[Buckskin86]

No visit from Sparty next season
I asked the Big Ten office for a list of next season's "one-plays" before I went on vacation and hadn't gotten around to posting them.

Until now.

Ohio State will play Michigan State (in East Lansing) and Northwestern (in Columbus) only once during the 2009-10 Big Ten season. I think that's a good break for the Buckeyes. Michigan State always plays them tough in Value City Arena, as does Northwestern in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Ohio State is 2-2 at home against Michigan State during Thad Matta's coaching tenure and the margins have been 3 (two overtimes), 2, 9 and 11 points. The Buckeyes are 4-1 at Northwestern and the margins have been 13, 3, 9, 18 and 3 points. They lost in Evanston last season for the first time in 11 years.

Following is the full list of "one-plays" for the 2009-10 season. Reverse the games for 2010-11.

Ohio State at Michigan State
Northwestern at Ohio State
Illinois at Michigan
Minnesota at Illinois
Indiana at Penn State
Michigan State at Indiana
Iowa at Wisconsin
Penn State at Iowa
Michigan at Purdue
Purdue at Northwestern
Wisconsin at Minnesota

No visit from Sparty next season (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)