Here is the latest Big Ten Conference sports news from The Associated Press

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa's Luka Garza is The Associated Press player of the year in the Big Ten Conference and Wisconsin's Greg Gard is its coach of the year. Garza was the unanimous pick for player of the year and for a spot on the AP's All-Big Ten team in voting of 15 journalists covering the conference. Illinois's Kofi Cockburn was named newcomer of the year. Joining Garza on the all-conference first team are Michigan State's Cassius Winston, Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu, Penn State's Lamar Stevens and Maryland's Jalen Smith.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo thought he had seen everything during his 25-year tenure. Then came this season. Three teams with six Big Ten losses shared the league's regular-season title. As many as 11 teams remain hopeful of making the NCAA Tournament. First comes the Big Ten tourney. Play opens Wednesday and the championship game is Sunday.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Multiple late-game lapses over the past month have put Minnesota in a tough spot. The Gophers must five win games in five days at the Big Ten Tournament just to get in the NCAA Tournament. Their 14-16 record makes an NIT bid an uphill climb, too. This last-chance challenge stretches beyond the postseason selection process. Star sophomore Daniel Oturu is an NBA prospect who could turn pro this summer. Then there's seventh-year coach Richard Pitino, whose prospects are uncertain after another low finish in the conference standings.

UNDATED (AP) — Conference tournaments are likely to carry significant implications when it comes to seeding for the NCAA Tournament. Top-ranked Kansas could stamp itself as the heavy favorite to be the NCAA's No. 1 overall seed if it wins the Big 12 Tournament. Fourth-ranked Florida State is trying to follow its first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with a second tournament championship. The Big Ten Tournament features six ranked teams. The Big Ten, Southeastern, American Athletic and Atlantic-10 conferences run through Selection Sunday before crowning a champion.

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