7 Big Ten teams make the Big Dance

Congratulations to Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State for being selected by the committee to participate in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament!

The Big Ten sent the second most amount of teams to the tournament this year, behind the Big East who sent 11.

Penn State makes the tournament for the first time since 2011 as a 10 seed.

Ohio State - as expected - gets a #1 bid.

Originally published on Sunday, March 13 at 6:50 p.m.

COUNTDOWN TO INDY

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TIPS OFF AT THE CONSECO FIELDHOUSE IN INDIANAPOLIS TODAY!

Here is the schedule of games:

Northwestern 75, Minnesota 65

Michigan State 66 Iowa 61

Penn State 61, Indiana 55

Originally published on Thursday, March 10 at 12:24 p.m.

Tournament tickets could be punched with key wins

By John Williams

At this time of year, all major sports seem to be at a lull.

The NFL is in its off-season, the NBA is three-quarters of the way through the regular season and spring training is underway for professional baseball.

What makes the sports calendar in March much more bearable and interesting, in my mind, is the Big Ten tournament, Selection Sunday and the looming NCAA tournament.

With key losses by bubble teams Nebraska and Baylor, spaces have opened up for Big Ten teams currently on-the-fence.

What should help these bubble teams in the Big Ten is their “Strength of Schedule” ranking. Penn State is at 6, Michigan State is at 8, Illinois is at 16 and Michigan comes in at 20. What doesn’t make it much easier for the committee is their mutual 9-9 conference record.

Michigan’s best wins on the season are against conference foe Michigan State – who they beat twice – and a home game early in the season against Ivy-League contender, Harvard. Are they worthy of a tournament bid? With that being said, Michigan will play Friday versus Illinois. The difference will be whether Michigan’s superior guard play will neutralize one of the Big Ten’s leading scorers, Demetri McCamey.

Michigan State is in dire straits. Iowa is coming off a huge win versus Purdue and has a legitimate chance to upset the Spartans. If the Spartans lose, their hopes of earning an at-large bid are slim-to-none.

Penn State is taking on high water right now. They must beat Indiana, Wisconsin and possibly Purdue to punch their ticket to the tournament. Wisconsin is a winnable game. The Nittany Lions outplayed the Badgers on Jan. 29 at the Bryce Jordan Center and received much buzz from ESPN insiders and bracketologists concerning possible NCAA tournament consideration.

Originally published on Thursday, March 10 at 12:20 p.m.

GLARING STAT OF THE DAY

In the Buckeyes thumping of Wisconsin, they shot an astounding 14-of-15 from behind the 3-point line.

Jon Diebler was 7-of-8 from three and four OSU starters were in double figures in points.

COUNTDOWN TO INDY

TOURNAMENT BRACKET:

March 10

#8 Northwestern vs. #9 Minnesota @ 2:30 p.m.

#7 Michigan State vs. #10 Iowa @ 5 p.m.

#6 Penn State vs. #11 Indiana @ 7:30 p.m.

March 11

#1 Ohio State vs. Winner of NW/Minn. @ Noon (ESPN)

#4 Michigan vs. #5 Illinois @ 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

#2 Purdue vs. Winner of MSU/Iowa @ 6:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)

#3 Wisconsin vs. Winner of PSU/Indiana @ 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)

March 12

Winner of first Quarterfinal @ 1:40 p.m. (CBS)

Winner of second Quarterfinal @ 4:15 p.m. (CBS)

March 13

Big Ten Championship @ 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Michigan locks up unlikely tournament bid

By Conor O’Brien

Although overmatched athletically, the Michigan Wolverines (19-12, 9-9 in conference) have overcome the odds and put themselves in a position to be invited to the big dance next Sunday.

John Beilein’s effect on the team has undoubtedly been a major asset to the Wolverine’s success. They may be lacking the physically gifted players that the upper echelon teams possess, but they run their offense with patience and precision. Beilien restored the program to relevance when it reached the NCAA tournament in the 2008-2009 season. However, they suffered a disappointing season with NBA talent Manny Harris and All-Big Ten performer DeShawn Sims last year. Part of that was due to Harris’ inability or unwillingness to buy into Beilein’s system. Yes, I know he made the NCAA tournament with Beilein in 2009, but Harris didn’t seem to be as focused as he was the previous season. Michigan’s offensive success is often predicated on ball movement, rotation and sharp cuts. This was lacking last year as Harris often destroyed their offensive fluidity.

