2005-06 Official Big Ten bball Thread

[Steve19]

All the Big Ten teams with 4 conference losses have at least 1 tough game on the road against one of the other top teams. Wouldn't be surprising at all if the big ten title ends up being a 4 way tie between 5 loss teams.

Which, if I remember correctly, is what Mili said about four weeks ago? I'm starting to believe you guys.

 

[Jaxbuck]

All the Big Ten teams with 4 conference losses have at least 1 tough game on the road against one of the other top teams. Wouldn't be surprising at all if the big ten title ends up being a 4 way tie between 5 loss teams.

I wouldn't be suprised either.

Thats why the MSU game is so big.

Win it and we could easily end up with just the 4 losses while everyone else has 5 or more. Also, for NCAA seeding purposes, a signature road win late in the season like that would be tremendous.

If we win in East Lansing, given our last 3 games, I think we are staking a claim to AT LEAST a share of the B10 regular season title and making a case for solidifying a #2 seed in the NCAA's.

If we lose it look for the multi team jumble at the top.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

2/19/06

MINNESOTA 74 | NO. 18 IOWA 61

Tight race gets even tighter

Gophers loosen Hawkeyes’ grasp on first place, proving to be formidable at home

Sunday, February 19, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOM OLMSCHEID | ASSOCIATED PRESS Jamal Abu-Shamala leaps in the air after hitting a late three-point basket for Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS — Eighteenth-ranked Iowa headed into a Big Ten game yesterday at Minnesota eyeing their first outright Big Ten regularseason title in 36 years. The Golden Gophers made things a bit more complicated. Vincent Grier scored 18 points to lead Minnesota to its third straight home win over a ranked team. Adam Boone added 12 points and Jamal Abu-Shamala 11 for the Gophers (13-10, 4-8).
"For a team (with that kind of record) going in, they showed some character," Minnesota coach Dan Monson said of his players.
Iowa (20-7, 9-4) was coming off its sixth victory in seven games after beating No. 16 Michigan State on Tuesday, which padded its lead in the Big Ten to a full game.
"If we got this one, we could have really set ourselves up real nice," Iowa’s Greg Brunner said. "But it didn’t happen. We’ve just got to make sure that we continue with our run."
In their previous meeting, Iowa beat Minnesota 76-72 in triple overtime, thanks to Brunner’s 17 points and 23 rebounds and Erek Hansen’s career-high 20 points.
Yesterday, Monson played his two centers, Puchtel and Tollackson, together to defend the paint. Brunner scored 17 points to lead Iowa but was held to seven rebounds. Hansen was shut down, finishing with three points and one rebound.
"We knew we had to keep Brunner and big Hansen off the boards," Grier said.
Minnesota, playing in front of a season-high 14,308 fans, entered the game 2-5 against ranked teams. But those two wins were impressive victories over Indiana and Michigan State in Williams Arena, and the Gophers stuck to the formula that gave them the double-digit victories: an aggressive defense that limited Iowa to 19-of-46 shooting from the field.
Boone’s layup just beat the halftime buzzer to give Minnesota a 38-29 lead. It tied Iowa’s largest halftime deficit of the season.
This game, though, wouldn’t be decided until the final minutes.
After trading baskets to start the second half, Iowa scored 10 straight points to take the lead. Minnesota had 24 points in the paint in the first half but didn’t get an inside basket for nearly 13 minutes in the second.
Down 51-50 with just over 10 minutes remaining, the Gophers responded with an 11-3 run by moving the ball and finding easy shots.
"They took it to us down low," Brunner said. "They pounded the glass. We struggled a little bit defensively."
Hansen’s dunk with 3:41 to play pulled the Hawkeyes to 61-58, but Iowa wouldn’t get any closer as Minnesota scored nine of its final 11 points on free throws. "We’re down to the last two weeks," Iowa coach Steve Alford said. "Three-and-0, you probably win it outright. Two-and-one, you get a chance to get a share of it. That’s why it’s going to be very exciting."

BIG TEN ROUNDUP

Spartans get healthy at home

Sunday, February 19, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS




No. 16 Michigan State 90, Michigan 71 —

Shannon Brown scored 26 points and Michigan State kept its home record unblemished yesterday in East Lansing, Mich.

