INDIANAPOLIS, March 16 (UPI) -- Brian Butch scored 12 points with four rebounds Sunday when top-seeded Wisconsin eased past Illinois 61-48 for the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis.
The sixth-ranked Badgers led 29-22 at the half and eventually wore down Illinois with it size and defensive tenacity.
Illinois led early 8-4 but the Badgers went ahead for good at 13-10 on Michael Flowers' three-pointer with 10:03 left in the first 20 minutes.
Wisconsin's Marcus Landry had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. Flowers added nine points and four rebounds for the Badgers (29-4), who last won the tournament in 2004.
It was the first time in school history Wisconsin won both the regular season and tournament titles in the same season.
Illinois got 13 points and eight rebounds from Shaun Pruitt. Calvin Brock added 10 points, five rebounds and three assists for the 10th-seeded Fighting Illini, who finished their season with an overall record of 16-19.
