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Nation's Best Coaching in Big Ten

Matt Snyder — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten, Coaches

In 2008, the Big Ten sent only four teams to the NCAA tournament. None reached the Elite Eight The Big Ten toiled down with mid-majors in conference RPI and were nationally maligned as the "Average 11." This past season, however, the league enjoyed a resurgence. It ranked only behind the ACC in conference RPI. Seven schools earned a berth into the NCAA tournament, and Penn State won the NIT. Michigan State toppled the defending national champions and two number one seeds en route to a national runner-up finish.

Don't dismiss it as a one-year outlier. The conference is on a major upswing, and you needn't look further than the coaches in the Big Ten to see why.

With the additions of Tubby Smith, Thad Matta and John Beilein in the past few years -- not to mention Indiana snagging Tom Crean after the catastrophic mess left behind by Kelvin Sampson -- the collective pedigree of the Big Ten coaches is off the charts. You have the recruiting acumen of Matta, the zeal of Crean, the grind-it-out defense of Bo Ryan, the back-door-cutting of Bill Carmody, the national championship credibility of Smith, the nearly unparalleled resume of Tom Izzo, and Gene Keady's protoge (Matt Painter). Top to bottom, this is the strongest coaching conference in the nation.

The other big-time leagues are all too top-heavy to compete with the Big Ten in terms of collective coaching strength. The ACC has Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski, a handful just a small step down, and then some dubious talents. The Big East has five or six really strong coaches, but a bunch of nobodies in the teens of their standings. John Calipari gives the SEC a boost, but they still aren't in the same discussion. The Big 12 has Bill Self -- had Illinois kept him I'd have an even better case -- and I love Jeff Capel, but the bottom of the conference leaves a lot to be desired. Seriously, as an Indiana alum, I'm very thankful we didn't get saddled with Pat Knight.

Additionally, the Big Ten coaches all had strong underclass rosters this season, most losing few players to graduation. They are also convincing players to stay in school longer, because only B.J. Mullens of Ohio State entered the draft early. That's right, there is only one Big Ten player who left school early in 2009.

As the 2009 Spring semesters across the midwest come to conclusion, let's take a look at each of the Big Ten schools and their respective coaches.

Bruce Weber, Illinois -- I've been critical of Weber in the past, saying that his early run was only due to the recruits left behind by Self. I'll stand behind a part of the argument, that Self is a better coach. That being said, the job done this past season by Weber was beautiful. Most of their high-minute guys were sophomores, so many thought they were a year away. Instead, they hung around the top of the conference all season. Weber developed young big men and had his team playing the most unselfish basketball in the conference. The offensive balance will be a big key moving forward as well.

Tom Crean, Indiana -- Going into the season, everyone knew the Hoosiers were going to be historically bad, and they were. The last month and a half, though, showed great promise. The Hoosiers nearly eliminated the blowout loss by the end, and even stayed competitive with the likes of Michigan State and Minnesota. The only loss to graduation is the incredibly hard-working albeit untalented Kyle Taber. Coming back are the more than a handful of freshmen who were thrown in the fire and a top-5 recruiting class, along with last year's top scorer Devan Dumes. The eyes are on 2010-2011, but don't be surprised if they arrive in the NCAA Tournament a year early.

Latest College Basketball Images

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and dancers rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo rehearses in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo reacts as he rehearses a dance routine with his players in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, left, rehearses with director Greg Ganakas, as Izzo's son, Steven, 8, twirls a cane in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, center, plays the accordion as he rehearses with dancers Brittane Rowe, left, Kellyn Uhl, and Stephanie Koenig, right, in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, right, and his and wife Lupe rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is surrounded by Michigan State dance team members as they rehearse in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, center, rehearses with wife Lupe, right, and choreographer Kellyn Uhl, left, along with Michigan State basketball players and dance team members in East Lansing, Mich. Izzo will participate in a Broadway-style show, "Izzo Goes to Broadway" as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony hugs New Orleans Hornets' Rasual Butler after Anthony and his team won Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball playoffs in Denver April 29, 2009. Anthony led all scorers with 34 points in the win. REUTERS/Marc Piscotty (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

Denver Nuggets' Kenyon Martin dunks over the New Orleans Hornets' Peja Stojakovic (back) during Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball playoffs in Denver April 29, 2009. REUTERS/Marc Piscotty (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

Todd Lickliter, Iowa -- Actually, he's getting his teeth kicked in pretty well by the conference thus far, but it's a testament to the strength of his competing coaches. Remember, he took tiny Butler to the Sweet 16 twice and helped lay the foundation for the Bulldogs as a legitimate NCAA threat.

John Beilein, Michigan -- After a couple Sweet 16 runs (including one Elite Eight) at West Virginia, Beilein has quickly erased the Tommy Amaker era. The Wolverines made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998 this past season, and it wasn't just a token entry. They took down seventh-seeded Clemson (from the vaunted ACC!) in the first round. With Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims returning, look for them to take a few more steps forward next season.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State -- I think I have sufficiently covered them: Here and here.

Tubby Smith, Minnesota -- Winning 22 games and getting an NCAA tournament berth in just his second season was merely a sign of things to come for Smith. The Golden Gophers haven't lost a single rotation player from the 2009 roster, and they have a very solid recruiting class coming in yet again. As long as he doesn't take another job -- and he's being mentioned for many in the rumor mill -- the Gophers have a legitimate shot eventually to head to the Final Four for the first time in school history, excluding the scandal-tainted 1997 appearance that has been officially expunged from the record books.

Bill Carmody, Northwestern -- Before coming to Evanston, Ill., Carmody compiled a 92-25 record at Princeton -- including a ridiculous 50-6 record in conference play. He's had a tough go-round at Northwestern, but that's nothing new. The Wildcats have never been to the NCAA Tournament. The fact that Carmody had them on the bubble for much of the season is saying something.

Thad Matta, Ohio State -- The Buckeyes had zero seniors last season. Sure, they lose Mullens, but Matta is getting used to losing seven-footers after one season. It's the third straight time it's happened. He just brings another off the assembly line. This time it's Zisis Sarikopoulos, who will be eligible following his transfer season. The rest of the roster looks very solid, especially with David Lighty coming off injury. Throw in an extra year of growth for Evan Turner, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale, and the Buckeyes look especially strong for 2009-2010. The program isn't going anywhere, either, because Matta recruits as well as anyone in the nation.

Ed DeChellis, Penn State -- They did lose Stanley Pringle and Jamelle Cornley from the NIT championship squad, but at least Talor Battle -- an all-Big Ten first-teamer as a sophomore -- will be coming back to University Park. The valuable experience of playing deep into the postseason will help with the rest of the youth on the roster moving forward much more than a one-and-done in the NCAA would have. With that in mind, you could call their falling short of the NCAA Tourney a blessing in disguise for the good of the program.

Matt Painter, Purdue -- After learning under Keady, it's apparent Painter has tailored himself into a legitimate star coach. People who don't follow the Big Ten may be under the belief that 2008-2009 was a disappointment in West Lafayette. All along, though, most locals knew the real big year for the Boilermakers is destined to come next season. Only Nemanja Calasan is lost from lose who logged regular minutes this past season. With Keaton Grant getting a full offseason of rest and Robbie Hummel coming back healthy, the Boilers will be legitimate Final Four contenders.