Maurice Ager added 19 points and Paul Davis 18 for the Spartans (19-7, 7-5), who improved to 11-0 at home and snapped a two-game losing streak.

Michigan State closes the Big Ten season with three of their final four games at home, including Wednesday against Ohio State.

"It sures feel good to be home," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I can’t tell you how much that helped some of our players."

Ager hit two three-pointers to cap a 15-6 run that gave the Spartans a 57-41 lead.

Daniel Horton led Michigan (17-7, 7-6) with 19 points. The Wolverines took a 13-5 lead, but they struggled to overcome the loss of forward Chris Hunter, who played only the first two minutes and left with a leg injury.

Michigan already was without forward Lester Abram, who has missed several games with ankle and toe injuries.

Penn State 69, Purdue 61 —
Travis Parker scored 21 points and Penn State used a barrage of three-point baskets to beat host Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.

With former coach Gene Keady, now an NBA assistant with the Toronto Raptors, visiting Mackey Arena and sitting in the stands a dozen rows behind the Penn State basket, the Boilermakers (9-15, 3-10) took a six-point lead in the first eight minutes of the game.

But the Nittany Lions (13-11, 5-8) scored four of their first six baskets on three-pointers, and Parker added one longrange basket and Ben Luber hit two during a 13-2 run midway through the half.

Penn State pulled ahead 34-29 at halftime and slowly widened the lead at the start of the second half.

Two more three-pointers by Parker and one by David Jackson helped the Nittany Lions to a 52-37 lead with 10 minutes to go. Penn State finished 10 of 24 from behind the arc.

Nittany Lions freshman Jamelle Cornley, a Brookhaven High School graduate, scored 11 points and set a career high with 12 rebounds.
Matt Kiefer led Purdue with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

 

[Oh8ch]

All the Big Ten teams with 4 conference losses have at least 1 tough game on the road against one of the other top teams. Wouldn't be surprising at all if the big ten title ends up being a 4 way tie between 5 loss teams.

Also three of the four play MSU. AND Illinois and Wisky play Minnie - the ultimate late season sleeper (watch out in the toruney).

And while MSU plays OSU, Wisky and Illinois - all three games are at home. They could sneak in the back door on this one.

In fact, if you take the top five teams and each of them wins everything except their road games against other teams from that same group (not at all an unlikely scenario) we wind up with a three way tie amongst Iowa, OSU, and MSU.

I have been following the Big Ten for 45 years and can't recall a finish quite like this one.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

2/20/06

NO. 14 ILLINOIS 70 | INDIANA 58

Illini hand Hoosiers fifth straight loss

Monday, February 20, 2006

</IMG> DARRELL HOEMANN | ASSOCIATED PRESS Illinois’ James Augustine is called for a foul while trying to block a shot by Indiana’s Marco Killingsworth.


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP)_ Indiana, playing for the first time since Mike Davis announced he will step down as coach at the end of the season, shot just 36 percent from the field en route to a 70-58 loss to No. 14 Illinois yesterday, the Hoosiers’ fifth straight loss.

"With all the things that have gone on, I thought today was pretty good," Davis said. "I thought we took a step in the right direction because I saw some guys fighting harder than what they normally fight and I saw some guys miss some shots they normally make.

"We’ve just got to make shots. We’ve got to take advantage of our opportunities."

James Augustine had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Illinois (22-4, 8-4), which jumped out to a 27-10 lead and didn’t let the Hoosiers (13-13, 5-7) get closer than double figures again. While Illinois made 9 of 16 shots from the field, the Hoosiers were 2 of 11 and committed six turnovers during the run.

"We missed some wide-open shots," Davis said. "They made theirs, we missed ours."

Illinois coach Bruce Weber said he knew the Illini would have to jump out to a quick lead to take away any motivational edge the Hoosiers might have had after Davis’ announcement on Thursday.

After four early lead changes, the Illini put together a 22-4 run to turn a 6-5 deficit into the 27-10 lead.

"We did that. We got the crowd in," Weber said. "I thought we continued it throughout the first half."
Illinois kept pace in the Big Ten, one of four teams with four losses at the top of the standings.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/20/06

BIG TEN INSIDER

<H1 class=red>Roadblocks are causing a logjam at the top

</H1>

Monday, February 20, 2006

Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter

With Iowa's loss at Minnesota on Saturday, for the third time in nine years since the Big Ten went to a 16-game conference schedule, the conference champ will have at least four losses.

