(Analysis after the jump)
- The top of the Big Ten is Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Ohio State still has the best chance of winning the Big Ten. The Buckeyes have games at Penn State and home against Wisconsin next week, in the final week of regular season play. Penn State only lost to Ohio State at Value City Arena by three, can they pull the upset? Wisconsin beat Ohio State in Madison, can they sweep the Buckeyes? These are questions that Purdue and Wisconsin hope end up with a giant yes. Lose both next week Buckeyes, and we have another Big Ten tri-championship... win one, lose one and we have co-champions with Purdue and Ohio State.. win both, you are out-right Big Ten champions. This is all assuming that Purdue and Wisconsin win out. Purdue's remaining schedule is at Michigan State, home against Illinois and then at Iowa. Wisconsin's remaining schedule is home against Northwestern, on the road at Indiana and their last game will be at Ohio State.
- Michigan State has been an interesting case. People keep talking about the expectations for Michigan State at the beginning of the year but they fail to mention the Spartans are sitting at fourth in the Big Ten.. which isn't necessarily as bad as Illinois and Minnesota.. who's expectations might not have been quite as high, but they were still higher than 17-10 and 17-11 seasons. Michigan State has a big game coming up against Purdue at home. Win that and you are in the NCAA Tournament, for sure. And they probably will secure a fourth seed in the Big Ten Tournament with Iowa and at Michigan left. But watch that at Michigan game, it probably won't be easy, as Wisconsin found out.
- Penn State and Illinois are tied in the loss column with eight Big Ten losses. Given their remaining schedules, PSU is hosts Ohio State and goes to Minnesota, Illinois home against Iowa, at Purdue, then home against Indiana, it is possible that they tie.
- Michigan and Minnesota are fighting for NCAA Tournament life right now. They have nine losses in conference play. If they both win out, they will be at .500 in conference play, but for one that isn't possible because they play each other tomorrow.
- Northwestern, Indiana, Iowa.. the race for last place. It isn't likely that Northwestern finishes last, and Indiana and Iowa win out, but you never know. Anything can happen. It's the Big Ten.