BT Powerhouse - All PostsA Big Ten Basketball Blog. Your top source for all things Big Ten basketball related.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48027/btpower-fave.png2024-03-18T09:22:52-05:00http://www.btpowerhouse.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T09:22:52-05:002024-03-18T09:22:52-05:00Instant 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Reaction
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<figcaption>Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Thoughts on the outlook for the 2024 NCAA Tournament.</p> <p id="BTJ2Vv">With the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a> wrapping up on Sunday and the full reveal of the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket coming just a few minutes later, it’s time to turn our focus away from the Big Ten season and onto the postseason. It’s that special time of year again.</p>
<p id="XEJqNd">But before we dive into the bracket and how things might shake out, let’s make sure to take a quick look at the bracket itself. Here it is below.</p>
<h1 id="uxwwik">2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket:</h1>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The bracket <a href="https://t.co/X5pG3A8PlI">pic.twitter.com/X5pG3A8PlI</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1769496098664583361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<h1 id="aoDBYX">Big Ten Seeding Situation:</h1>
<ul>
<li id="LyULxX">No. 1 - Purdue</li>
<li id="RPxPeK">No. 3 - Illinois</li>
<li id="49wV94">No. 5 - Wisconsin</li>
<li id="3IZtVs">No. 8 - Nebraska</li>
<li id="r0QmMK">No. 9 - <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a>
</li>
<li id="mLcfY1">No. 9 - Northwestern</li>
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<h1 id="1Mktul">Thoughts:</h1>
<h3 id="4sCRoy">1. The Big Ten avoided a worst case scenario.</h3>
<p id="c1t3EF">It hasn’t been a great year for the Big Ten. This has been pretty well known for months now. The conference has struggled to get teams in the top 25 since December and some of its most talented squads simply underachieved, such as Maryland, Michigan State, and <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a>. It left many wondering how things would look in March.</p>
<p id="scpDKP">The good news is the Big Ten avoided the worst case scenario. The league still got six teams into the field and two of them were top three seeds, which wasn’t always looking likely. A few of the lower seeds also have decent odds of making it out of the First Round. For example, KenPom has Michigan State and Nebraska both favored in their opening round matchups. That’s a lot better position than it could have been.</p>
<p id="8XqIu2">Of course, the biggest question will be about how many teams make it past the first weekend and whether Purdue can finally slay some of its postseason demons. If the league is going to make some noise, the Boilermakers are going to have to be part of it.</p>
<h3 id="eLoWUh">2. Michigan State does it again.</h3>
<p id="CggLkm">For the 26th straight postseason, Michigan State found its way into the bracket, earning a nine seed in the West Region. The Spartans will open up against Mississippi State on Thursday. A win there and the team would almost certainly face North Carolina on Saturday for a shot at a second straight Sweet 16.</p>
<p id="W4sETE">It hasn’t been a pretty season for the Spartans. The program entered the year with a top five preseason ranking and aspirations of championship banners. Unfortunately, the team limped into the NCAA Tournament at just 19-14 overall and having lost five of its last seven games. It’s easily one of the weaker teams in Tom Izzo’s tenure in East Lansing. </p>
<p id="CRgSja">However, this is also the time when teams can drastically rewrite their seasons. Get some magic going and the struggles of the regular season will be forgotten. As noted above, Michigan State is favored to get out of the Round of 64. We’ll have to see if they capitalize.</p>
<h3 id="ibjrBF">3. The Huskers get a chance to make history — against a familiar foe.</h3>
<p id="qa41cz">Nebraska’s underwhelming postseason history is well known around these parts. The program has only made eight NCAA Tournaments in its history and has yet to win a game in the Big Dance. Add in that only two of the appearances (including this one) have occurred since 1998 and you get a picture of how rough things have been.</p>
<p id="qRr467">However, Fred Hoiberg and his crew can turn the page on some of those struggles later this week as the Huskers open up against <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com">Texas A&M</a>. And it’s a fitting opponent considering the program just <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/39730943/governor-blames-nebraska-leadership-ad-trev-alberts-exit">lost its athletic director to the Aggies</a>. It will add a little extra flair to a game KenPom expects Nebraska to win. If Nebraska is finally going to slay the beast and elevate its status as a basketball program, this is a great time to do it.</p>
