This Week in the Big Ten: 2/8

• burt07

  Figured I'd get one going. Starting out with the biggest basketball rivalry in the conference in IU-Purdue. Would figure Purdue to take care of business against an injured IU team. In the middle of the week I look for the most interesting games to be on Thursday. In Illinois-Minnesota you have two teams on the downslide where each is really searching for something. Bruce Weber was quoted as saying anyone could start in this game. The loser will have a decent hole to dig out. In the other game there's two teams hanging on by a thread in Michigan State-Penn State. Both were right near the edge in the latest Bracketology, you would figure the loser of this game might be done. Then for the weekend, the big one at the top with OSU-Wisconsin. Wisconsin will look to slow things down like Northwestern and Michigan except they're actually a good team. Going to be very difficult for the Bucks as Bo Ryan has never lost to them in the Kohl Center. The other interesting matchup this weekend is Sunday with Purdue-Illinois. Purdue hasn't shown much on the road since their early wins against Michigan and Penn State, we'll see what they can do against a potentially floundering Illinois team.
  
  
  Tuesday 2/8
  Indiana at #12 Purdue
  
  Wednesday 2/9
  #14 Wisconsin at Iowa
  Northwestern at Michigan
  
  Thursday 2/10
  Illinois at #25 Minnesota
  Penn State at Michigan State
  
  Saturday 2/12
  #1 Ohio State at #14 Wisconsin
  Indiana at Michigan
  
  Sunday 2/13
  #12 Purdue at Illinois
  #25 Minnesota at Iowa
  Northwestern at Penn State
  
  
  Big Ten Standings (through 2/7)
  Ohio State 11-0 24-0
  Wisconsin 7-3 17-5
  Purdue 7-3 18-5
  Illinois 5-5 15-8
  Penn State 5-6 12-10
  Michigan State 5-6 13-10
  Minnesota 5-6 16-7
  Northwestern 4-7 14-8
  Michigan 4-7 14-10
  Iowa 3-8 10-13
  Indiana 3-8 12-12
• dave

  Should be more clarity after this week. I think 3 teams out of Penn State, Michigan, MSU, Illinois, and Northwestern will all be eliminated from a shot at the dance barring winning the tourney.
• wildcats20

  

  I was really hoping for a better outing by the Hoosiers tonight. Currently down 8, but I don't think they can hang in there much longer.
• burt07

  Purdue gets the 14 point win, IU was able to slow things down to stay close for most of the 1st half but Purdue was able to pull away to keep a double digit lead most of the game. Now, like I said, they need to prove they can get it done on the road.
• Laley23

  

  Fairly pleased with my Hoosiers last night. They couldn't get their shots to drop from deep, but hung in the entire 40 minutes. They just don't have the weapons to compete right now with Watford injured. Improving every single game, that is quite evident.
• burt07

  Michigan beats Northwestern 75-66. Wolverines have come on strong lately, winning 4 of 5 after a 6 game losing streak. Likely too little too late for them but they could be a potential tough team next year with no seniors on this squad.
• osu45804

  

  Iowa up 4 on Wisconsin w/ 7:47 left
• dave

  Northwestern is done. If Michigan can get by Indiana on Saturday they will probably be 5th in the conference with no bad losses. They just have to get a couple quality wins and can't lose to teams below them. Easier said than done.
  
  It's amazing how even teams 2 thru 11 are in this conference.
• osu45804

  

  Wisky/Iowa tied at 51 w/ 2:57 left
• osu45804

  

  Tied at 53 headed into OT in Iowa
• osu45804

  

  Badgers luck out in Iowa City 62-59 in OT
• SportsAndLady

  

  That didn't look like a foul on that Iowa player..he nipped him with the arm but it wasn't that hard...should have been a walk, the first ref to call it had it right.
• dave

  Iowa was actually fouled twice on the offensive board with 8 seconds left by the Badgers. I think he was fouled at the end though, but if not he never really had possession so it shouldn't have been called anything. Iowa is well coached, they are playing much better.
• CinciX12

  

  Haha I wonder who Wisconsin was looking ahead to? Poor Iowa..
• Prescott

  Iowa made a great hire. The Hawkeyes are going to be force in the Big 10
• burt07

  Yeah count me as someone that was skeptical of the McCaffery hiring but is defintiely impressed to this point. There is not a ton of a talent on this team but he has them playing very hard and they've definitely seen a lot of improvement along the way.
• areyoukiddingme

  Honest question...if Michigan wins all their remaining games but one (against a top 25 team left on their schedule), they would probably be #3 or #4 in the conference (assuming Wisky loses to OSU and if they could beat Wisky - yeah, I know).... Would that put them in the NCAA tournament?
• dave

  areyoukiddingme;672905 wrote:Honest question...if Michigan wins all their remaining games but one (against a top 25 team left on their schedule), they would probably be #3 or #4 in the conference (assuming Wisky loses to OSU and if they could beat Wisky - yeah, I know).... Would that put them in the NCAA tournament?

  
  Michigan needs to go 4-2. That would put them at .500 and should be tied for 4th or maybe 5th. Then 1 tourney win should get them in. 5-1 and they are in for sure but that won't happen.
• dave

  2 huge games tonight. If Illinois loses I think they are done with Purdue coming up this weekend. Minnesota might be able to survive a loss since they have an easier schedule the rest of the way.
  
  PSU and MSU is definitely an elimination game.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Illinois does have a brutal schedule the rest of the way. If they finish 9-9 in the Big Ten they are in, they might even get in at 8-10 because they have some quality nonconference wins. If Michigan State gets to 9-9 in the Big Ten they will be in as well. Penn State might have to do better than that, and I don't think they will.
• SportsAndLady

  

  ^^You think Michigan State gets in at 17-13?
• ytownfootball

  

  SportsAndLady;673264 wrote:^^You think Michigan State gets in at 17-13?

  
  Probably not exactly deserving but would you be surprised if they did?
• Cleveland Buck

  

  At 17-13, 9-9, Michigan State would have at least 9 top 100 RPI wins with 4 or 5 top 50 wins and 1 bad loss (assuming they don't lose to Iowa at home). That resume blows away the other bubble teams. They could use a win or 2 in the Big Ten tournament to make their record look a little prettier, but that should be enough to get them in.
• burt07

  Yeah, the committe will give a little leeway to clasically good teams, such as Arizona 3 years ago, when they were absolute trash.
• Mulva

  

  I don't think the Big 10 is anything more than a 4 bid league right now, and I'd be very surprised if it ends up getting more than 5 when it's all said and done.