But now, in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, Michigan has catapulted itself into the forefront of the NCAA discussion. Beilein has a group of selfless players who put the name on the front of their jersey before the name on the back.

Many preseason prognosticators predicted the Wolverines to finish at the bottom of the league and Michigan was proving them right for the first half of the season. But freshman guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a surprise in recent weeks. When outside sharp shooters Stu Douglass and Zack Novak have struggled from the field, Hardaway Jr. has taken the reins. The offense tends to run through Hardaway throughout the crucial moments of the game. He has the ability to create his own shot anywhere on the floor and has done so successfully in many critical moments down the stretch.

Sophomore guard Darius Morris (15.2 ppg, 6.8 apg) has also been stellar throughout much of the season. He has been the star player most Wolverine fans didn’t think they had. He has the ability to carve through the teeth of the defense anytime he wants, and has the skills and intangibles to make players around him better.

It was a game Michigan State desperately needed as much as the Wolverines on Saturday in Ann Arbor. However, a team comprised of senior leadership and final four veterans were unable to defeat the home team. Despite Kalin Lucas’s admirable performance, Michigan completely shut down the Spartans most influential player, Draymond Green. The Wolverines won 70-63.

Michigan has been a team that most bracketologists have brushed aside the last few weeks, dismissed due to the absence of a signature win on their resume. But they have quietly been one of the steadiest teams in the conference throughout the last six weeks.

They started the conference slate with a 1-6 record, but secured a season-altering win in January in East Lansing. They finished the season 8-3 since that point and now they have swept Michigan State (rpi 43) and Penn State (rpi 59). They beat Minnesota in the barn and also boast victories over Ivy leader Harvard and potential tournament teams Oakland and Clemson. The three losses they have suffered have been narrow escapes for the heavily favored team. They played the Buckeyes down to the last few possessions on Feb. 3 in Columbus and had a chance to beat Illinois on their final possession in Champaign. And who can forget their gut-wrenching loss to Wisconsin last week. They had the Badgers on the ropes, but freshman guard John Gosser buried an off balanced heave at the buzzer.

They need to avoid a first round loss in the Big Ten Tournament, but that should not be a problem against lowly Indiana on Thursday. If they can defeat the Hoosiers, they will have the opportunity to avenge their loss to Wisconsin Friday night.

Michigan has quietly been one of the hottest teams in the nation in the last few weeks. Expect them to win multiple games in the Big Ten Tournament and don’t be surprised if they topple a top seed or two on the first weekend of the dance.

Big Ten schedule for Saturday, March 5

We're inching closer to the Big Ten tournament - here are today's Big Ten matchups:

Indiana 48, Illinois 72. Final.

Michigan State 63, Michigan 70. Final.

(UPSET ALERT) Purdue 65, Iowa 67. Final.

Originally published on Saturday, March 5 at 9:51 a.m.

COUNTDOWN TO INDY

Up until the Big Ten tournament starting on March 10, Big Ten Hoops Talk will break down the field and provide your basketball fix.

Originally published on Friday, March 4 at 10:10 a.m.

Big Ten schedule for March 3

There's one game on tap in the Big Ten tonight:

Wisconsin 76, Indiana 66. Final.

Originally published on Thursday, March 3.

A picture says it all...

It'll be a damn shame if Talor Battle never sets foot in the Big Dance, but that might just happen...Kalin Lucas, a senior who has had an outstanding career at Michigan State, may soon find the same fate...And then we have Darius Morris, who is single-handedly keeping the Wolverines in the bubble discussion, but for now all three teams are on a seemingly neverending teeter-totter... Who will make it? Voice your opinion.

Originally published Thursday, March 3 at 3:31 p.m.