Bo Ryan, Wisconsin -- If it wasn't for the presence of Izzo, Ryan would easily have the best background, on paper, in Big Ten play. He's been to the NCAA tournament all eight years he's coached the Badgers. They never lose at home. He has a 94-39 record in conference play, and has been to the Sweet 16 three times. Plus, he can crank that Soulja Boy. As long as he's at the helm, Wisconsin will always be relevant.

So, for almost the entire conference, the foundation is in place. Now it's time to enjoy the summer before getting down to business in the fall. That business is going to be having a prominent place in the national spotlight next March. I'm expecting eight Big Ten teams in the dance.

Nation's Best Coaching in Big Ten originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 04 May 2009 18:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bubble Wrap: The Crowded Big Ten

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Big Ten, March Madness

First of all, allow us a moment to give Penn State some credit. They had never won 10 Big Ten games in one season until they garnered their tenth of 2009 Thursday night. They apparently have a flair for the dramatic, as they trailed by six with under two minutes left. A Stanley Pringle three, a huge offensive board -- followed by two free throws -- from David Jackson, some good defense, and a clutch runner from Talor Battle propelled them to an unbelievable victory over a very solid Illinois team for the second time this season.

So, after Thursday night's showing, did Penn State punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since '01? What about the other Big Ten bubble teams?

Penn State (21-9, 10-7)
Big Wins: Illinois home/away, at Michigan State, vs. Purdue. vs Minnesota, vs. Michigan
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 66
Remaining Game(s): at Iowa, conference tourney
What they need to do: Win at Iowa. If they do that, they'll get a three-seed in the Big Ten tourney. Um, hold on. Actually, if they win in Iowa and Purdue loses in Michigan State (obviously, that's entirely plausible), Penn State will be the number two seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Can you even fathom that? With a conference this good and this deep, the second-worst program -- pedigree-wise -- is behind only the mighty Spartans? Anyway, I digress. It's tough to tell who they'll face in the conference tourney in this scenario, because of a muddled middle in the standings, but after the bye I don't think they really have to win a game. Thursday night's victory along with a road win in Iowa Saturday should do it (as long as Purdue loses to MSU). You can't keep the technical second-place team of the number two RPI conference in the nation out of the Big Dance. You just can't. (Just in case, though, don't lose to Iowa should they happen to pull an upset in the first round)

Michigan (18-12, 8-9)
Big Wins: vs. Duke, vs. Illinois, UCLA (neutral), vs. Minnesota, vs. Purdue, vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: at Iowa
Last 10: 4-6
RPI: 47
Remaining Game(s): at Minnesota, conference tourney
What they need to do: They absolutely have to win at Minnesota Saturday, and that's not an easy task. If they do that, they'll probably get either Northwestern, Indiana, or Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tourney. That would be another must-win game. If they get those two, they will be squarely on the bubble. A second Big Ten tourney win would go a long way in solidifying their spot, but they need to win two straight before we discuss that.

Minnesota (21-8, 9-8)
Big Wins: Louisville (neutral), vs. Illinois, Wisconsin home/away, vs. Ohio State, vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 5-5
RPI: 32
Remaining Game(s): vs. Michigan
What they need to do: A win at home against Michigan should pretty much do it. They have a solid enough resume that a 10-8 record in this conference should do, especially considering their win over the Wolverines would eliminate another bubble team from the conference in one fell swoop. Winning their first Big Ten Tournament game would likely be gravy, but there's no reason to leave anything to chance. The mantra in Tubby Smith's locker room would be: Just get that dubya.

Ohio State (19-9, 9-8)
Big Wins: vs. Butler, vs. Purdue, vs. Minnesota, Michigan home/away, at Miami (FL), vs. Penn State
Bad Losses: none
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 40
Remaining Game(s): vs. Northwestern
What they need to do: If they take care of business against a tenacious Wildcat team at home Sunday, they should be pretty firmly in. Just as I said with the Gophers, though, it couldn't hurt to nail down that spot with one Big Ten tourney win as well.

Wisconsin(18-11, 9-8)
Big Wins: vs. Illinois, vs. Ohio State, Michigan home/away, at Virginia Tech
Bad Losses: at Iowa
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 31
Remaining Game(s): vs. Indiana, conference tourney
What they need to do: Don't screw it up. Winning over Indiana at home -- which should be an absolute given -- seals their birth. If they lose, they'd likely to have to win at least two conference tourney games to make up for losing to IU at home this late in the season.

Northwestern (17-11, 8-9)
Big Wins: at Michigan State, vs. Florida State, vs. Wisconsin, vs. Minnesota, at Purdue, vs. Ohio State
Bad Losses: at Stanford, at Iowa
Last 10: 6-4
RPI: 70
Remaining Game(s): at Ohio State, conference tourney
What they need to do: Man, if only they could flip those bad losses into wins. They'd be sitting at 19-9 with a 9-8 conference record, plus, a better resume than Michigan and Penn State. Instead, they need to do some work. First of all, they'll have to win at Ohio State. This team isn't getting in with an 8-10 conference season record. If they win that game, they'll need at least two wins in the Big Ten tourney to get on the bubble. At that point, they'd really have a legitimate shot. You'd be talking about a 20 win team with a serious list of quality victories from a deep conference.

All told, I really think the Big Ten is getting seven teams in. That means there are two on this list not making it, but four that will. If you like "on the bubble" action, pay attention to the Big Ten for the next week and a half. It's going to be exciting as everything sorts itself out.

My personal prediction is that it's Northwestern and Michigan left out in the cold.

Note: This is assuming Michigan State, Illinois, and Purdue are in. It's also assuming Iowa and Indiana are out (I know, a huge leap of faith there).

Bubble Wrap: The Crowded Big Ten originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Illinois Completes Shocking Comeback

Matt Snyder — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:35:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Northwestern, Big Ten

Thursday night, the Northwestern Wildcats -- looking to crawl back onto the NCAA Tournament bubble -- held a 14-point lead over their intrastate rival, Illinois. Less than six minutes later, the No. 22 Illini were victoriously celebrating on the Welsh-Ryan Arena floor. What made this thing exciting wasn't the comeback itself, but how it happened.

It all started so innocently. A Mike Davis jumper cut the Northwestern deficit to 57-45 with 5:08 left in the game. A few minutes later, and the lead was slowly chipped down to seven. With about 1:30 left in the game, though, is when things started to get crazy.

Trailing 59-53, Illinois' Davis goes up for a what basically amounts to a layup. He misses, and emphatically claims he was fouled. Replays conclusively showed that he simply blew the shot without any significant defensive contact. Thus, a huge opportunity to Illinois to make the game interesting had flown by the wayside. But ...

- Illinois puts on the full-court press and forces a jump ball just past midcourt with 1:10 left. The possession arrow points toward Illinois.

- Illinois guard Trent Meacham throws up an absolute rainmaker from the baseline corner -- and nails it for three points. Northwestern is now desperately clutching a 59-56 lead with 59.4 seconds left.

- Off an Illinois timeout, in the midst of Illinois' press, Northwestern guard Craig Moore travels with the basketball. Illinois now has the ball with 57 seconds left.

