davis said. "We saw (Michigan's) Manny (Harris) hit that big shot, then guys were talking about 'Diebler's gonna hit the shot, or Evan's gonna hit it.'

"We said, 'Oh' when Manny hit it, we thought we were gonna play Michigan. Evan came down, he's so clutch, the best player in the country and when he made it we went 'Oh' and we were jumping around wondering was it good."

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For his part, Davis (10 points, 10 rebounds) said he was glad Turner's heroics turned into an Ohio State win. He wants another crack at the team that beat his Illini twice this season by an average of 17.5 points per game.

"We lost to them twice, why not play them a third time, get another crack at them, top-five team in the country, should be fun," Davis said.

Davis might be on to something. Had the Illini played and lost to Michigan, that might set them back in their hopes for an NCAA tournament berth. Lose to the highly regarded Buckeyes and the backlash isn't as bad.

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When the Illini and Buckeyes take the floor today, Ohio State is playing for more than a berth in the Big Ten title game. Thad Matta's squad is still in consideration for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and a trip to the Big Ten championship game would certainly enhance its resume.

"We hear about it, but we don't really talk about it that much," Diebler said. "It's hard to completely block out what people are saying about potentially getting a 1 seed or a 2 seed, but our focus is on getting better for the next game. Tonight, we didn't have the focus we needed for the game. We played maybe half a game against a dangerous Michigan team that's fighting to keep playing. We've got to come out and play hard all 40 minutes."

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For as joyous as Ohio State's postgame celebration was, the one in the Michigan locker room was the opposite. The Wolverines went from thinking they had beaten the Buckeyes when Harris nailed a short jumper with 2.2 seconds left to crushed when Turner's half-courter went through the hoop.

"It definitely hurt," Harris said. "We were excited, but at the same time we knew anything could happen. They had two seconds, a lot of time to shoot and score and that's what Evan Turner did. He made the big shot, but it definitely hurt."

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Powell, the former Illini forward who helped Illinois reach the national title game in 2005, has been playing professionally in Spain. But an injury cut his season short, which is why he was able to attend Friday's game.

"I broke my cheekbone in three different places," he said. "They told me I was done for the season so I came home.

"I'm doing a lot of ministry work with the youth and that's pretty much what I'll be doing until I get healthy again."

Powell is living in the Chicago area with hopes of continuing his career in the U.S. or abroad again, whatever opportunity presents itself.

"My agent is always talking to teams," he said. "I had a decent season overseas so we'll see what happens."

Powell has kept tabs on the Illini from afar, and like most fans he isn't thrilled with how the season has gone.

"I've been keeping up with them, I'm real disappointed with the last couple games we lost, but I bleed orange and blue, so I hope they pull something off," he said.

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D.J. Richardson's first half wasn't a Freshman of the Year performance. He played nine minutes, committed two fouls and had four turnovers.

"He got in a little foul trouble and we told him we needed him for this game, needed him to make plays," fellow freshman Brandon Paul said.

Richardson took note. He finished with 12 points and hit a clutch three-pointer and free throws down the stretch.

"Coach was just telling me to stay focused and get back out here ready to play, that's what I did and I think I was mentally tough and ready to make shots," Richardson said.

Entering Friday's game, Richardson had been struggling with his shot, going 9 for his last 34 in the last four games.

"I had to get my swagger back some type of way," Richardson said. "Games down the (stretch) I was in a shooting slump and I think I shot 50 percent from the field tonight and played like I was a sophomore."

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Another hot shooter for Illinois on Friday was Mike Tisdale. The 7-foot-1 Riverton native went 8 of 10 from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers, his second and third treys of the season.

"Wisconsin's style of play, if you screen and pop it's open all day," Davis said of Tisdale (21 points, eight rebounds). "He was hot today, made a lot of shots for us and was probably key in us winning the game. Coach tells him to shoot the three, but he's more mid-range. His mid-range is unstoppable."

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With his famous father keeping a watchful eye from a luxury suite inside Conseco Fieldhouse, Jeff Jordan stepped to the free throw line with Illinois leading by two in the final minute.

" 'Just make it,' that was the first thing that popped in (my head)," Jordan said. "I wanted to relax myself. It was a long pause while they were looking at the video. I was just trying to focus on the free throw."

He made the first one before the second one rimmed out, but the Illini were able to hold on.

"I haven't been in that situation since high school," Jordan said. "I wanted to shoot it, I wanted to grab the ball once I saw it was loose and I'm just glad I got the chance to knock it down."

What will Michael Jordan say about his son's performance in the clutch?

"He's gonna yell at me about the second one but it was good for one to go down," Jeff Jordan said.

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As has been the case all season, Ohio State's starters hardly left the floor. Diebler, Turner, David Lighty and William Buford each played 40 minutes, The fifth starter, Dallas Lauderdale (16 minutes) alternated with Kyle Madsen (24 minutes).

Friday's game was the first for the Buckeyes in 10 days. Their last game was March 2 against Illinois.

"I think we got our legs back, we feel pretty good," Diebler said. "Getting back into the game mode and getting up to speed, practice isn't going to be exactly like a game, we're gonna have different defenders and getting back into the routine of having games on a daily basis is gonna help."

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During a timeout in the Illinois-Wisconsin game, the "Kiss Camera" made its way around Conseco Fieldhouse, encouraging fans to kiss the significant other sitting next to them. Most obliged, except for one defiant Wisconsin fan. She offered a one-finger salute to the camera.

A pair of Illinois fans were up next and Craig Cunningham quickly took out a ring, got down on one knee and proposed to his sweetheart, Rachael Puente.

"I had no idea he was gonna do the 'Kiss Cam' and then propose," Puente said shortly after the big moment. "I guess I couldn't say no. I was gonna say yes anyway. I had a feeling it was coming. He started getting really fidgety and nervous and I was like, 'We're up nine points, I think we're OK. I don't think they're gonna blow it.' "

Puente and Cunningham are both Illinois graduates and each practices law in Indiana. Cunningham, originally from Mattoon, works in Indianapolis. Puente, a Chicago native, works in Lafayette.

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Northwestern's loss to Purdue likely ended any hope for the Wildcats to make it as an at-large entrant into the NCAA tournament. But the 20-13 Wildcats have a great shot at being selected to participate in the NIT.

"It was a disappointing loss for us, but knowing that we have a great chance to make it to a postseason tournament, that's a good feeling," Northwestern guard Michael Thompson said. "Still, this is going to be in the back of our minds. We have a long ride home now. We have to work hard and continue to get better and just make the best of what we can and try to win the next tournament that we're in."