The league most resembles four years ago when Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin tied for the league title at 11-5, and the Hoosiers went on to lose in the NCAA title game to Maryland (remember the good times, Mike Davis).

Ohio State and Wisconsin lost in the second round of the tournament that year, while the Illini won twice then fell in the Sweet 16.

Right now, Iowa is 9-4 with Ohio State, Illinois and Wisconsin tied at 8-4. There's only one game left between those four teams - Iowa at Illinois on Saturday - so a three-way tie at four losses is possible.

What does the logjam mean for the Big Ten's NCAA chances this year? With Indiana's collapse, only six teams should get in, 7-5 Michigan State and 7-6 Michigan joining the top four. But the Hawkeyes, who had the race in their control, don't look like a team ready to make a March run unless the other 64 teams agree to play all the games in Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes fell to 5-7 overall away from home, their last three road games losses to Northwestern and Minnesota sandwiched around a three-point win at Indiana.

After Minnesota dominated Iowa inside and the Hawkeyes missed two crucial 1-and-1 foul shots down the stretch, Iowa coach Steve Alford said he felt fortunate to be 3-4 on the road in the conference with one road game left. Maybe he's right. Wisconsin and Illinois are 2-3 on the road in the conference, Michigan State and Michigan are each 2-5 and Indiana is 0-6.

At 3-3, Ohio State, and surprisingly, Penn State, are the only conference teams without a losing record on the road - of course, neither have to visit mighty Minnesota.

It might be left to the Buckeyes to carry the conference flag in March somewhere outside their own arena.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

2/21/06

BIG TEN NOTES
IU upheaval proves untimely

By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS | The Big Ten makes all of its coaches available for a weekly teleconference during the season, and following Indiana's Mike Davis for the gabfest Monday was Iowa's Steve Alford.

Pure coincidence, but delicious irony.

Alford is an icon in hoops-mad Indiana, and he's considered the logical successor to the resigning Davis. But the widespread speculation about the ex-Hoosier star's future could hardly have come at a worse time.

The Hawkeyes (20-7, 9-4) sit atop the Big Ten standings with two weeks to go, but their grip on first place is precarious. They've already lost once since the upheaval in Bloomington, allowing Illinois (22-4, 8-4), Ohio State (19-4, 8-4), Wisconsin (18-7, 8-4) and Michigan State (19-7, 7-5) to close the gap with the leaders.

Iowa hasn't captured even a piece of a Big Ten title since 1979 or won an outright crown since 1970. And Alford himself has finished no better than fourth in his six seasons, which is why he's wary of the off-court commotion.

"All my emotion, all my focus and all my attention are on this Hawkeye basketball team," he said emphatically, a refrain he's been uttering for the last week.

"We've had a heckuva year, and we're trying to do some things that haven't been done in the history of the school. I'm trying to make our team even better and trying to make this journey even more special."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo can understand Alford's dilemma after having been openly wooed by the NBA during an NCAA tournament run.

"Everybody is going to look at every opportunity they have, whether it's you (media) guys or the president of the United States," Izzo said. "I just don't know if there's a correct answer in that situation.

"You could say you don't have any interest, but there's not a lot of people who would believe that. You could say, 'I have some interest' or 'I'm going to wait until the season is over.' But there's no win-win (situation)."

Ohio State coach Thad Matta also has been forced to sidestep questions about the Indiana job. But unless the NCAA pulls a surprise and hands the program a 2007 postseason ban — effectively making free agents out of the star-studded recruiting class he assembled — Matta isn't likely to be going anywhere.

"For me, it hasn't been a distraction," he said, adding that he "woke up this morning sweating" about Wednesday's opponent, Michigan State.

"With what we still have left to do and what we're capable of doing, my focus and my attention are on our players and trying to get them better.

But that's always been the way I've operated."

The Big Ten has had three or more teams share the crown only twice since 1936, but a logjam at 11-5 is conceivable.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

2/21/06

BIG TEN NOTEBOOK

Alford family gathers in front of TV for ‘Knight School’

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> JOHN HARRELL | ASSOCIATED PRESS Iowa coach Steve Alford noted that Texas Tech’s Bob Knight still has players carry notebooks, a practice Alford remembers from his playing days under Knight.