<h3 id="gJUtu4">4. Northwestern didn’t get any favors from the Committee.</h3>
<p id="DxW5AE">While some Big Ten teams got favorable draws, the same can’t be said about Northwestern. Despite a pretty solid regular season performance, the Wildcats were placed as a nine seed in one of the tougher pods of the Tournament. It’s going to take a seismic effort for Northwestern to make it past the first weekend.</p>
<p id="rxtgWz">For perspective, just consider what Northwestern’s path looks like here. The Wildcats will open up as mild favorites against FAU on Friday. However, the Owls are a team loaded with experience coming off a Final Four run last season. Then, even if Northwestern advances, the team is likely getting the top seed in <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com">UConn</a> coming off a national title. That’s a potential back-to-back against teams that made last year’s Final Four. It won’t be an easy task.</p>
<h3 id="OOgACd">5. Illinois and Purdue should be playing beyond this weekend.</h3>
<p id="86mBgB">By now, we’ve all heard the jokes about these two programs. About how they can’t get the job done in the postseason or fall short when the lights are the brightest. Some of those criticisms have been legitimate and others exaggerated. Illinois and Purdue have both struggled to get the job done in March, even when seeded well. Illinois hasn’t made the Sweet 16 since 2005 and Purdue is coming off one of the biggest choke jobs in NCAA Tournament history. The jokes are going to be there — for better or worse.</p>
<p id="depW3U">The good news is at least some of them should go away over the coming days. Illinois and Purdue are well positioned to advance beyond this weekend. The Boilermakers enter as a one seed and Illinois is probably the most dangerous three seed in the field. As long as these teams play even close to normal, they will be moving on.</p>
<h3 id="ZfNLfD">6. A Duke and Wisconsin rematch could be a lot of fun.</h3>
<p id="bNpeMI">The Badgers landed as a five seed in the South Region this year. Everyone knows the history of the 5-12 matchup by now and it should be emphasized here as well. Wisconsin is going to have to come ready to play against James Madison or its going home. </p>
<p id="4Xj0M0">However, it’s hard not to look ahead at a potential Round of 32 matchup with Duke. The programs haven’t played each other since the national championship game in 2015 when the Badgers were still led by Frank Kaminsky. And while the star power wouldn’t be quite the same as the last time they met, it would be popcorn worthy.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/18/24104656/2024-ncaa-tournament-bracket-reaction-stats-odds-purdue-michigan-state-wisconsin-illinois-nebraskaThomas Beindit2024-03-17T08:17:54-05:002024-03-17T08:17:54-05:00Saturday Big Ten Tournament Recap: Purdue Goes Down
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Semifinal-Wisconsin vs Purdue" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Kw4SuJnpmFyv1T3mYzhlnUCH2-0=/0x0:2738x1825/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73213054/usa_today_22791565.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Saturday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The semi-finals of the 2024 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a> were on Saturday and the games were fantastic. Purdue faced Wisconsin in the early game and Illinois tangled with Nebraska later on.</p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers 76, No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers 75 (OT)</strong></h3>
<p id="pk2Iti">Since losing on the road at Nebraska on January 9th, the Boilermakers have been almost unstoppable. The team won 15 of 16 games, including five against top 20 opponent and three against those opponents away from home. It was an incredible run that pushed the Boilermakers to an outright Big Ten regular season title.</p>
<p id="gDioli">Purdue was hoping to continue that momentum through Saturday.</p>
<p id="LFVUUx">Wisconsin had other thoughts.</p>
<p id="qIhj1Z">The Badgers not only fought hard, but outplayed Purdue for large hunks of Saturday’s game. Zach Edey was the only Boilermaker who was really productive, finishing with 28 points. Wisconsin’s defense held, even with foul trouble. Things got pushed into overtime and the Badgers did just enough to steal a 76-75 win over top seeded Purdue. It was the epitome of March and what the Big Ten Tournament is all about.</p>