- Sprung by a crushing screen at the three-point line, Meacham drives all the way for a lay-in to cut the Wildcat lead to one with 42.6 seconds left.

- Northwestern is unable to stop the bleeding because they are out of timeouts, but they do make it all the way to the front-court and run an offensive set, with about seven seconds between the shot-clock and game-clock. Northwestern guard Michael Thompson drives down the right side of the lane to attempt a lay-up, but has his shot blocked by Meacham. Unbelievably, on the way to the floor, the ball ricochets off Thompson and out of bounds. It's Illinois basketball with 14 seconds left.

- Illinois takes the ball down court and Demetri McCamey hits a 14-footer in traffic for the game-winner. They should also be thanking Meacham for his 12 points and key defensive play in the final five minutes to help propel them.

Illinois emerges victorious, and squeezes tightly to their claim as the Big Ten's second best team. Northwestern blows a golden opportunity to pick up another quality victory for their tournament resume. That resume is being built more and more for the NIT at this point.

Illinois Completes Shocking Comeback originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Ten Update: Penn State Is Cooked, But Badgers Are Back

Matt Snyder — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten

A few weeks ago I did a halfway point roundup for the Big Ten, in which I buried Wisconsin and hailed Penn State to no end. Boy, do I look like an idiot now. Since then, Penn State crumbled, while Wisconsin has done a 180.

The Nittany Lions were embarrassed by Michigan, lost at home to Wisconsin, and handily lost at Purdue. They now sit just 6-6 in conference play, and their RPI has plunged into the 80s. With road trips to Illinois and Ohio State -- not to mention hosting Illinois and Minnesota -- it would appear they are fading back into obscurity.

The biggest problem? My halfway point pick for conference player of the year has been dreadful since. In fact, if I was ego-centric enough, I'd think I cursed him. Talor Battle has gone 7-38 from the floor in the past three games for 19 total points -- including an 0-7 for zero point stink-bomb at Purdue Wednesday night. The Boilers didn't even need to waste Chris Kramer on him, as 5'9" freshman Lewis Jackson did the bottling up. Battle still leads the conference in scoring, which shows how big he had been before these past three disasters.

Anyway, sayonara NCAA hopes for PSU. They are NIT bound, once again.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, is right in the thick of things for an NCAA tournament birth. They've won three straight to right the ship from a near disastrous six-game losing streak. They should be able to handle Ohio State at home -- considering they beat Illinois easily at home last week -- and then win in Indiana. This would make them 8-6 in the conference and 17-9 overall. Their RPI has them in the top 30 due mostly to their herculean scheduling (third toughest schedule in the nation).

In other words, there isn't much reason to believe they'll miss the tourney. What a difference three games can make.

Who?
Purdue's struggled mightily without Robbie Hummel, but Wednesday they were given a scoring jolt from unknown reserve Bobby Riddell, a 5'9" senior who initially walked-on. He received extended minutes due to E'Twaun Moore's foul trouble and Hummel's injury, and made the best of it. The diminutive guard scored 13 points on 5-7 shooting -- including 3-4 from behind the arc -- to help get the Boilers back on track.

Close, But ...
Our own UM alum Chris Burke discusses that familiar feeling emenating from Ann Arbor. It's a shame, considering how well they've fared against top-flight talent from other conferences.

What Could Have Been
Had Michigan State not faltered at home to clearly inferior Northwestern and Penn State teams, they'd be looking at a number one seed in the Big Dance. Instead, with an RPI hovering around 7 and upcoming road dates with Purdue and Illinois, they'll be fighting for a 2.

How Refreshing
Tom Crean didn't appreciate the dirty play of his own Devan Dumes last week in Michigan State, so he promptly suspended him indefinitely. Last season, Kelvin Sampson suspended select players one game at a time without announcing why. We came to later find out about rampant drug use on the team. Do the math. Crean is taking a hard line stance against something much more excusable, despite the fact that Dumes is his primary offensive option. Hoosier fans haven't seen a coach discipline his players with such vigor since you-know-who, and this guy doesn't even get violent (unless it's with the band leader).

Power Rankings/Tourney Watch
As we did last time around, we'll list the teams probability of heading into the NCAA Tourney like they are an NFL player on the injury report (playing, probable, questionable, doubtful, out). Currently, the Big Ten sits second in conference RPI, with many teams toward the top in NCAA strength of schedule, so you can expect six teams to make the dance.

1. Michigan State (playing) - No question.
2. Illinois (playing) - Won't lose more than six conference games.
3. Purdue (playing) - Adjusting to life without Hummel, though it won't be easy.
4. Ohio State (probable) - Not much can ruin them now.
5. Minnesota (probable) - Not playing well of late ...
6. Wisconsin (probable) - We'll see if they can keep it going.
7. Michigan (questionable) - They still have a shot.
8. Penn State (doubtful) - I guess they just belong down here, huh?
9. Northwestern (doubtful) - Hanging from a very thin thread.
10. Iowa (out) - Played role of spoiler against Northwestern.
11. Indiana (out) - Got their conference win. Anything else is gravy.

Big Ten Update: Penn State Is Cooked, But Badgers Are Back originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Big Ten: Halfway Point Roundup

Matt Snyder — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten

With just over a month in the books and most teams having played about half their conference schedule, let's check out the big boys of the Midwest. We're seeing a slight upheaval when it comes to traditional powers, as Indiana and Wisconsin sit in the bottom third of the standings, Northwestern is respectable, and Penn State is in the mix toward the top.

At this point, the conference is very balanced, and much stronger than it has been in recent years. They have a shot at seven bids for the Big Dance, but six is the more likely number.

Most Surprising Team
It's gotta be Penn State, even though there have been quite a few surprises. The Nittany Lions have been one of the league's doormats for the past half decade, but now they are a team to be reckoned with. They still have a bit of work to do on their tourney resume, as their non-conference strength of schedule was awful, but I like their chances. They need to get these next two games against Michigan and Wisconsin before a rough patch in the schedule (at Purdue, vs. Minnesota, at Illinois, at Ohio State). Runner-up: Northwestern.

Most Disappointing Team
It's not even close. Wisconsin has always been a tourney team under Bo Ryan, and they always win consistently. The Badgers hadn't even lost four straight conference games since 1998, but they currently sit with a six-game skid -- after beginning conference play 3-0. Sure, they've played a tough schedule, but do they have any really impressive wins? Beating Penn State at home or winning at Virginia Tech were the best wins, and they both went right down the wire. Runner-up: Michigan.

Player of the Year
Talor Battle of Penn State leads the conference in scoring, assists (he's tied), 3-pointers (he's tied), is third in assist-to-turnover ratio, and is tied for eighth in steals. He carried them for stretches in their big win -- at Michigan State -- and has proven he can hit the clutch shot when needed. Runner-up: Kalin Lucas.

Coach of the Year
I may have given this to Tubby Smith, but the Gophers were just summarily dismantled due to the wrath of the Spartans Wednesday night. I may have given this to Ed DeChellis, but he's been failing at Penn State for quite a while to all of a sudden become a genius. Instead, I'm going with Bruce Weber. Illinois was awful last season, to the point that many believed he may have survived only on the talent left by Bill Self in his first few years. This year he's doing it with youth and balanced scoring. This is easily a better coaching job than his national runner-up, as they were obscenely talented then. Runner-up: Smith.

