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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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Transition to Football Gaining Popularity

Matt Snyder — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Duke, Penn State, Washington, ACC, Big Ten, Pac-10, NBA Prospects, Rumors

The few weeks after the NCAA Basketball season concludes are traditionally chock full of player movement announcements -- new recruits, transfers, entry entrants into the NBA draft, etc. This year has been no exception, but there is a trend gaining more steam. Having a collegiate basketball player become a football player isn't a new thing. Antonio Gates is an All-Pro tight end who didn't play a snap of college football, for example.

Still, the movement from football to basketball seems to be increasing in recent weeks. It makes sense, considering the speed, quickness and agility needed in both. For post players in basketball, they've become accustomed to a physical game anyway, and have the necessary strength-athleticism combo for a position like tight end. Here are four currently considering the shift:

Greg Paulus - Duke's former point guard is supposedly considering entering the NFL draft -- where the Packers are interested -- tranferring to Michigan to play football, or staying at Duke to play football. That's probably not all he's considering, but the high school All-American quarterback definitely has options. Holding a clipboard for the Packers, playing quarterback in the Big House, or playing wide receiver on a famiilar campus all seem appealing to varying degrees, so we'll see how he chooses. Of course, you could argue picking basketball over football was the wrong move in the first place, so there is precedent for a sub-par decision.

Jamelle Cornley - Here's a guy who played basketball like it was football at times. At 6-foot-4, 248-pounds, he definitely has the frame to take on the more physical sport. Apparently, he never got the chance to try his hand at the gridiron because his father didn't allow it when Jamelle was growing up. Now, after leading the Penn State Nittany Lions to an NIT Championship as a senior, Cornely is reportedly considering a go-round in pads. In fact, he would have a year of collegiate football eligibility, so it's possible he's added to the fray at Penn State for next season. He's also considering his NBA, NFL and overseas basketball options.

Jon Brockman - Friday night during his on-air visit with the Seattle Mariners broadcast team, Brockman mentioned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had contacted him and were very interested in the big man. He hasn't even been on a football field competitively since junior high. He said he played some receiver and some lineman. So that narrows it down, I guess? Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 255, though, makes Brockman yet another perfect tight end candidate, should he answer the Bucs' call. For what it's worth, he said he wanted to keep pursuing basketball, but if that didn't work out he'd certainly give football a try. Can't say I blame him.

Fendi Onobun - The former Arizona forward has never played football, but he's got the body for it (6-foot-6, 250 pounds). Onobun played basketball like a football player as well, but he had much less grace than Cornley. Unlike Cornley, he has no chance of playing in the NBA, so the NFL would be his only route, should he wish to make money in America playing a sport. He's currently learning the game, and has worked out for the Patroits, Panthers and Bills. His potential position? You guessed it: Tight end.

Transition to Football Gaining Popularity originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penn State Cancels Out Its Illinois Win

Chris Burke — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Iowa, Penn State, Big Ten

The NCAA bubble is a fickle mistress. One day -- literally, for one day -- Penn State appeared to be an NCAA Tournament lock after Thursday night's shocking come-from-behind win over Illinois. Less than 48 hours after that miracle, Penn State's profile looks shaky again following a 75-67, double-overtime loss at Iowa.

Penn State nearly pulled off another Houdini job against the Hawkeyes. Iowa led 51-42 with two minutes left when Nittany Lions point guard Talor Battle decided to take over. Battle scored the next 11 Penn State points, while Iowa got sloppy with the ball, and the Lions actually surged ahead 56-54 just 34 seconds from the final buzzer. Iowa tied it, Battle missed a last-ditch three-pointer and on to extra sessions the two teams went.

Iowa 75, Penn State 67 (2 OT): Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

A back-and-forth first overtime ended knotted at 72, but Iowa slowly pulled away in the second overtime, despite a short bench. The dagger came when Jake Kelly banked him a deep three with 55 seconds left -- his second bank-job in the overtimes. Penn State scored just three points in the second OT, on a Battle trifecta 37 seconds in.

So the Big Ten's bubble keeps on bobbling. Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue are locks, with Wisconsin and Ohio State almost certainly in as well.

Beyond that, the pecking order looked to be Penn State-Minnesota-Michigan, in that order, heading into Saturday. Then Michigan won in Minneapolis, Penn State imploded at Iowa, and you'd have to think things now sit Michigan-Penn State-Minnesota. The Wolverines lost at Iowa just a couple weeks back, but this defeat hurts Penn State worse than that one hurt Michigan, given the Nittany Lions' shaky computer numbers.

Penn State finished 10-8 in a solid Big Ten, and has 21 wins overall. But if the Nittany Lions, who have a bye out of the Big Ten conference tournament's first round, lose in the quarterfinals, there's a better-than-good chance that they'll be sitting the NCAA Tournament out.

