Would anybody like to tell me what the heck is going to happen in this last month of the Big Ten? Just two weeks ago, it looked like a clear cut race between Michigan and Michigan State to see who would take the regular season crown. A lot of things have changed since then. There are now five teams within a game and a half of first place with Michigan holding a slight lead. Michigan State has now lost three straight to Purdue, Indiana and Illinois. The Spartans certainly have the potential to be a Final Four team, but Tom Izzo will certainly need to turn things around with tough games against Minnesota and Wisconsin this week. Purdue’s win streak looked like it may have been jeopardy on Sunday when they were down double digits to Minnesota, but rallied in the second half for a 10 point win. The Big Ten is officially madness, and I don’t expect this week to be any different.
Games of the Week
#1 #19 Wisconsin @ #7 Michigan (12:00 E.T. FOX)
Saturday, February 9
Players to Watch:
Wisconsin: Ethan Happ (18.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG), Brad Davison (11.3 PPG,)
Michigan: Ignas Brazdeikis (15.2 PPG), Jordan Poole (12.8 PPG)
Oh, the beauty of rematches. Remember when Wisconsin knocked off unbeaten Michigan at home sending the college basketball landscape in shock, since then Wisconsin has won four straight and has climbed to #19 in the rankings and only one game back from first place. Michigan has since struggled with a two point win over Minnesota and a double digit loss to Iowa. Wisconsin obviously wanted the first matchup more and now with Brad Davison emerging in the scoring column, this team looks as dangerous as ever. Certainly don’t count out the Wolverines, but the Badgers have it rolling, and I don’t see that changing.
Wisconsin 65 Michigan 60
#2 #9 Michigan State @ #19 Wisconsin (7:00 E.T. ESPN2)
Tuesday, February 12
Players to Watch:
Michigan State: Cassius Winston (18.8 PPG), Nick Ward (15.4 PPG)
Wisconsin: Ethan Happ (18.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG), Brad Davison (11.3 PPG)
I am sure Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard would not prefer to have his team appear on two of the “Games of the Week,” but this is where they are and if they want to be the best in the Big Ten, they have to beat the best. The game will feature two of the best players in the Big Ten with Cassius Winston and Ethan Happ. These two are certainly in the hunt for Big Ten Player of the Year and future NBA players. The Spartans have not been impressive lately with bad losses against Indiana and Illinois. I really love this Wisconsin team, but I think Tom Izzo will have his team playing with a little more fire in the Kohl Center.
Michigan State 68 Wisconsin 62
Team of the Week: Indiana
I did not give the Hoosiers a chance against Michigan State in the Breslin Center on Saturday night. College Gameday was in East Lansing and the Hoosiers limped in with seven straight losses. What a gutsy performance by the Hoosiers in their overtime win especially with second leading scorer Juwan Morgan not playing for most of the game due to injury, The win puts the Hoosiers right back in the NCAA tournament mix if they can keep up their play. They get Iowa and Ohio State at home this week and could continue to build the resumé with wins this week.
Player of the Week: Carsen Edwards (Purdue)
Edwards is arguably the best player on the best team in the Big Ten right now, and he sure showed it, putting up 38 and 18 points in wins against Penn State and Minnesota. Sunday against Minnesota was not smooth sailing, as he only had two points in the first half, but as soon as he got going, the team crawled their way back and put the game away. Purdue goes as Edwards go, and he will need to continue to play well if the Boilermakers are looking for a Big Ten regular season championship.
Sleeper team: Nebraska
Everything is falling apart in Lincoln right now, as the Huskers, who started the year 11-2, have lost seven out of their last nine and are currently on a five game losing streak. If they want to have any hope of making the NCAA Tournament, it will need to start this week. The Huskers get Maryland at home on Wednesday and will have to travel to Purdue on Saturday. If the Huskers play like they did in December, these games are winnable which will mean James Palmer Jr. will have to be efficient and prove he is the All-Big Ten Player people think he is. The Big Ten has been weird lately and maybe the luck will finally turn towards Nebraska.
My Power Rankings.
- Purdue
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Michigan State
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Ohio State
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Northwestern
- Nebraska
- Rutgers
- Penn State