Defensive Player of the Year
It's Chris Kramer again. There's no one else really close to this pest. You saw what he helped do to Stephen Curry, right? Runner-up: Evan Turner.

Power Rankings
We'll do this in the form of an NCAA Tournament watch. I'll use the NFL injury report scale to illustrate the team's likelihood of playing in the Dance (playing, probable, questionable, doubtful, and out).

1. Michigan State (playing) - They are playing for seeding.
2. Purdue (playing) - When Robbie Hummel comes back, you'll see the loss at Ohio State was an aberration.
3. Illinois (playing) - Not many weaknesses here.
4. Minnesota (playing) - Strong RPI, and they'll win at least 11 conference games.
5. Ohio State (probable) - They are finding their way without David Lighty.
6. Penn State (questionable) - That RPI is still scary for an at-large bid.
7. Michigan (questionable) - Above Northwestern based upon early victories over Duke and UCLA.
8. Northwestern (questionable) - They still have work to do, but they have the potential to sneak into their first bid ever.
9. Wisconsin (doubtful) - It's possible for them to right the ship, but I'm not seeing it.
10. Iowa (out) - Still a year or two away.
11. Indiana (out) - We knew this was a throw-away year, but there is hope.

The Big Ten: Halfway Point Roundup originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bizarro World: Wisconsin Loses Sixth Straight While Northwestern Rolls

Chas Rich — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:53:00 EST

Filed under: Northwestern, Wisconsin, Big Ten

It has not been easy for Wisconsin to lose six straight games. They have two losses in overtime and the past three games by a total of 11 points. This latest to Northwestern, 66-63.

Northwestern lost by 29 to Wisconsin at the beginning of January, but since then the Badgers have forgotten to play defense. Oh, they are defending and their style makes the pace of the game slow, but that does not mean they are playing good defense. Just because the games are being played in the 60s does not make make for defensive struggles.
In the game against Northwestern, Wisconsin let the Wildcats shoot 57%. Wisconsin could not get stops in the game. Northwestern worked the ball around and found good shots as Wisconsin would lose their assignments. Something that just does not compute with a Bo Ryan coached team.

The Wildcats, on the other hand, have now won 4 of 5 in Big Ten play. Northwestern is playing a very efficient style right now. They may not be the most consistent defensive team, but they do a good job of controlling pace and frustrating teams into taking bad shots in an effort to speed up the game.

Bizarro World: Wisconsin Loses Sixth Straight While Northwestern Rolls originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan State Incurs First Home Loss to Northwestern Since 1984

Chas Rich — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:36:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Northwestern, Big Ten

It's not Clemson's losing streak in Chapel Hill, but it had been a while since Northwestern has won a game in East Lansing. This did not seem like the year it would happen. Michigan State had risen to number seven in both polls. The Spartans had not lost a game since getting pounded by North Carolina in the beginning of December. They had won eleven straight games, and had won 85 straight home games against unranked opponents.

Michigan State had already beaten Northwestern earlier in the month. Northwestern had lost five of their last seven and appeared to be well on their way to their usual spot at the bottom of the Big Ten. Naturally, the Wildcats won 70-63.
Michigan State was sloppy with the ball the entire game. Despite a noticeable size and speed advantage over the Wildcats, the Spartans turned the ball over 18 times. They struggled with a 1-3-1 zone that Northwestern threw at them, and failed to convert second-chance opportunities on rebounds.

Even with all of those struggles, Michigan State only trailed by five with three minutes left in the game. Northwestern struggled down the stretch making free throws -- twice missing the front-end of a one-and-one -- and only shooting 3-for-7 before making the final three in the final seconds. Michigan State, though, failed to convert. They could not make the shots and were unable to generate any pressure on Northwestern to force a turnover.

The second conference win doubles Northwestern's total in the Big Ten from last year. This is the biggest win in Coach Bill Carmody's nine years coaching in Evanston.

It was also vital for the team considering the way they had blown a big lead, late against Purdue at home a week earlier. Another near miss, and the best that would have been said about this Wildcat team would be that they were "competitive."

Michigan State Incurs First Home Loss to Northwestern Since 1984 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coaches Think There Could Be 7 or 8 Big Ten Teams in NCAA Tourney

Matt Snyder — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten, March Madness, Coaches

I've been trying to impress upon the FanHouse readers for a little while that the Big Ten is back to being a strong conference this year, but it seems to me the coaches are getting a bit ahead of -- or maybe too proud of -- themselves for it being early January.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber said as many as seven teams will play in the tournament. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo predicted as many as eight.

Alright, guys, step away from the microphone.

In order for a conference to get eight bids, there's going to have to be a ton of unusual circumstances. First of all, the top eight teams are going to have to basically win every single game over the bottom three. With Indiana and possibly Iowa, I could see that. Northwestern, though, has enough potential to win four or five conference games. Second of all, the teams must all have built stellar non-conference resumes, and Penn State, to name one, did not.

I agree that there's a strong top eight and a bit of a fall-off after that. Michigan State, Purdue, and Wisconsin will most certainly be getting in. You'd think Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota will continue on their early season success and be serious contenders. Ohio State needs to right the ship without David Lighty, and Penn State is going to need to win a few of those close games -- instead of just playing Wisconsin close.

I'm a huge supporter of the Big Ten, but it's more realistic to believe six teams are getting in while two good ones -- one of them being Penn State -- are headed to the NIT.

Coaches Think There Could Be 7 or 8 Big Ten Teams in NCAA Tourney originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Ten Roundup: Penn State on the Rise, Ohio State Falling, and Michigan State Up Top

Matt Snyder — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten

We learned a few things in just one week of Big Ten play. All of them point back to one conclusion: This is a strong league, nearly from top to bottom.

Michigan beat Duke at home. Wisconsin went into Michigan and won this past week, yet had trouble at home against Penn State. Purdue made Davidson look horrible, yet they lost at home to Illinois. Illinois proceeded to go into Michigan and lose. The one thing we could definitively say is that Michigan State looks like the best team in the conference after winning in Minnesota. Of course, Northwestern hung with the Spartans in East Lansing yesterday.

Dan Shanoff is one of those taking note of the Big Ten resurgence, as he referred to the conference as "Big East Lite" today.

Team to Watch: Penn State
Wisconsin, coming off the aforementioned triumph in Ann Arbor, had trouble with the feisty Nittany Lions in the Kohl Center -- a place in which they have only lost twice in Big Ten play under Bo Ryan. The upset would have been quite a feat for Ed DeChellis' program. They have an outstanding inside-outside duo in Jamelle Cornley -- who plays like a very poor man's Charles Barkley -- and Stanley Pringle. While eventually they'll need much more balance -- the two combined for 46 of Penn State's 61 points in Madison -- they provide an impressive foundation.

Team in Trouble: Ohio State
As I wrote in the wake of the Minnesota loss, they really seem to need David Lighty. He's not the most dynamic player in the Midwest or anything, but he is a leader and high-energy guy. This situation is a good illustration of what losing a "glue-guy" can do to a team. He won't be back for about another month, either. This could seriously handcuff their NCAA Tournament chances.