Penn State Cancels Out Its Illinois Win originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:40:00 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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Battle Sparks Penn State Pandemonium

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:20:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Penn State, Big Ten, Fans

With less than two minutes left, the Penn State Nittany Lions trailed Illinois by six points at home. WIth their NCAA tournament hopes likely needing a nice little boost, this seemed like the most important 120 seconds of Penn State's season. So Stanley Pringle stepped up with a 3-pointer. David Jackson had an incredible offensive rebound in traffic, following it with two free throws. Penn State got a defensive stop, but turned it over on offense. They immediately fouled Illinois forward Mike Davis. The rest? Well, just watch.

You have to love the dramatic effect of the ball bouncing around the rim ever-so-slightly before going home for the Nittany Lions victory, no?

Talor Battle has been in the conversation for Big Ten player of the year for a while, and this is just another addition to his resume, despite the overall poor shooting performance. He illustrates why every basketball team should have a set-in-stone go-to guy. He can be 4-16 from the floor (which Battle was), but you still know who needs to take the big shot. Kudos to Penn State for recognizing this.

Also, there are many who would say the students and fans should not have stormed the court, but I'm all about it here. Penn State has never won 10 Big Ten games in a season until now. They haven't been to the NCAA tournament since their current seniors were in eighth grade -- and it's not exactly like the Penn State basketball program is storied.

Have your fun, PSU students, you deserve it. You are about to go dancing.

Battle Sparks Penn State Pandemonium originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NIT or NCAA: Penn State Nittany Lions

Matt Snyder — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Penn State, Big Ten, March Madness

It's bubble time in college hoops, so FanHouse is here to determine whose gets popped and who rides the bubble to the Big Dance. Check back for more NCAA or NIT calls.

Team: Penn State Nittany Lions

Record: 19-8 (8-6 Big Ten)

Good Wins: at Michigan State, at Illinois, vs. Purdue, vs. Minnesota

Bad Losses: Really, none. I guess you could say that neutral loss to Rhode Island didn't help matters.

Comments: Penn State has fared better than several of its similars in Big Ten play, but the problem is its work in non-conference play. Temple and Rhode Island were the only non-conference teams they played who currently reside in the RPI top 100 -- and Penn State lost both of those contests. Neither was a road game. The best win outside the conference came against Mount St. Mary's.

What the Nittany Lions really have going for them is their overall strong showing in what has proven to be a very solid conference this season. Of their four remaining regular season games -- at Ohio State, vs. Indiana, vs. Illinois, at Iowa -- they'll need to split at the very least. Winning three of the four would go a long way in solidifying a spot.

If they can get solid inside-outside play from Talor Battle and Jamelle Cornley, Ed DeChellis and his troops will find themselves in great position to go dancing for the first time in several years.

Other Views: Penn State currently sits 62nd in RPI, Bracketology has them as one of the last four teams in, the State of College Basketball has them 62nd and rising, and the Nittany Lions currently sit at 54 in the Sagarin Ratings. Pretty much every single place you look has them firmly planted on the bubble.

Verdict: As of today, I'd have them squeaking in the NCAA by the skin of their teeth, but they have a good amount of work to do in order to complete their tourney resume. It begins with a huge contest Tuesday night in a nationally telecast tilt with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Winning that one would give the Nittany Lions another RPI top 50 win (for now) in addition to chalking up another quality road win. Needless to say, it's a big one.

NIT or NCAA: Penn State Nittany Lions originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penn State and Illinois Conspire to Avoid Playing Any Offense

Chas Rich — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:16:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Penn State, Big Ten

Is there some by-law in the Big Ten charter I am unaware of, that demands at least one incredibly inept offensive game between conference teams each year? Last year Michigan State and Iowa did their part by combining for 79 points. This year, Penn State and Illinois successfully topped that by combining for a dismal 71 points as Penn State came away with a 38-33 win.

The win actually keeps Penn State's chances to make an argument to be in the running for an at-large bid with a record of 8-6 in the conference and 19-8 overall. The problem is that they played a completely pathetic non-con schedule and went 0-2 against the Atlantic 10. So even with excellent wins at Michigan State, at Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota; the Nittany Lions find themselves with an RPI in the high 60s.
There is probably no way to truly explain how awful this game was, short of some Clockwork Orange torture session to make you watch. So, just the lowlights.

Penn State had the same number of made shots (13) as they did turnovers.

Illinois also had the same number of made shots (15) as turnovers.

The two teams combined to shoot 28-for-96 (29.17 percent).

Illinois shot zero free throws for the entire game.

The halftime score was 17-15 Penn State.

With Penn State taking a 17-13 lead with 3:14 left in the first half, the Lions did not score until 2:54 into the second half (6:08 scoreless minutes). In that span, Illinois only managed to take a two-point lead.

