Big Ten Conference Notebook
Player of the Week: Adam Haluska, Iowa (21 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg)
Big Ten Licks Wounds… Again
“Wait until next year” has forever been the theme for the Big Ten in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and the conference may want to switch slogans. The Big Ten was run over by a more polished, athletic set of ACC teams, en route to an 8-3 defeat, their eighth consecutive loss in the challenge.
The only convincing win came courtesy of Wisconsin, who handled Florida State 81-66. Alando Tucker shrugged off an eye injury to lead the Badgers with 22 points. Wisconsin sent away another Sunshine school, Florida International, with a 79-63 victory Saturday. The Badgers continue to shuffle as many as thirteen players into the lineup, and appear to be the deepest team in the conference thus far.
Purdue, thanks to the return of Carl Landry, has enjoyed a nice start, and this week dispensed of Virginia and Delaware State. Landry averaged 19 ppg and 8.5 rpg in the wins. Picked by many (including this writer) to fall near the bottom of the pack in the conference race, the Boilermakers are playing well enough to factor in the Big Ten picture.
The only other challenge win came from Northwestern, who used seven Craig Moore 3-pointers and an obviously uncomfortable style to defeat Miami 61-59. The Wildcats, in their only contest of the week, frustrated the more athletic Hurricanes with their slow play and hung on to win despite missing several key free throws down the stretch.
Arrivals, Returns, Absences, Departures
The biggest story of the week in the Big Ten was Greg Oden’s presence in the Ohio State lineup for their Saturday contest against Valparaiso. The final and most coveted piece of the Thad Five did not disappoint, scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 boards, and swatting 5 shots in 23 minutes off the bench. Oden may have made a difference in the Buckeyes’ 98-89 loss to North Carolina in the feature challenge matchup. No matter; he’ll certainly be ready for the Big Ten season.
Penn State was also bolstered by a star’s return, with forward Geary Claxton returning from a hand injury. Claxton started his first game of the season Saturday and posted 15 points and 8 rebounds in a win over Morgan State. He had been coming off the bench prior to Saturday, easing his way back into the lineup. His presence on the court should help free up forward Jamelle Cornley, who averaged 19 ppg and 6 rpg on the week.
For the first couple weeks, the Big Ten’s hottest team was Illinois, but injuries and stiff competition have slowed them. Forward Brian Randle is still out after groin surgery, and sharpshooter Jamar Smith has struggled to return to the lineup after an ankle sprain. Their absences certainly contributed to losses to Maryland and Arizona. Smith played briefly against Maryland, but didn’t dress Saturday against the Cats. Randle is out for at least two more weeks.
A 90-68 loss to Clemson ended Dan Monson’s uninspiring eight-year run as head coach at Minnesota. Monson’s tenure was too often characterized by offensive ineptitude, apparent lack of preparation and frequent player defections. He led the Gophers to one NCAA tournament appearance and a conference record of 44-68. Players rallied behind interim head coach Jim Molinari to knock off Arizona State 66-63 Saturday, but don’t expect this coaching change to instantly reverse the trends of the Monson era.
Messy Middle
After Wisconsin and Ohio State, no team can find the consistency to grab hold of the conference’s third spot. Among the teams who look the part is Michigan, who lost the opening game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge to North Carolina State, but responded with an 83-49 drubbing of Wofford. The inconsistency is tied closely to the play of center Courtney Sims, who scored just 7 points in 19 minutes against the Wolfpack, but responded with 19 points on 9-12 shooting against Wofford. Michigan certainly has the talent, with Sims and guard Dion Harris (19 ppg, 7.5 apg in the two games), but they have yet to show the steadiness needed.
Kelvin Sampson’s Indiana club also has the talent to compete, but like Michigan, suffers from the inconsistent play of their big man. In their loss against Duke, forward D.J. White managed just 7 points, yet he posted a double-double just four days later in a rout of Charlotte. The issue with White appears to be foul trouble more than anything, and he seems to still be lacking explosiveness following his year off.
Michigan State is as likely a candidate as any to claim the third spot, but they went 1-1 on the week as well, following a loss to Boston College with a thumping of Bradley. Several Spartans have stepped up as scoring threats, including surprising big man Goran Suton, sparkplug point guard Drew Neitzel, and flashy freshman Raymar Morgan. The coaching certainly will be there, and this team should continue to progress all season.
Adam Haluska and Iowa aren’t expected to be in the mix, but if the senior swingman can find any help, the Hawkeyes could join the conversation. Haluska has been a numbers machine, averaging 21 ppg, 5 rpg and 5 apg on the week, but is getting little help from the supporting cast. Steve Alford’s club did manage two wins on the week, beating overmatched Texas-Pan American and Coppin State in the Hawkeye Challenge, but lost to Virginia Tech as well.
This Week’s Tilts
Tuesday
Iowa (4-4) vs. Northern Iowa (6-1)
Saturday
Indiana (4-2) at Kentucky (4-3)
Penn State (5-2) at Seton Hall (4-1)
Purdue (6-1) vs. Missouri (9-0)
Wisconsin (7-1) at Marquette (8-1)