Game of the upcoming week: We would be looking at Michigan State's battle Saturday, but I'm keeping this strictly to conference games. We'll have to wait all the way until Sunday, but it will be worth the wait when Wisconsin visits Purdue (1:30 EST, CBS). You can rattle Purdue down-low with post scoring, so Marcus Landry is going to be a huge key for the Badgers.

Other good ones: Michigan State hosts Ohio State, immediately followed by Purdue's visit of Penn State tomorrow night. The Spartans and Boilers should both prevail, but you never know.

Clunker of the week: I hate it when teams play non-conference games during conference season, but usually they are at least worthwhile -- see Kansas at Michigan State this coming Saturday in East Lansing. Friday night in Columbus, however, Ohio State is hosting Houston Baptist. Huh?

Conference Power Rankings After Week 1
1. Michigan State
2. Wisconsin
3. Purdue
4. Michigan
5. Illinois
6. Minnesota
7. Penn State
8. Ohio State
9. Northwestern
10. Iowa
11. Indiana

The tough decisions were numbers three through five, and deciding between Penn State and Ohio State for seven. I believe Michigan State is head and shoulders above everyone else at this point, but the season is young. It was really easy to slot Wisconsin second, and Minnesota slides in nicely at six, due to only handling a crumbling Ohio State team at home. Iowa is not a good team at all, and I now think my Hoosiers can win a game in conference play when they host the Hawkeyes February 4.

Big Ten Roundup: Penn State on the Rise, Ohio State Falling, and Michigan State Up Top originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Ten Conference Season Set to Begin: A Quick Once-Over

Matt Snyder — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten

Just when I was ready to start tooting the Big Ten's horn, again, for being on their way back to a powerhouse conference, Ohio State gets embarrassed by West Virginia and Iowa gets trounced at Drake. Those were quality opponents, sure, but it was a good time to capitalize on the impressive Michigan State and Purdue wins during the weekend prior to Christmas.

Regardless, I have to root for the conference as a whole this year to maintain some level of sanity, as my alma mater has now lost consecutive games to Northeastern and Lipscomb. What a way to build momentum heading into January, huh?

Conference season for the Big Ten kicks off Tuesday night in Mackey Arena, as Purdue hosts Illinois in what is shaping up to be quite the contest. On paper, the Boilers are easily the favorite and should handle Illinois. They very well could. The Fighting Illini, however, have only lost one game all season -- a two-pointer to undefeated and 16th ranked Clemson. Sophomore seven-footer Mike Tisdale has really come into his own in the past four games, and he'll pose a major problem for the Boilers down low. I like Purdue here, but it's gonna be a doozy.

The second game this week is also a stellar contest, as the Michigan State Spartans will travel to Minnesota and get a taste of The Barn. It's really difficult to win in that place when the Gophers are mediocre. This year they are better than mediocre, as they bring a 12-0 record in with a neutral court victory over the hype machine from Louisville. If Michigan State shows up, they'll be a much tougher test, but ultimately I'm taking Minnesota to continue their early season confidence-building roll.

Other big games this week: Wisconsin at Michigan (Wednesday afternoon), Ohio State at Minnesota (Saturday mid-day), and Illinois at Michigan (Sunday mid-day).

Player to watch: Other than the aforementioned blossoming Tisdale, let's keep an eye on how DeShawn Sims fares against two quality opponents at home. He's a dark horse for the Big Ten player of the year, but the Wolverines will have to win home games like these for him to be considered. His leadership and development will be tested greatly.

Pre-Conference Power Rankings

1. Purdue -- The losses to Oklahoma and Duke were a blessing in disguise. This team is now grounded and even more motivated.

2. Ohio State -- They'll have to prove that game against WVU was a fluke, but I believe they will.

3. Michigan State -- Hey, no more ACC teams on the schedule, so it should be smooth sailing.

4. Illinois -- Yes, I'm buying into them. They're young, but balanced and unselfish.

5. Michigan -- As I said above, big week.

6. Minnesota -- I wanna see them beat someone other than an overrated Louisville team. According to my earlier prediction, they will this week. We'll see how it goes.

7. Wisconsin -- They won't get any lower than this, but have they really done anything to inspire confidence against any of the top six at this point? They've lost to the only good teams they've played and barely squeaked by the likes of Iona, Idaho State, and Long Beach State.

8. Penn State -- They haven't been relevant in a long time, but this team is showing signs of the life. The only problem is they haven't played anybody. At least they get to start with Northwestern at home.

9. Northwestern -- They'll take down a few of the titans at home this year with their stellar outside shooting, but there's still just not enough talent here to stay in contention for the league title.

10. Iowa -- It's gonna take Todd Lickliter more time to turn things around completely.

11. Indiana -- Sigh. There's a ton of separation between 10 and 11 here. It really is the Big Ten this year. I have to keep my eyes on the future.

Big Ten Conference Season Set to Begin: A Quick Once-Over originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybe the 'Average 11' Doesn't Suck After All

Matt Snyder — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten, Fans

It's becoming an annual tradition to hate on the Big Ten these days, and in recent years it's been hard to argue. The results haven't been great for the once mighty conference as a whole, even if there was a standout team -- Ohio State as national runner-up, for example.

As we inch closer to the conference season this year, however, it may be a bit lazy -- and even arrogant -- to start slapping the moniker "Average 11," or titles far more disrespectful, on these teams. In this non-conference season, they have proven their worth on several different occasions. This past weekend presented a coming out party for two teams.

We've already covered Michigan's resurgence, as they've now taken down both UCLA and Duke. I was actually surprised to not see them get more love in the rankings, but that loss at Maryland kept them out.

Ohio State should be quickly climbing the polls as well, after taking down two ranked opponents in the past week, neither of which was a home game (they played at Miami and against Notre Dame in Indianapolis). Gary Parrish has them ninth, but they didn't see any action in the official polls.

Adding these two to the expected upper-echelon trio of Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Purdue; the Big Ten appears to have a very strong top five.

As was on display in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, where a two-point swing in one of a few games would have meant the Big Ten's first victory, the lower group of teams is quite strong. Other than my beloved Hoosiers, who are in for a long season, the conference is very strong top-to-bottom. Let's take a quick swing through the teams.

Minnesota - Tubby Smith's got his boys out to an 8-0 start, though they haven't really faced tough competition. That will change on December 20th when Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals ~~visit the barn. That is a really tough place to play, especially if you've never been there before~~. (EDIT: They play in Glendale, Ariz. Thanks for the correction in the comments section). I still predict a Gophers upset victory. Why not?

Ohio State - Luke Harangody actually did play for the Irish, and it wasn't enough to beat Ohio State. Evan Turner was a monster, and highly-touted seven-foot freshman B.J. Mullens will only get better as the season progresses. It's smooth sailing for the Bucks until a December 27th home bout against Bob Huggins' West Virginia squad. I like Ohio State in this one, and they'll head into conference play undefeated.

Illinois - Only slipped against undefeated Clemson by two. They've won at Vandy and embarrassed Georgia. They face one more test before heading into conference play, a likely doozy in the Busch Bragging Rights game against Missouri in St. Louis.