Illinois built what seemed like -- for this game -- an insurmountable 29-20 lead with 10:21 left in the game. The Illini could only manage four points the rest of the game.

In that final 10:21, Illinois turned the ball over six times and shot 2-for-9 -- at home.

Until that final 10:21, Penn State shot 8-for-35 (22.9 percent). Their hot streak of 5-for-11 raised their shooting to 28.3 percent.

This was Illinois' lowest scoring total since 33-31 loss to Minnesota. In 1947.

It was the lowest-scoring Division I basketball game since Monmouth beat Princeton, 41-21 in 2005.

Just an epic game of badness.

Penn State and Illinois Conspire to Avoid Playing Any Offense originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minnesota Falls at Penn State

Matt Snyder — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Penn State, Big Ten

Penn State defeated Minnesota Saturday, 68-63, as Talor Battle returned to the "leading scorer" column with 21 points to lead the Nittany Lions. The bubble watch implications, however, were much more important than the actual game results.

It once looked like a foregone conclusion that Minnesota was on their way to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005. Now, Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers have lost three of their last four games. In fact, they have gone 3-5 since running their record to 16-1 -- and two of those three wins were against conference doormat Indiana.

Minnesota still sits in decent shape, having a 19-6 overall record and still sporting a winning record in the conference. Their RPI is in good enough shape that they'd make the Big Dance should it start today. Of course, they've been pretty bad on the road of late, and still have to visit Michigan and Illinois -- not to mention hosting a now-rejuvenated Wisconsin squad. To summarize, they should be ok, but they need to play much better than they have in the past month. By no means is this team definitely dancing.

As for Penn State, they desperately needed to win this game in order to stay relevant to NCAA Tourney discussions. The win pushed them to 18-8 with a 7-6 conference record, and both figures look nice in the second-ranked conference (via RPI). The problem is that their RPI -- likely to fall in the mid-70s after this win -- is still completely unacceptable for a tourney resume, as their non-conference schedule strength was brutal. While today was nice, they travel to Illinois and Ohio State within the next ten days, and will likely be dead and buried by February 25th.

Minnesota Falls at Penn State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:05:00 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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Penn State Upsets Michigan State

Matt Snyder — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:24:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State, Penn State, Big Ten

For the first time in school history, Penn State has emerged from East Lansing, Mich., victorious. The game looked to be a formality when the Nittany Lions had a 12-point lead with seven minutes remaining. That's when pathetic free throw shooting doomed Penn State, and the Spartans found a way to crawl back into the game.

In the end, Michigan State just couldn't hit the needed clutch shot, and Penn State won the battle of attrition, 72-68. Talor Battle spear-headed the Nittany Lions attack, with 29 points and six three-pointers.

An interesting sequence opened the second half. After Jamelle Cornley scored inside to push the Penn State lead to five, he was called for a marginal -- at best -- technical foul by Ed Hightower. This was the second consecutive week Cornley has been slapped for a technical by Hightower, and both times it seemed to spark the big man. He finished with 16 points.

For Michigan State, there is certainly reason for concern. The Spartans recently lost to Northwestern in the Breslin Center. Not to say that Penn State and Northwestern are bad teams, because they certainly aren't, but the ninth-best team in the nation (MSU's current ranking) doesn't lose to both at home. It's just that simple. Now, the Spartans find themselves tied with Purdue in the loss column atop the Big Ten.

In fairness, Michigan State was missing Raymar Morgan, though he hasn't been a huge factor for a few weeks.

For Penn State, they are most certainly bound for the Big Dance should they continue on this path. They are now 6-3 in league play, with wins over the two first-place teams, and 17-5 overall. With the inside-outside scoring balance, and Battle's ability to score, they could very well be a scary matchup for an elite seed in the second round, come mid-March. They'll visit Michigan and host Wisconsin this coming week. They way those two teams are currently playing, in addition to how PSU is playing (4 straight wins), you have to like their chances of pushing the conference record to 8-3.

Who woulda thought that heading into the season?

Penn State Upsets Michigan State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penn State Building Tourney Resume

Matt Snyder — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:13:00 EST

Filed under: Penn State, Big Ten, March Madness

The Penn State basketball team hasn't visited the NCAA tournament since 2001, when Joe Crispin and Titus Ivory led the Nittany Lions to the Sweet 16, after knocking off two-seed North Carolina in the second round. Since then, they haven't even been close to mounting a return.

This year, the Nittay Lions have their best team since 2001, yet their work is still cut out for them. Coming into this week, their RPI lingered in the mid-80s. The non-conference strength of schedule was not good at all, but Penn State appears to be making headway in conference play.

