INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The memory of a disappointing finish to the regular season is quickly fading for Wisconsin.

Tamara Moore tied a career high with 29 points, and Jessie Stomski had 16 points and 12 rebounds as Wisconsin beat Minnesota (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) 74-64 Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten women's tournament.

The Badgers will play Penn State and Indiana plays Purdue on Sunday in the semifinals. There is a one-day break in the tournament because Conseco Fieldhouse is the site of the girls high school basketball championships.

Wisconsin (19-10) lost 63-49 to the Lady Lions in the only meeting this season. The Badgers have one fewer victory (two) this weekend than in the eight previous tournaments (three).

"You stick with something and you have some poise and you can make it happen," Wisconsin coach Jane Albright said.

An NCAA tournament berth appeared out of reach for Wisconsin, which started the Big Ten season 7-0 and finished 1-8. But Albright said she didn't focus on the tournament with her three seniors -- Moore, Stomski and Kyle Black. She wanted them to focus on winning their first conference tournament championship.

"What I really want you to do is take us to a place we've never been," she said. "That's really what they did. Sunday, we'll try the same thing. I've been waiting four years for the senior class to have a game like this. I knew it was in them."

The Gophers (21-7), the tournament's third seed, will likely receive an at-large bid in a season that saw them post the second-best turnaround in NCAA history.

After finishing 8-20 overall and 1-15 in the Big Ten a year ago, the Gophers earned a national ranking and an 11-5 conference record.

"This is a chance for us to regroup and get us focused and ready to play for the postseason," said Minnesota coach Brenda Oldfield.

The Badgers shut down Lindsay Whalen, the Big Ten's second-leading scorer and player of the year. Whalen went 3-for-11 and finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Wisconsin went ahead for good early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Black. Minnesota made four consecutive free throws to make it 53-50 with 11:20 remaining.

The Badgers held a nine-point lead but a basket by Corrin Von Wald made it 65-60. But Wisconsin went on a 9-0 run and sealed the victory.

"Everything we asked them to do, every game plan we had was exceptional," Albright said.

A tournament bid now seems likely, Albright said.

"It's a pretty easy decision for our committee," she said.

Moore added nine assists, shot 8-for-15 from the floor and made 10 of 11 turnovers. She also had the defensive assignment on Whalen, and limited her touches by taking her out of the transition game and keeping her off the free-throw line.

Janel McCarville led the Gophers with 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Von Wald had 16 points.

"You've got to be able to have more than a couple of players step up," Oldfield said.

Kristi Seeger added 10 for Wisconsin.