</IMG>


The premiere of Knight School on ESPN was must-see TV on Sunday night for not only Iowa coach Steve Alford but his wife and three children.

"Our entire family watched it. I enjoyed it very much," Alford, a star guard on coach Bob Knight’s last NCAA championship team at Indiana, in 1987, said yesterday on the Big Ten coaches’ teleconference.

Knight School chronicles in six episodes the competition among 16 candidates to win a walk-on spot on Knight’s Texas Tech team next season. Alford said the reality-show tryout, which eliminated four players Sunday, resembled the Indiana practices he remembered — minus Knight’s R-rated rants, of course.

"The notepads were out. We had notebooks," Alford said. "I’ve been down there enough that I know Tech players still do the same thing we did at Indiana. You have notebooks (because) every day he’s going to say things that you need to write down and study and learn.

"The practice sessions obviously are going to be a little different because these are walk-ons that are trying out. But the first topic he chooses to pick is defense.

"He talks about (that you) may not be the best player, (that you) may not be the best athlete, but who’s going to be the best fit for his program. I think that’s why he’s been so highly successful over the years, (because) he doesn’t pay attention to the rankings of the experts who rank high-school players and junior-college players. He tries to find the best fit to his puzzle, and that’s why his puzzle has always looked pretty good every year."

Alford said he borrowed one of Knight’s ideas to help his players remain fresh and focused throughout the season. He divides the Big Ten schedule into a number of three- and four-game "baseball series" and tries to win each. So far, the Hawkeyes have.

"It’s something coach Knight used to always do," Alford said. "It’s a long season. It’s a grind. Back when I played, there were 18 (conference) games. It gets to be very long and can mentally really wear your team down."
Farewell week



Indiana’s final two home games of the season are this week against Penn State and Michigan State. Coach Mike Davis, who last week announced his resignation effective at the end of the season, is hoping for the best from fans in Assembly Hall.

"Hopefully, they have appreciated some of the things I’ve done here," he said, "but the most important thing is the boys. Our players deserve all the love and support from the fans. Hopefully, everything can work out."

Asked if he pays attention to the fans at home games, Davis said, "If I said I didn’t, I’d be telling you a story."
Been there , done that



Michigan State coach Tom Izzo empathizes with Alford and Ohio State coach Thad Matta, who with their teams in the Big Ten title chase have been asked to publicly declare whether they are candidates to succeed Davis. Izzo has been through the same thing when he was mentioned as a candidate for NBA jobs.

"It’s distracting," he said. "I understand everybody’s got a job to do. I just don’t know what you say. You never can be right.

"There’s not a guy in America that’s going to never say ‘never,’ I don’t think. Everybody’s got to look at every opportunity they have in life."
Dark horse candidate



No, not for the Indiana job but rather the NCAA Tournament.

It would be Minnesota, which has won three of its past four games after starting 1-7 in the Big Ten. The Gophers are 13-10 overall and own recent wins over Iowa and Michigan State.

"Our kids can do the math," coach Dan Monson said, "and if we were to win our last four, you’re 8-8 in the best conference in the country. (But) for us to do that is a pipe dream right now because it’s taken us 12 games to get four wins."

[email protected]

 

[Buckeye513]

Michigan just beat Illinois by 8.

Horton had a career game.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Well that will help us out. Now we just have to take care of business on Wednesday.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

2/22/06

TOP 25 ROUNDUP

Michigan turns back Illinois

Wednesday, February 22, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS

AL GOLDIS | ASSOCIATED PRESS Michigan’s Jerret Smith scores on a layup over Illinois’ James Augustine during the first half of the Wolverines’ victory.


Michigan 72, No. 8 Illinois 64 —

Daniel Horton scored 25 of his career-high 39 points in the second half to rally Michigan over Illinois last night in a Big Ten game in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Courtney Sims added 13 points for the Wolverines (18-7, 8-6), the only team to score more than 70 points against the Illini this season. Last month, Michigan lost 79-74 at Champaign, Ill.

The Wolverines snapped an 11-game losing streak against Illinois, dating to January 2000, and beat a ranked opponent for the third time in less than a month.

James Augustine scored 23 points and Dee Brown 20 for the Illini (22-5, 8-5).