They haven't had a bad loss in the Big Ten, losing at Wisconsin and Minnesota, while dropping a home contest to Michigan State. Last night, they picked up their second quality win, and did so in convincing fashion. Michigan has been a tad bit inconsistent lately, but they still have a very respectable RPI due to several top-notch victories. Penn State beat the Wolverines by 15. It was an especially important victory because the Big Ten isn't getting eight teams in the NCAA tourney, despite Tom Izzo's high hopes. That means Penn State must jump over a few of the teams ahead of them -- Michigan currently being one.

The Lions got stellar outside shooting, as Talor Battle, Stanley Pringle, and Danny Morrissey combined for 9-13 shooting from three. Inside, Jamelle Cornley was 8-9 from the paint, also garning 11 rebounds. They also played good enough defense to hold Manny Harris to a dreadful offensive line, though it should be noted they had no answer for DeShawn Sims.

Granted, the game was at home, and Penn State needs to start winning road games, This was, however, another step in the right direction, just like their Purdue victory. Ed DeChellis has the program moving in the right direction, and it only took six years! Sarcasm aside, they have to be happy with a 15-5 overall record and 4-3 Big Ten record at this point.

A very winnable game against Iowa awaits Saturday, before the Lions will have an entire week off. After that, they have to visit both Michigan schools on the road, play Wisconsin at home, go to Purdue, host Minnesota, and head to Illinois and Ohio State. Needless to say, they better enjoy that rest period. Considering their traditional road woes (they were 2-12 in road/neutral games last season, and currently sit 4-3 this season), this will be a grueling stretch.

If you want to make the NCAA tourney, Penn State, that would be the time to earn a spot. The strength of schedule will most certainly improve. Will the record as well?

Penn State Building Tourney Resume originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse in the Stands: The Hoosier Faithful are Still Strong

Matt Snyder — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Penn State, Big Ten, Fans

It's no secret I'm an alumnus of Indiana University. I went to every single home game for the four years I was there, and again attended every single game the season after I graduated -- I used my student ID to purchase season tickets at the discounted student price; how savvy is that? Since then, I've always made it down to Bloomington for at least one game per season.

This past Saturday -- against Penn State -- was that one game for this season.

I'll admit, when I took my camera and anticipated writing this FanHouse in the Stands, I was planning on writing about how the atmosphere pales in comparison to the past.

Really, could you blame the fans if I was right? My collegiate roommates and I often reminisce about having to literally yell into each others' ears just to discuss the game because it would get so loud in there. Over the years, I've spoken with a few former Hoosier players -- and even some opposing players -- and they always say the same thing: "I can't believe how loud it gets in there." When you walk into an arena, and hundreds are walking around wearing candy-striped pants, you know you have die-hards on your hands.

I'm not trying to say we are definitely better fans than places like Duke, Michigan State, North Carolina, or Kansas. Not in the least.

What I am saying is that I fully expected a school who has seen tons of hoops success to see a gigantic dip in the crowd atmosphere department, because their current team will probably lose all 16 Big Ten games. The Indiana program is one of the most storied in college basketball, and -- thanks to our good buddy Kelvin Sampson -- it's a scrap heap in 2009.

Here's the thing, though: I was wrong.

While the atmosphere inside Assembly Hall was not what I've seen with past teams, it was nothing about which any of us Hoosier faithful should be embarrassed. Though the Hoosiers couldn't get past that six/seven point barrier for most of the game, the fans were right with this team until the very end. It got loud many times, people stood at huge moments, and chants were present. I have to give props to the current group of student fans, because we are cheering for a team who probably won't win a conference game, yet those student sections never went quiet.

I'm always proud to have attended Indiana University, but the experience Saturday night made me even more proud to be a fan of the basketball program. While they are a really awful team right now, the program is in good shape moving forward. The fans? Well, I'm a fan of the fans.

Snapshots

Anyone remember Chris Reynolds? How about Todd Lindeman?

Here's coach Tom Crean in action. I had the pleasure of sitting close enough that I could actually hear him coaching. I'll say this, he is incredibly zealous, and he never stops teaching. I loved it. I was already a huge fan, but now my support has multiplied dramatically. You would have thought he was coaching a national championship contender the way he went about his business all game.

Here are a couple shots of the student section behind one of the baskets. I love the enlarged faces they hold up, because it was such a mixed bag. You have Tiger Woods and Bill Lynch. You have Oprah and Brian Evans. You have Cameron Diaz and Alan Henderson. Oh, and Sponge Bob Square Pants. You can't see everyone I named in these pictures, but they were all there.

Final Thoughts

Finally, I just want to ask one question about the game: Why in God's name was Penn State not posting up Jamelle Cornley all game? The Hoosiers have no one who could even come close to stopping him on the block, yet he couldn't have had more than eight touches down low.

Either way, Penn State got the victory, and the Hoosiers continued their march towards perfecting futility in the Big Ten. The Hoosier faithful, however, will not stop supporting their troops.

As I said above, I'm proud.

FanHouse in the Stands: The Hoosier Faithful are Still Strong originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:30:00 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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