Big Ten Conference Notebook
The Stage is Set
Ohio State circled the date back on January 9. On February 25, the Buckeyes would have their chance to avenge that January loss to Wisconsin. Not only can OSU avenge the loss, but a win Saturday (assuming they take care of business against Penn State Wednesday) would place them atop the conference standings. The Buckeyes needed to be flawless since the loss in Madison, and they have been, winning eleven straight. At times, the wins have looked almost effortless. Including Sunday’s 85-67 trouncing of Minnesota, where the 18-point final didn’t accurately measure OSU’s dominance. The Buckeyes seem to lull their opponent into a relaxed daze before pouncing with a barrage of threes and fast-break connections. And Greg Oden, when he wants to be and when his teammates allow him to be, is unstoppable. He can make untouchable hook shots from either baseline with either hand, posts up with no resistance and can back a defender out of bounds if he’s really upset. This looks like a more seasoned Ohio State team, one that Wisconsin may find to be much more difficult to defend.
Wisconsin, however, is not the defensive sieve that the Gophers were. Bo Ryan preaches discipline and requires accountability. If you miss an assignment, you’re benched. Wisconsin also has the ability to win in many different fashions, which the Buckeyes are still trying to learn. Ryan’s crew can win with defensive ferocity or offensive explosion. They can win in a shot-clock-less shootout or a patience-testing struggle. They can win on Alando Tucker’s shoulders or via the contributions from their various role players. Their versatility and adaptability are their strengths. And if you think the Badgers are going to be frazzled on the road, you are underestimating the character of Tucker and fellow senior Kammron Taylor. Wisconsin, like Ohio State, dominated Minnesota this week, and made Penn State look like a JV squad. The hugeness of the rematch, however, requires Wisconsin to win at Michigan State this week.
I Promise Not to Use the B-Word
What ‘B,’ you ask? I’ll give you a hint: several Big Ten teams are perched firmly atop it, this globular, filmy, ever-changing cliché. Indiana is trying to avoid falling onto it, but didn’t help themselves this week, losing to both Purdue and Michigan, and boosting both opposing resumes while denting theirs. Luckily for the Hoosiers, three of their final four games are against Minnesota, Penn State and Northwestern. Indiana still feels like a lock.
Any additional bids for the conference will almost certainly be late decisions and require strong finishing pushes or deep conference tournament runs. Illinois and Iowa both sit at 7-6 in conference, but Iowa will probably need to win out to make up for their awful non-conference performance. And the Hawkeyes impressed nobody Saturday, when they were run out of the gym by Michigan State. Not a good taste to leave in the selection committee’s collective mouth. They’ll have a chance to concoct a tastier blend with upcoming matchups against middle-of-the-pack Purdue and Illinois.
Illinois, on the other hand, appear to have a stronger case for a tourney invite. Unlike Iowa, the Crush did not falter in their non-conference slate and have been playing better of late. Since their 1-3 conference start, Illinois has gone 6-3, with wins over Michigan State and Indiana. The end of their schedule also offers opportunities to impress, with games against Michigan and Iowa.
Such is the case for all the Big Ten’s muddy-middle teams. Each will have a chance to beat the teams they are competing against for tournament spots. Whichever teams come through the cleanest will likely be rewarded. At 6-6, Purdue, Michigan and Michigan State are vying to be the recipients of said rewards. Michigan State, coming off impressive wins over Michigan and Iowa, has the best resume of the three, but also will face the hardest tests down the stretch. They still have to tangle with Wisconsin twice (at home Tuesday), host Indiana, and travel to Michigan. A 2-2 finish and 8-8 conference record might be enough, considering the Spartans’ non-conference wins over Texas, Bradley and BYU, but three wins would certainly do it.
Purdue is still looking good as well, especially since the explosion of guard David Teague, who scored 32 points in Thursday’s win over Indiana. In their last six games, the Boilermakers have beaten Illinois (by 17), Michigan State (by 24) and Indiana (by 13) and played Ohio State tough on the road. Those are impressive results against conference foes battling for seeding. Purdue’s closing schedule is also the most favorable, with two games against Northwestern and a home game versus Minnesota remaining. A win Wednesday at Iowa would put Purdue in an enviable position.
Michigan, on the other hand, has some work to do. They did pick up their signature win Saturday by beating Indiana 58-55, but have not fared well against the other mid-pack teams. They are 3-6 against teams that are .500 or better in conference, and face three such teams to close the year. They’ll travel to Illinois this week, and welcome Michigan State and Ohio State to Ann Arbor to finish the season. Again, their fate is in their own hands, but those hands are shaky and unreliable.