Northwestern - They lost at Butler, but manhandled Florida State -- who just beat Florida -- and DePaul. They aren't going to be a good team, but for the 10th best team in the league they are no pushover.

Iowa - They were blown out by a very solid West Virginia team and lost a heartbreaker at Boston College. It does appear, however, that Todd Lickliter is making the Hawkeye faithful forget about the Steve Alford administration -- which has moved on to, ahem, greener pastures.

Michigan - Already covered their body of work and rise to the upper half of the conference. They won't be stumbling again out of conference (other than that oddly placed trip to UConn in February), so that means they get Wisconsin on New Year's Eve at home with a 10-2 record. The Wolverines are back.

Penn State - Winning at Georgia Tech was summarily wiped out with a home loss to Temple. Ever since the Crispen brothers departed, the Nittany Lions basketball program has been a laughingstock. This team has the potential to change that, but they can't go on losing to Rhode Island and Temple at home.

Purdue - They've lost to two really solid teams, but been exposed in those two losses. They likely aren't an elite team yet, and expectations were just a little out of control to start the season. Still, they are very solid and will remain towards the top of the heap.

Wisconsin - Once again, they are going to be good, but not great. You can expect them to trample the next three opponents before losing handily to Texas.

Michigan State - They've easily been the most disappointing team in the league thus far, but I'm confident Tom Izzo gets them on the right track before February. The brutal non-conference schedule (Maryland, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Texas, Kansas) will prepare them for March.

Indiana - I have to say, losing to Gonzaga by only 16 was encouraging. I have high hopes for the 2010-2011 campaign, and think that next year they can be a fringe NCAA tourney team. This year, however, is a learning process. Learning how to accept blowout defeats is a major part of the curve.

Look, the bottom line is that this is a solid conference once again. While it's certainly never gonna be confused with the Big East, it's right with the Big 12 and the SEC. I'll stand by that this year and allow the upper-tier Big Ten teams prove my point in March.

Maybe the 'Average 11' Doesn't Suck After All originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ACC/Big Ten Challenge Heads Into Final Day as Even as It Can Get

Shiloh Carder — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:37:00 EST

Filed under: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, UNC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, ACC, Big Ten, University of Miami, North Carolina

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is entering its final day of action. Both conferences have won three games. The ACC has a slim lead in points, 405 to 402.

One interesting note is that the ACC was 33-4 at home during the first nine years of the Challenge. They've already lost two home games this year.

Let's take a look back at what has happened:

Wisconsin 74, Virginia Tech 72: The Badgers avoided an upset with a Trevon Hughes jumper with 0.7 seconds remaining. The Tech loss was the first for an ACC team at home in the Challenge in 11 games. Big Ten leads 1-0

Ohio State 73, Miami-FL 68: How about another road win for the Big Ten? Miami's Jack McClinton was ejected after taking a swipe at a Buckeye player. After an agressive run by the Canes, Ohio State mounted a second half comeback and pulled out the win. Big Ten leads 2-0.

Clemson 76, Illinois 74: Clemson puts the ACC on the board with their own road win. The Tigers' Demontez Stitt led the Tigers with 18 points and they used their defensive pressure to force 17 Illini turnovers. Big Ten leads 2-1.

Boston College 57, Iowa 55: Iowa's Andrew Brommer missed the front end of a one-and-one with 0.4 seconds left as the Hawkeyes fell to BC. Boston College held on despite scoring just one point in the final 4:45. Challenge tied 2-2.

Duke 76, Purdue 60: Jon Scheyer came back to his home turf and scored 20 points for the Blue Devils. Kyle Singer was scorching hot late to put the game away. The win helped flex the ACC's muscle. ACC leads 3-2.

Minnesota 66, Virginia 56: The Cavs shot a horrid 31% from the field and the Gophers tied up the Challenge again. Freshman Colton Iverson led Minnesota with 14 points. Series tied 3-3.

That means that tonight's games will determine the winner of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Big Ten has never won this thing but has a decent chance to get it done tonight. There are at four winnable games, even though the ACC is the oddmaker's favorites in each contest. Here are the Big Ten's best bets tonight:

1-Florida State at Northwestern: The Noles are the better team in this one, but they are by no means locks to win on the road.

2-Michigan at Maryland: Can you really trust the Terps? They did beat Michigan State last week, but Michigan has a win over UCLA under their hat.

3-Penn State at Georgia Tech: Tech is usually tough at home and it will be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions fare on the road. Still, it is hard to trust the Yellow Jackets who nearly lost to Jacksonville State.

4-North Carolina vs Michigan State: UNC is the unanimous No. 1 team, but the Spartans are scared of no one.

5-Indiana at Wake Forest: The ACC can already chalk this one up.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Heads Into Final Day as Even as It Can Get originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ACC/Big Ten Challenge Begins Tonight

Shiloh Carder — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:10:00 EST

Filed under: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, UNC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, ACC, Big Ten, University of Miami, North Carolina

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is back once again. This is the 10th edition of the Challenge with the ACC winning it in each of the first nine seasons.

The ACC has won 16 of the last 22 games in this series.

Already we've seen a few games between ACC and Big Ten teams: Duke beat Michigan in the 2K Sports Championship game; Maryland beat Michigan State in the Old Spice Classic. Purdue beat Boston College in the Preseason N.I.T.

So let's take a look at what the next three days have in store.

Wisconsin at Virginia Tech (Mon. 7 pm ET): The Badgers are 0-5 as the road team in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Tech is coming off a tough showing in the Puerto Rico Tip Off. They lost two games by a total of five points and barely beat Elon ~~in the 7th-place game~~ at home. Both could find themselves in the NCAA Tournament in March. Watchability: It is a decent appetizer to get ready for the Challenge.

Ohio State at Miami (Tue. 7 pm ET): This would have made on heck of a football game several years ago. Now it's a darn good hoops game. It will be interesting to see Ohio State deal with the Miami guards and Miami deal with Ohio State's size. Miami is the only school on either side to not have won a game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Watchability: One of the darkhorses to be the best game this week.

Iowa at Boston College (Tue. 7 pm ET): Neither team has big plans this year but both have the ability for a few upsets. The Eagles have won both their previous ACC/Big Ten Challenge games. Watchability: The best part of this game is seeing BC's Tyrese Rice tear it up. The fact that it's relegated to ESPNU says it all.

Clemson at Illinois (Tue. 7:30 pm ET): This is potentially a great game. Neither team is of elite status, but both are solid. The Illini just beat Vanderbilt while Clemson is already 7-0. Watchability: It's definitely good for a flip during the Ohio State-Miami game. Don't watch if you are allergic to the color orange.

Virginia at Minnesota (Tue. 8:30 pm ET): Two teams that no one expects anything from. These are the games, however, that prove the ACC's superiority as the ACC's bottom is usually better than the Big Ten's. Watchability: You probably won't be able to see the game anyways.

Duke at Purdue (Tue. 9 pm ET): Seeing Duke play an actual road game is a rarity. So is seeing the Blue Devils lose in the Challenge (they are 9-0). Both teams have high hopes for the season and the atmosphere in West Lafayette will be outstanding. Watchability: The best game of the day.