Big Ten Bracketology

By John Williams

Who would've known stepping into this season that only three teams in the Big Ten appear to be legitimate NCAA contenders - Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Before the season, many critics were selling their stock on the Boilermakers after they lost veteran point guard Robbie Hummel.

And let's be honest, Wisconsin always comes out soft and then Bo Ryan kicks it into fourth gear and has this team ready for a deep tournament run.

Ohio State is just flat out good and Thad Matta is an amazing recruiter and in-game coach.

TOURNAMENT LOCKS:
1. Ohio State
2. Purdue
3. Wisconsin

So let's check out where the BIG TEN teams stand:

There is a vast "second tier" of teams currently sitting around.

1. Illinois
2. Michigan State
3. Michigan
4. Penn State
5. Minnesota (Now, just barely hanging on)

Let's start out with Illinois. Everyone believed this team to be a legitimate top 25 squad before the season started and so far they haven't lived up to expectation. In order to make the tournament, Illinois, as well as Penn State, must win out the remainder of the season and win a few Big Ten tournament games.

Michigan State. The fans in East Lansing must really be disappointed. They've returned starters like Draymond Green and Kalin Lucas and still have not produced. There's no doubt that the dismissal of Korie Lucious has really hurt the Spartans and with a 4-10 record against the top 50, the Spartans may have a chance to squeak in along with the Illini.

Michigan, a team that every basketball insider thought was dead-in-the-water before the season started, have managed to stick around. They came up 1-second short against the Badgers a few weeks back and they suffered another last second loss to Kansas earlier in the season. It will take a lot for the Wolverines to get a bid. But in all honesty, they will probably get the nod as a 12 seed from the committee and participate in a play-in game.

For Penn State the formula can't get much easier. Beat Minnesota. Get a 4 or 5 seed in the Big Ten tournament and win at least two games, otherwise they're NIT bound...again. And according to Doug Gottlieb - Ed Dechellis is gone.

We'll see what ends up happening these last few weeks and how many teams the Big Ten manages to send to the Big Dance.

Originally published on Wednesday, March 2 at 10:42 p.m.

THIS WEEK'S BUBBLE BLOG

By John Williams

Michigan, now 0-7 versus top 25 teams, is still in the conversation for a potential bubble bid. It’s a team whose ship is sinking and barely keeping themselves afloat and the Wolverines latest loss to Wisconsin stings.

A little over an hour away sits the Spartans in East Lansing, who’ve look rejuvenated and reborn, but they’re 1-7 versus top 25 teams. They’ve played an excruciatingly difficult schedule and their RPI will ultimately catapult them to an NCAA tournament bid.

Next is Minnesota. A team that has underachieved for most of the year and plays below their actual physical ability has won 3 games versus top 25 teams, but without Al Nolen it’ll be hard for them to keep up, especially in the Big Ten tournament.

Here’s a list of the Big Ten teams destined for a tournament appearance:

Ohio State.

Purdue.

Wisconsin.

Illinois.

Michigan State.

Minnesota.

This would be a shame for Penn State because they’re currently 8-8 in the Big Ten and have better conferences records than all three of the above bubble teams. They’ve also been shooting much better as of late, but Andrew Jones (and God-forbid that Billy Oliver even touches the floor) will have his hands full versus Ohio State and Jared Sullinger. But come Selection Sunday, Penn State won’t be noticed.

Michigan is also one of the youngest teams in the country. There are no fourth year starters on the team and they don’t score nearly enough points as they have in the past. They’re 10th in the Big Ten in scoring. The game plan for Michigan is simple – get the ball to Darius Morris.

It’ll be an uphill battle for both Michigan and Penn State, but either is capable of making a run – notching some wins in the Big Ten tournament will help – and punching their ticket to the Big Dance.

Originally published on Friday, Feb. 25 at 12:59 p.m.

Big Ten schedule for Tuesday, Feb. 22

The following games are on the slate for today:

Illinois 70, Ohio State 89. Final.

Michigan State 53, Minnesota 48. Final.

Originally published Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 5:24 p.m.