<p id="htRYz5">Wisconsin improved to 22-12 overall with the win. The team will now move on to the Big Ten Tournament championship game on Sunday against Illinois. The Badgers will be mild underdogs, but should have a solid chance to grab the trophy. However, while making it to Sunday is noteworthy, simply getting some momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament might be even more important. The Badgers were absolutely dreadful down the stretch in the regular season and needed something like this to get going again.</p>
<p id="9E1CsR">On the other side, Purdue fell to 29-4 overall with the loss. The Boilers will now await their fate on Selection Sunday. The team will be a one seed. The only questions are about where Purdue will land and what it could see in the opening weekend. The pressure to perform in March will be on after the last few years’ missteps. </p>
<h1 id="aL6j90"><strong>The Rest:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="yMPyoU"><strong>-No. 2 Illinois Fighting Illini 98, No. 3 Nebraska Cornhuskers 87</strong></h3>
<p id="g5Qw4A">The Huskers entered this one with plenty of momentum and actually controlled the first half. However, Terrence Shannon went absolutely ballistic in the second half, finishing with 40 points and two rebounds, and pushed Illinois to a double-digit win. Marcus Domask also had 16 points. Illinois finished with 1.29 points per possession.</p>
<p id="vuMxt3">Illinois improved to 25-8 overall with the win. The team will now move on to Sunday’s championship game against Wisconsin. Illinois won the only regular season meeting between the two and will be favored. As long as Shannon and Domask perform, Illinois should have a good shot of grabbing a win.</p>
<p id="id1SPG">Nebraska fell to 23-10 overall with the loss. It snapped a three-game winning streak, wherein all three wins came by double-digits. The Huskers will now await Selection Sunday knowing the team will be in the field. The only question will be where it’s seeded. <a href="https://barttorvik.com/tranketology.php">TRank has Nebraska as an eight seed</a>. Fans will be hoping the program can earn its first win in the NCAA Tournament.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/17/24103765/saturday-2024-big-ten-tournament-recap-purdue-wisconsin-nebraska-illinois-final-score-stats-bracketThomas Beindit2024-03-17T07:49:19-05:002024-03-17T07:49:19-05:002024 Big Ten Tournament Championship Preview: Illinois vs Wisconsin
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<figcaption>Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Preview Sunday’s matchup for the Big Ten Tournament title.</p> <p id="zK5ooP">It’s been a great week of action in the 2024 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a> and it will all culminate on Sunday with Illinois matching up against Wisconsin. Both were two of the better teams in the conference all season and it should make for a great game on Sunday. </p>
<p id="ZODdAw">Let’s take a look at the schedule.</p>
<h1 id="P0vDkV">Game of the Day:</h1>
<h3 id="dyd92b">-No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 2 Illinois Fighting Illini</h3>
<ul>
<li id="xOhcqY">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 3:30 PM ET (CBS)</li>
<li id="NhcFMq">
<strong>KenPom Spread: </strong>Illinois by 2</li>
</ul>
<p id="ZmNYVb">It’s been quite a run for both these squads. Wisconsin entered the postseason amid a serious slump, dating back to early February. However, something about Minneapolis has ignited the Badgers, allowing the team to knock off Maryland, Northwestern, and top seeded Purdue in successive days. The Boilermakers had won 15 of the team’s previous 16 games before the Badgers pulled off the upset in overtime. It was March at its finest.</p>
<p id="vBdpAf">On the other side, Illinois has had plenty of drama of its own. The team had played phenomenally for much of the season, but also couldn’t get over the hump for the Big Ten regular season title. That left fans hoping for more in the postseason and Illinois has delivered so far, beating a red hot <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> team on Friday and Nebraska by double-digits on Saturday. </p>
<p id="wyMbZO">Those wins put Wisconsin and Illinois into Sunday’s championship game, where they will meet for the second time this season. They first met on March 2nd in Madison, where Illinois earned an eight-point road win. Marcus Domask led the way with 31 points. Terrence Shannon also had 23 points. However, that was amid Wisconsin’s underwhelming stretch and the Badgers are playing much better now.</p>
<p id="o22Prk">The key matchup here is going to be in the backcourt. Illinois’ group is significantly more talented and more productive. Domask and Shannon have been incredible this season and could also produce 40+ points <em>by themselves</em> if allowed. It’s going to be up to Chucky Hepburn and Max Klesmit to limit the damage. </p>