Indiana at Wake Forest (Wed. 7 pm ET): This has the potential to be the biggest mismatch of the Challenge. This game was set up according to last year's standings. Wake is extremely talented and extremely deep. Indiana is neither. Watchability: Use this as a chance to see the Demon Deacons' talented squad. Nothing more.

Penn State at Georgia Tech (Wed. 7:30 pm ET): This is the best chance for a Big Ten upset. As usual, Tech is struggling against weak opponents. Penn State has looked pretty good to start the season. Watchability: Only if you are a big, big fan.

Michigan at Maryland (Wed. 7:30 pm ET): Both the Wolverines and Terps have pulled off two of the biggest upsets thus far against UCLA and Michigan State, respectively. Both are as hit-and-miss as you can get from each conference. The Terps, for example, followed up an 18-point win over the Spartans with a 22-point loss to Gonzaga and a 27-point loss to Georgetown. Watchability: This should be a good game with a ton of runs. Worth a look if you have ESPNU.

North Carolina vs Michigan State (Wed. 9 pm ET): This is the biggest game of the Challenge. So big that they are playing it at Ford Field. Interesting note: Michigan State is the only Big Ten team with a winning record in the Challenge. North Carolina is just 4-5 in the Challenge ... tied for worst among schools who have been in all nine of them. Watchability: This game is the best chance for the Heels to lose a game before ACC play. See them get beat or see them continue their dominating season.

Florida State at Northwestern (Wed. 9:30 pm ET): This should be an easy Noles win (again, the ACC's bad is better than the Big Ten's). Watchability: With it going on at the same time as UNC-Michigan State, why watch?

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Begins Tonight originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Big Ten

Chas Rich — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big Ten

With the fall beginning and college basketball just around the corner, it's time to look back at what our favorite teams did during their summer vacations. Some did some good things; some had a bad trip. So let's look back at who did what in our How I Spent My Summer Vacation series.

Today's look is the Big Ten Conference.

The Big Ten did not enjoy a great year. It started promising with Indiana looking loaded for a big one-year run like Ohio State. Michigan State was it's usual highly touted self. Wisconsin, the perennially underestimated team. Ohio State was reloading. Illinois looked competent.

Instead, the conference became overshadowed by the Kelvin Sampson-Indiana mess. And when people did look at the rest of the Big Ten, it wasn't flattering. Only four teams made the NCAA Tournament. None got past the Sweet Sixteen.

The Big Ten, overall, doesn't look that great. Lots of teams rebuilding or still rebuilding. Most only see four teams at most making the NCAA Tournament once more. The good news is that two of them look like potential Final Four teams.

So what happened this summer?
Michigan State
The Drews are gone -- Neitzel and Naymick. It's now Kai and Ray. Kailan Lucas running the point and Raymar Morgan inside are the returning names to lead the team. The Spartans have one of the best recruits in the Big Ten in forward Delvon Roe, and he was widely expected to step right into the rotation -- if not starting lineup. Unfortunately, he was the big topic of the summer with the need for knee surgery. He's expected to be back for the season, but the question is when.

Purdue
Matt Painter is only in his 4th year, but already there are visions of his Boilermaker team to advance further in the NCAA Tournament than Gene Keady did. The team surpassed expectations last year, with a lot of freshmen. Experience -- all five starters return -- and more talent coming in, means the expectations are much higher. It's been a relatively quiet offseason for Purdue. Does that mean the players have kept their heads down and worked all summer or have they gotten complacent and expect things to just go their way?

Wisconsin
The Badgers lost three big seniors in Brian Butch, Michael Flowers and Greg Stiemsma. What everyone with a brain has seen, though, is that at at Wisconsin it is the system and the coach as much as the players. Bo Ryan is continually underestimated at the start of the season and then raises expectations as the Badgers just keep winning. They will play tough defense all season. The offense may be shaky at times, but it will come along. Butch is gone but now it is center Marcus Landry who will play tough inside, and then step outside for 3s. The backcourt has experience and that will help a frontcourt that lacks depth.

Ohio State
Winning the NIT was some consolation after missing the NCAA Tournament. It's the 3d straight year that Thad Matta has a likely one-and-done 7-foot center coming to Columbus. This time in B.J. Mullens. Unlike 2007, Ohio State doesn't have to replace as many key players. There are even a couple returning starters, this year and reserve players ready to blossom. David Lighty a very athletic swingman is expected to break out this year, and he spent the summer not shooting BBs at joggers.

Michigan
Guard Manny Harris has blossomed in just one season under John Beilein. That's good, because, he is their offense at this point. Junior forward DeShawn Sims has to be more consistent. After that, expect the Wolverines to play a lot of kids trying to find the right mix. Center Ben Cronin and guard Zack Novak are the freshmen most likely to see action early. When Arizona transfer Laval Lucas-Perry becomes eligible in December, he should provide a 3-point shooting threat the team desperately needs. On the downside, Robin Benzig of Germany was not cleared by the NCAA to play. Benzig was the classic big man with the outside shot that Beilein thrived with at West Virginia.

Illinois
Bruce Weber remains the coach. Last year, the biggest problem for Illinois was just not having enough players of quality. Too many games saw the Illini fade in the final minutes. This year, there is more depth as Weber brings in two JUCO players to help with the front court. Plus, Alex Legion who once verballed to Michigan, signed with Kentucky, then left after half-a-dozen games will be on the team (whether he lasts the season is a different issue). The team chemistry has to improve with Jamar Smith gone for good. the guard who has had plenty of problems off the court, violated his probation and was finally tossed from the team for good.

Minnesota
There's real optimism with the Golden Gophers. Tubby Smith seems to be the perfect fit for the team and the fans. He's coached up the talent that was there, and has one of the best recruiting classes in the conference coming in this season. Plus, he even has a late addition for 2009-10 with Trevor Mbakwe -- formerly of Marquette -- transferring into the program.

Northwestern
Year nine of the Bill Carmody era and it hasn't been pretty. Last year the Wildcats went 1-17 in the Big Ten. The year before that, 2-14. While expectations aren't high at Northwestern, even they have their limits. There is a chance of at least .500 in the conference this year. They have a solid combo in Kevin Coble and Craig Moore. A five-man freshman class is being counted on to provide immediate depth and scoring options to a team that had little after Coble and Moore. The biggest is Kyle Rowley, a 7' center, and the highest ranked recruit to come to Northwestern.

Iowa
Todd Lickliter got a long-term deal from the Hawkeyes to leave Butler for a reason. This is only year two and the rebuilding looks to be continuing. The defense can be expected to be tough, but scoring may actually be worse than last year with guards Tony Freeman and Justin Johnson gone. The two averaged close to 25 points combined, on a team that averaged only 56 per game. Freeman transferred to Southern Illinois after not meshing with Lickliter. The Hawkeyes bring in five freshmen and two JUCO players to help with the depth and find some offense.

Penn State
Stanley Pringle is still on the the team, the erstwhile library masturbator is back for his senior year, and should be the popular target of opposing fans taunts. Penn State actually returns most of their starters. While their overall talent is at best, slightly below average in the Big Ten, they have more experience than most of the teams that could help them steal a few games.