Big Ten schedule for Sunday, Feb. 20

Two huge games on tap today:

(UPSET ALERT) #2 Ohio State Buckeyes lose to #11 Purdue Boilermakers, 76-63.

Penn State 66, #10 Wisconsin Badgers 76. Final.

The Ohio State/Purdue game can be seen on CBS and the Penn State/Wisconsin clash will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network.

Big Ten schedule for Feb. 19

Here are the games on tap for Saturday, Feb. 19:

Michigan 75, Iowa 72. Final.

Northwestern 70, Indiana 64. Final.

Illinois 61, Michigan State 57. Final.

Originally published on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 3:46 p.m.

Bracketology predictions are wrong...for the Big Ten

By John Williams

After firing up my computer and taking some sips of my Monster energy drink, I did my usual routine of opening up web pages and analyzing, and maybe criticizing, yesterday’s action in college basketball.

My favorite topic as of late is all of the bubble watch talk.

So, you can imagine how surprised I was when I saw Michigan State and Michigan as the only two Big Ten teams in bubble talk discussion on CBS Sports website.

Yes, Michigan. The team that only has one win inside the top 50. A Wolverine team that has beaten up on “bottom feeders” for most of their season. I don’t mean to make disparaging remarks about a fellow Big Ten squad, but Michigan?

Minnesota is definitely in the bubble watch discussion. Maybe Penn State. Probably not Michigan.

Traditionally, I’ve always considered the bubble watch to be the sports pundits personal favorites list. The general concept is a sports pundit just picking teams almost at random that have a favorable chance of making a tournament run. There’s no science. I feel like RPI and SOS is widely disregarded as it is.

Michigan doesn’t have a choice at this point. They have to win at home against Wisconsin or they’re not tournament caliber and deserve a bid to the always dreaded NIT. Not to mention, the Wolverines are currently sitting in eighth place in the Big Ten. Plus, they’ve struggled with making up deficits on the road. Does that look like a team in the top 68 in the nation?

As for Penn State, they must take 3-out-of-4 to round out their schedule or make up some games in the Big Ten Tournament starting March 10 in Indianapolis. They currently sit at number 5 in the Big Ten with 7-7 record. They have Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue and Ohio State ahead of them. But Michigan State is sitting anxiously behind the Nittany Lions at 6-7, so there’s no time to get comfortable.

So, other than the usual suspects (Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois and maybe Minnesota), who is in? Is Penn State, who can look dynamic at times? How about the Spartans, who’ve caught second wind and look rejuvenated? Or is it the Wolverines, who desperately need a win versus quality opponents?

You, the Big Ten Hoops Talk reader, decide.

Originally published Friday, Feb. 18 at 8:18 a.m.

Big Ten schedule for Thursday, Feb. 17

There are two games scheduled in the Big Ten tonight:

Minnesota 63 Penn State 66. Final.

Iowa 70 Northwestern 73. Final.

Penn State/Minnesota game can be seen on ESPN. Iowa/Northwestern will air on the Big Ten Network.

Indiana, We're All For You

By John Williams

It seems like its been so long since the Indiana basketball team joggged out onto the floor at Assembly Hall to the thunderous applause of the Hoosier faithful. The ESPN cameras would be ready to roll and another top ten matchup in the Big Ten would tip off. That still happens of course, but Indiana isn’t that top ten team.

Today, it’s Purdue or Wisconsin or Illinois or Michigan State that takes to the hardwood in Bloomington with the high expectations and the talent to match the record. What happened to the institution that was Indiana basketball?

I remember it like it was yesterday. Tom Coverdale would be warming up in those classic pinstriped red and white pants and Jeff Newton would be a menace inside the paint against inferior opponents. I remember A.J. Moye’s crisp jump shot and spirited play. I yearn for those days.

And Assembly Hall, the Roman Coliseum of Indiana basketball, still mesmorizes the multitude of fans with all of its majesty. This is the arena that hosted the ABA Pacer teams of the 1970s. The same building that has hosted rock legends such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Grateful Dead, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and even Bob Dylan, has now faded into the background of NCAA division I basketball.