After trailing 34-30 at halftime, Michigan hit five straight three-point shots to start the second half, including three by Horton, to take the lead. Augustine pulled Illinois within 66-64 on two free throws with 45.7 seconds to play, but Horton sealed the win by hitting six free throws in the final 43 seconds.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

2/22/06

MARK SNYDER BIG TEN: 5 teams have shot at crown


February 22, 2006


No one wants to predict.

Even the coaches out of the race refuse to make a pick for the Big Ten title.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the conference has whittled itself to five contenders -- Iowa (9-4), Ohio State (8-4), Wisconsin (8-4), Illinois (8-5) and Michigan State (7-5).

For all the scheduling oddities, the Big Ten got it right down the stretch, pitting the powers against each other in the final two weeks.

Iowa plays Saturday at Illinois, and Wisconsin finishes at Iowa. MSU hosts three of the other four contenders -- Ohio State tonight, then Wisconsin and Illinois.

A look at why the Fab Five will win and why they won't.

Iowa

WILL: The Hawkeyes have yet to lose consecutive Big Ten games, have the most experience and play only three more games, using most of this week to rest.

WON'T: Cold shooting (52 points at Wisconsin, 48 at Northwestern, 61 at Minnesota) pops up at the worst times.

Wisconsin

WILL: Forward Alando Tucker is the league's unstoppable force down low and is playing his best basketball.

WON'T: Three of last four are on the road, including trips to MSU (11-0 at home) and Iowa (15-0 at home). Depth has been a problem.

Ohio State

WILL: Can win inside (Terence Dials) or outside, and with multiple three-point shooters, someone is always hot. Best schedule of the five, just needs to survive MSU. The Buckeyes are always competitive and never get blown out. They haven't lost a Big Ten game by more than five points.

WON'T: No road team wins at East Lansing, and Michigan could be playing for its NCAA tournament life Saturday at Columbus.

Michigan State

WILL: If records were even, the Spartans would get the nod for having the three best players. Shannon Brown is playing as well as any Big Ten wing player, and Paul Davis has been more consistent than at any point in his career. Maurice Ager leads the team in scoring. Three home games and a road game at Indiana? Can't ask for more than that.

WON'T: Ager is a wild card. His hot touch can carry this team to the Final Four, but when he's off, it's hard to make up what's missing. Losing Matt Trannon hurts the defense.

Illinois

WILL: Dee Brown's indomitable will and ability to put on bursts against anyone is a plus. Rich McBride and Jamar Smith have emerged as scorers, and they free James Augustine inside. Nonconference victories over Georgetown and North Carolina tested this team early.

WON'T: Brown isn't shooting well, and as he goes, so go the Illini. The inside presence isn't strong enough. Two of the final three are on the road.

Prediction

A three-way tie for first at 11-5 -- Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan State. The Spartans need a four-game sweep to do it, but Tom Izzo already is in March mode, and his three-headed monster is ready to follow.

Contact MARK SNYDER at 313-223-3210 or [email protected]

 

[Oh8ch]

We are now down to four teams who are seriously in the hunt and I was curious if any of the other competitiors had played every game as closely as we have.

OSU has lost by no more than 5 all year.

As it turns out Iowa, Illinois and Wisky have lost at least THREE Big Ten games each by seven or more points. They have also lost one Big Ten game each by 14 or more points.

It takes some serious competitiveness and serious coaching to go this far into a season and play every game the way the Bucks have. It is time to forget all about next season for awhile and focus on what is in front of us right now. This is a special team and a special season. Savor it.

 

[Jaxbuck]

We are now down to four teams who are seriously in the hunt and I was curious if any of the other competitiors had played every game as closely as we have.

OSU has lost by no more than 5 all year.

As it turns out Iowa, Illinois and Wisky have lost at least THREE Big Ten games each by seven or more points. They have also lost one Big Ten game each by 14 or more points.

It takes some serious competitiveness and serious coaching to go this far into a season and play every game the way the Bucks have. It is time to forget all about next season for awhile and focus on what is in front of us right now. This is a special team and a special season. Savor it.

I don't think its being a homer to say OSU is the best team in the B10 (not by a huge margin but best none the less) and gives the B10 its best chance at a deep NCAA tourney run.

 

[BB73]

Northwestern just gave Wisconsin their 5th conference loss.