Indiana
There isn't enough time or space to go over everything. New coach in Tom Crean. Still waiting to find out what the punishment from the NCAA after Kelvin Sampson and whether to appeal. Senior Kyle Taber is the only player returning with any experience -- and he's injured. The recruiting class fled. Players transferred. That left Crean with a small window to scrounge together a couple JUCO players and eight freshmen.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Big Ten originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indiana Barely Beats Northwestern in First Game Without Kelvin Sampson

Michael David Smith — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:09:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Northwestern Basketball

Indiana won the first game of the post-Kelvin Sampson era tonight, barely getting by with an 85-82 win at Northwestern.

Even though they're now playing for interim head coach Dan Dakich, Indiana's players wrote "KS" on their shoes in support of Sampson, the coach who was fired yesterday for repeated violations of NCAA rules. Several players reportedly skipped practice yesterday in protest of Sampson's firing, but Dakich didn't bench any of them.

Indiana clearly wasn't ready to play, falling behind by as many as nine points in the first half and trailing 37-35 at halftime. Northwestern took a 78-77 lead with 2:30 remaining but couldn't hold on.

If you're tempted to give Indiana a pass for playing a close game in difficult circumstances, keep in mind that Northwestern is horrible. The Wildcats entered the game 7-17 and 0-13 in the Big Ten. None of those seven wins is against a Top 100 RPI team; only one of the seven is against a Top 200 RPI team. There's nothing gutsy about a close win over Northwestern.

Kevin Coble was amazing for Northwestern with 37 points, although he also made a crucial mistake late in the game, turning the ball over with 1:31 left when he stepped on the baseline.

Dakich said after the game that the last few days are "Something you wish you never had to go through." Sampson is to blame for that.

Indiana Barely Beats Northwestern in First Game Without Kelvin Sampson originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Ten Diaries: The Mighty Fall

Tom Fornelli — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Michigan Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Iowa Basketball, Purdue Basketball, Minnesota Basketball, Penn State Basketball, Northwestern Basketball

The Big Ten Diaries recaps the previous night's action in Big Ten Basketball, but of course, you're probably smart enough to figure that out on your own.

Iowa Hawkeyes 43 Michigan State Spartans 36

As Charles Rich already told you, the Spartans set a school-record of fewest points in the shot clock era by scoring only 36 points against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday. On the plus side, at least they were consistent, scoring only 18 points in each half.

Also, let's be fair here. Yes the Spartans played absolutely horribly on Saturday, but it's not like Iowa played that much better. In fact, the Spartans out-shot the Hawkeyes by making 30.8% of their shots. The Hawkeyes could only manage to make 27.5% of their field goal attempts.

Looking at the numbers you can find a hundred reasons why the Spartans lost this game besides their inability to score. They had 18 turnovers, committed 25 personal fouls, and made only 3 of their 12 three-point attempts, but what really killed them was the free throw line. Those 25 personal fouls sent the Hawkeyes to the line 29 times, where as the Spartans only took 4 free throws in the game.

Purdue Boilermakers 75 Ohio State Buckeyes 68

I know we're only halfway through January, but I think it's safe to assume that the Big Ten probably isn't going to get more than five teams into the NCAA tournament this March. Maybe they'll get six if things keep going the way they did on Saturday.

Purdue made their case as the 5th best team in the conference by beating the Buckeyes in Mackey Arena. Marcus Green scored 22 points to lead Purdue, while Keaton Grant dropped in another 14 as the Boilermakers ended Ohio State's 19-game conference win streak.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 76 Penn State Nittany Lions 73

Along with Purdue, these two teams are the Big Ten's other candidates to fill the conference's final tournament spot(s) and on Saturday Minnesota got a big road win over the Nittany Lions. I've made no secret my doubt about this Gophers team this season, but a win like this helps me believe a little more, though I'm not convinced of anything yet.

The Gophers did storm back from a 16-point deficit in the second half to take this game. Blake Hoffarber led the Gophers in scoring with 22 points, but it was Al Nolen's play over the final 60 seconds that won the game for Minnesota. With the game tied at 73 in the final minute, Nolen picked off a pass from Geary Claxton and took off down the court where he was intentionally fouled by Jamelle Cornley. Nolen hit both free throws, then was fouled again after Minnesota inbounded the ball, and made a third free throw to ice the game.

Michigan Wolverines 78 Northwestern Wildcats 68

Well, somebody had to win this game, and the Wolverines figured it might as well be them. Michigan's 10-point victory on the road in Evanston also marked the first conference win for John Beilein. Freshman Manny Harris was Mr. Everything for the Wolverines again, leading the team with 22 points and 8 assists.

The key stretch of the game was the final six minutes of the first half when Michigan outscored Northwestern 22-5 to build a 43-22 halftime lead.

Kevin Coble had a career night for Northwestern and accounted for half of the team's points with 34 points and 8 rebounds in the losing effort.

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Big Ten Diaries: The Mighty Fall originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Ten Diaries: Here Comes Penn State

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:05:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State Basketball, Illinois Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Penn State Basketball, Northwestern Basketball

The Big Ten Diaries recaps the previous night's action in Big Ten Basketball, but of course, you're probably smart enough to figure that out on your own.

Penn State Nittany Lions 68 Illinois Fighting Illini 64

While the top four spots in the Big Ten figure to belong to MSU, OSU, Indiana, and Wisconsin, don't be surprised if the Penn State Nittany Lions sneak up into 5th place this season. After only being able to win three conference games last season the Nittany Lions picked up their second conference win in as many games on Sunday afternoon in Champaign.

The duo of Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley looks like one that could give a lot of Big Ten teams trouble this season, as both players had their second consecutive double-doubles at the expense of the Illini. Cornley lead Penn State with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Claxton scored 11 and grabbed 11 boards as well.

The Illini had a chance to win the game after freshman Demetri McCamey hit two three-pointers in the final minute to pull Illinois within a point with 10 seconds left, but his floater in the lane that would have won the game missed it's mark and Illinois lost it's second straight home conference game, and third overall.

Another factor that helped Penn State pull of a big road victory was outworking the Illini 49-24. This despite the fact the Nittany Lions don't have a single player over 6'5 in their starting lineup.

Illinois' next two games are at Wisconsin and Indiana, so if Bruce Weber's already feeling the heat for his teams lackluster play, just wait until they start out 0-4.

Ohio State Buckeyes 62 Northwestern Wildcats 51

Maybe Ohio State should leave the Big Ten and join the Big East or the ACC because, frankly, they just aren't getting much of a challenge in the Big Ten. With their win over Northwestern on Sunday, the Buckeyes have now won 18 straight conference games, with their last loss coming at Wisconsin on January 9th of 2007.

They're even showcasing a new star every game. In their conference opener against Illinois, Jamar Butler scored a career high 32 points. On Sunday against Northwestern Butler didn't score a single point, but did manage to dish out 11 assists and grab 10 rebounds. Of course, Jamar didn't need to do any scoring because Kosta Koufos and Jon Diebler provided all the offense Ohio State needed.

Koufos dominated the first half with 15 of his 17 points coming before the break, and Diebler took the second half over by scoring 10 of his 15 points. Koufos also pulled in 12 rebounds to lead the Buckeyes.

As for the Wildcats, well, at least they're getting a good education!

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Big Ten Diaries: Here Comes Penn State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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