Daily rants and opinions...because we're THAT bored.
by Skinner - Saturday, February 26
BIG TEN (11)
Well, it's past mid-season already and the conference champion has yet to be decided. Will it be Iowa? Michigan State? Illinois? Ohio State? Wisconsin? Xavier?
Maybe. Possibly. Might. Could. Potentially. Xavier's not in the Big Ten, John.
Well, I hate to do predictions or awards until the season is over. So I won't. (Really there is no point to pre or mid season awards or predictions. Why don't people realize that the only awards or rankings that matter are the ones at the end of the season?)
What I'll try to do is just talk about each team and how their season has gone so far. Is that a prediction? I hope not. I hope the prediction police don't catch me. Oh wait, they won't come around until 1984.
Iowa
Ah yes. I have to start with the Hawkeyes. Now I am a Cyclone fan, but I do root for the Hawkeyes (unless of course they play ISU). I don't like to see them lose or anything like that. I actually follow them a lot. Which has been great this year since they've actually been winning (in the Big Ten I might add). Well, Steve Alford has this team right there for the Big Ten championship. A few setbacks as of late, but with the way Iowa has played against the top teams they certainly are still around. Already they have secured an NCAA bid, although a good finish would also help them. Yes sir, Adam Haluska, Greg Brunner, Jeff Horner, and the gang have been playing past some people's expectations. Eric Hansen has been owning the lane, blocking everything that comes at him. (Including Spyware. I don't know how the guy does it.) How I think the Hawkeyes will do? (I swear this isn't a prediction!) Uh, well. (This isn't a prediction!) I think they'll go somewhat far in the NCAAs. (Whew, that was easy)
Michigan State
Disappointment? Yes and No. Record wise the Spartans may have fallen off. Here's the little catch though. MSU's coach. Tom Izzo. A brilliant coach. A very, very good coach. He'll have them ready come tourney time. And look at the talent! Shannon Brown! I've seen him do some amazing things with the basketball. Paul Davis? He isn't one of the best post players in the Big Ten for nothing. Maurice Ager? An NBA player who at times can dominate. Drew Neitzel? Great, quick point guard that keeps the Spartan tempo flowing. Chicken fried rice? Prepare 15 minutes. Cook 15 minutes. Make sure to stir whilst cooking. Makes 4 servings. Excellent for parties!
Penn State
The surprise team? Easily. Ben Luber has been hitting threes. The sophomore Claxton has been scoring. Milos Bogetic has been...well, I don't know, but his name is fun to say. Ed DeChellis has this team playing amazing. The Nittany Lion fans are actually excited and showing up to the games. Something that hasn't been around since the Joe/Jon Crispin, Qyasi Cline-Heard, Sweet 16 year. Maybe Penn State will win the Big Ten tournament and make it to the big dance. That would be nice. The selection committee should really reward teams that don't have the best records, yet are actually better than some of the teams in the Top 25. Notre Dame can agree with me. Penn State should be in the NIT, which is a great step forward for them. So, on behalf of all of college basketball, I would like to say: Thank you, Penn State!
Michigan
Won't get as much praise. Nope. Definately not. They may very well pull off a tournament bid and, well...THEY SHOULD! Have you seen the talent this team has? The high flying Brett Petway. The bruising Graham Brown. The streaky shooter Daniel Horton. The long Courtney Sims. The always injured Lester Abram. This team should have already secured a spot in the big dance, but something hasn't gone right. I don't mean to be too negative since the season's not over, but Tommy Amaker has to turn things around.
Ohio State
Most underrated team? Definitely. How they are not ranked ahead of Illinois I don't know (I thought I said I didn't like rankings?), but the Buckeyes are probably the best team in the Big 10. I like their style of play. They shoot the 3-ball really well with guys like: Jamar Butler, Je'Kel Foster, J.J. Sullinger, and Matt Sylvester. (Geez, can everybdoy shoot for them?) One guy that isn't a shooter and doesn't have me is the dominating Terrence Dials. He is the best post player in the Big 10, and one of if not the best in the country. He is consistent night in and night out. With the program that Thad Matta is building, we should be seeing the Buckeyes at the top of the Big 10 for a while.
Purdue
Not too many expected much from Purdue this year, and well, they didn't get much either. However credit Matt Painter and his staff for doing their best at replacing the legend that is Gene Keady. This team hasn't won a lot of ball games, but they have come out and played hard, and surprised some teams.
Indiana
Oh boy. Where to begin on the soap opera that is Hoosierland? D.J. White battles in and out of injury. Mike Davis calls it quits. And the team goes on a big losing skid. Huh, this wasn't the year the Hoosiers were hoping for back when they almost upset Duke. Marco Killingsworth? A great post player. Robert Vaden? A terrific scoring squad. Huh, too bad team accomplishments mean more than great individual play.
Northwestern
Big Ten play started good, and unfortunately it lasts three months. Well, I guess Northwestern didn't have too bad of a year. With a good finish they might make it to the NIT. They have some good shooters. They...uh...don't have too much else. Oh yea, that's why they're not that good of a team.
Minnesota
After the loss of some good senior players, Minnesota was trying to back-to-back in the NCAA tourney. While they have been some good upsets over Iowa and MSU, Minnesota's only chance is to win out and do well in the Big Ten tourney. Could that happen? I don't know. Vincent Grier has had a good senior year, although not quite scoring as much. Jamal Abu-Shamala has been a surprise, turning out to be one of the league's best shooters. Maurice Hargow has also had a good season, but alas Minnesota is probably NIT bound.
Illinois
Overrated? Yes, but not by a lot. Now Illinois is a good team, and Bruce Weber is a great coach, but it's been tough to see which Illinois team will show up. They have 22 wins and have been ranked in the top ten for the majority of the season (being 8th now), but have lost to Penn State, Iowa, and others. (You can tell I research a lot.) Dee Brown is clearly the leader of the team, and a smart man for coming back. Yes, he's smart. I don't care if his draft stock has gone down, some things are more important. James Augustine has had a terrific senior campaign. Some of the younger players have stepped up, and will be the future for the Fighting Illini.
Wisconsin
Bo Ryan is probably the best coach in the Big Ten (Don't worry, you are too Izzy. Wow, Izzy is a stupid nickname.) How he can have his team play so well after the loss of great players every year is a mystery. This team is full of talent. Alando Tucker being the flashing, penetrating kind of player. Kammron Taylor being the shooter, looking like Chris Rock kind of player. Brian Butch being a really good young post player. Me being an idiot...kind of player. Wisconsin, as usual, will probably do well like they always do in the NCAA tournament, lose some key players, and turn it around and have another good year.
Well, that does it. The Big Ten has had a good year, and will probably perform well in the tournament. Whether or not they have any teams with final four potential I don't know, but I guess we'll find out when that time comes! That's right, we'll find out later. Not make some stupid prediction of who we think is going to be one of the final four, despite the fact that no one really cares. Wait 'til it actually happens. It will be exciting.