As an Indiana native, it hurts to see the state of affairs for Hoosier basketball. And for the Indiana faithful, I’m sure it’s agonizing. But, I regress.

The bright side is Tom Crean. What a guy. What a coach. He is unfairly criticized for not returning the program back to glory sooner. But people need to realize the team was left in shambles, crippled by the sanctions caused by Calvin Sampson's regime. Crean will be the person to resurrect Indiana basketball from whatever deep abyss they’re trapped in at this present time. With time and the recruiting base, I believe basketball will return the 67,000-square-foot arena to its rightful place - basketball royalty (well at least until its demolished and replaced with a “state-of-the-art” facility).

Crean is a born recruiter. It’s his innate ability to sell a student-athlete on the notion that they aren’t just joining a basketball program, but a family. He challenges his athletes on and off the court – a rarity these days. In public, he excels at talking to the press and is eloquent in demeanor. Crean is poised to bring greatness back to Bloomington.

Until then, fans will have to live with the mediocre basketball and the mistakes of young, inexperienced athletes.

I just want to rewind to the 2002 championship game, after Indiana beat perennial powerhouse Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet Sixteen and when Fife was still draining three pointers.

Take me back to the years when Indiana was synonymous with basketball greatness.

Bring back Indiana Basketball!

Originally published Thursday, Feb. 17 at 10:33 a.m.

Big Ten schedule for Wednesday, Feb. 16

Two games on the schedule tonight:

#10 Wisconsin Badgers 62 #11 Purdue Boilermakers 70. Final.

Michigan Wolverines 52 Illinois Illini 54. Final.

Both games will be broadcasted live on the Big Ten Network.

Stay tuned for game updates on twitter.com/bigtenhoopstalk

Big Ten reeks of mediocrity

By Conor O’Brien

cmo5041@gmail.com

When the season started the national consensus was the Big Ten would send at least seven capable teams to the NCAA tournament and be one of the best conferences in America.

It is looking more and more like a five or six bid conference, but only three have a prayer to survive the first round. Ohio State is still the best team in the nation and is destined for a trip to Houston in the final four. Purdue and Wisconsin are not extraordinarily talented, but are powered by dynamic point guards, highly skilled big men and brilliant coaching. They maximize their assets and have the intangibles to reach the second week of the dance.

But after the big three, things get a lot hazier. It is still unclear who is the fourth best team in the conference. Or the fifth, or the sixth or the seventh best. Illinois is currently in fourth position with a 6-6 conference record, but Bruce Weber’s squad has been plagued by wildly inconsistent play all season. Then Minnesota, Michigan State, Michigan and Penn State are deadlocked at 6-7.

Parity, maybe. Mediocrity, clearly. Each team has a number of glaring weaknesses that will prevent them from being serious players in late March. Two of these teams are tournament locks, Illinois and Minnesota, but the rest are searching for answers to questions they can’t solve.

The injury to senior guard Al Nolen has seemingly derailed Minnesota’s sweet 16 aspirations, but Illinois has inexplicably been out-coached, out-hustled, and outplayed throughout much of the conference schedule. They may rank second in talent, but their heart and basketball intelligence leaves a lot to be desired. Their matinee clash against Purdue exposed them for the team they really are. They were the bigger team, the team with more athletic ability. But they’re soft. JaJuan Johnson imposed his will down low, blocking shots, slamming home dunks, and grabbing rebounds in traffic. And Demetri McCamey reverted back to his old ways.

I suppose the biggest disappointment has been Michigan State, but there demise was largely dissected in “Spartans NCAA reign is over.” They quit in consecutive games against Iowa and Wisconsin, but it is becoming clearer that this team just isn’t that good. Kalin Lucas is a shell of his former self and ultra talented guard Durrell Summers has been an enigma in critical games. He had zero point against Ohio State last night. He couldn’t muster one basket in a game the Spartans had to have!

Penn State and Michigan have a real chance to take advantage of this alarmingly disappointing play, but the fact that they’re even in the discussion of finishing as high as fourth is a mockery to this conference. These teams, picked to finish in the bottom of the conference should not be in this position.