<p id="PMHSt9">The Badgers have put together some really impressive defensive performances this season, but a lot of it has come from the frontcourt. For example, Wisconsin beat <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a> on the road in December by double-digits, but still gave up 36 combined points to AJ Hoggard and Tyson Walker. In short, they’ve primarily won elsewhere. It makes Illinois look like a particularly tricky matchup.</p>
<p id="C2zR39">The better bet for Wisconsin here is likely in line with what teams would try with the early 2000s <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com">Lakers</a> — let the stars have theirs and stop everyone else. You saw this in Illinois’ loss to Penn State in late February. Domask and Shannon went off for 50 combined points, but nobody else did much. That’s probably the best route for the Badgers here and it would lean into experienced players like Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl. </p>
<p id="9SxrM0">By any evaluation, this looks like a close game. Illinois has more firepower, but Wisconsin is probably more balanced. Illinois has to hope for some big performances from players like Luke Goode and Coleman Hawkins. If the role players step up, Illinois could win this things going away. Wisconsin is probably best off with a “death by a thousand cuts” approach, putting so much pressure on Illinois’ stars to be great. </p>
<p id="U6KFNL">It’s also important to remember the nature of this game. Championship games in the Big Ten Tournament are notoriously ugly, namely because teams are playing their third or fourth game in as many days. Some theories suggest this hurts jump shooting teams because their legs fall apart with this many successive days. Nobody (as far as we’re aware) has done a formal analysis on this theory, but it’s something to keep in mind. If real, the advantage would be for Wisconsin. While the Badgers have played an extra game, the team is 237th in percentage of team points from outside the arc. </p>
<p id="KEmBsy">Overall, Illinois seems positioned to win. The game will be close, but it’s been a more consistent unit this season and has been rolling. </p>
<ul><li id="wX1Sdd">
<strong>Pick: </strong>Illinois</li></ul>
<h3 id="2qimHd">***</h3>
<p id="dn1HqI"><em>Picks Record This Season: 71-29</em></p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/17/24103749/2024-big-ten-tournament-championship-preview-illinois-vs-wisconsin-kenpom-spread-tv-game-time-statThomas Beindit2024-03-16T06:59:51-05:002024-03-16T06:59:51-05:00Michigan Fires Juwan Howard — Potential Replacements
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<figcaption>Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>The Michigan basketball program has changed its head coach.</p> <p id="UsXtgT">The <a href="https://www.maizenbrew.com">Michigan Wolverines</a> announced some major news on Friday, as the program relieved Juwan Howard of his head coaching duties. Howard had just wrapped up his fifth year at the helm. </p>
<div id="eK3Ho8">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING NEWS: U-M Director of Athletics Warde Manuel has announced that a leadership change would be made in basketball with Juwan Howard not returning next season.<br><br>Release | <a href="https://t.co/N2QU7adNM3">https://t.co/N2QU7adNM3</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBlue?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBlue</a> <a href="https://t.co/yxDIAgkgfk">pic.twitter.com/yxDIAgkgfk</a></p>— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) <a href="https://twitter.com/umichbball/status/1768698693623103936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="AUTq6C">During his five years in Ann Arbor, Howard compiled an 87-72 (.547) overall record and a 49-49 (.505) mark in Big Ten play. He led the Wolverines to a Big Ten title in 2021, a one seed and an Elite Eight in the same year, and a Sweet 16 in 2022. Michigan also made the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a> in 2023 and would have made another NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020, had the NCAA Tournament not been cancelled. </p>
<p id="62rAUY">Unfortunately, Michigan’s roster and production saw a consistent decline under Howard’s leadership, which culminated in the horrid 8-24 performance this season. It was arguably the worst season in Michigan basketball history and followed a rough 18-16 campaign the year prior. And with a few contributors guaranteed to return next fall, Athletic Director Warde Manuel clearly thought it was time for a change.</p>
<p id="w616ec">The focus will now turn to who might replace Howard. Some of the names most consistently floated have been FAU’s Dusty May and <a href="https://www.widerightnattylite.com">Iowa State</a>’s TJ Otzelberger. Both have achieved impressive success at “smaller brand” programs and would seem to be reasonable choices for a program like Michigan, which has some admissions and NIL hurdles that make it challenging to recruit in the transfer portal era. </p>
<p id="WDUe0U">However, there are two more unconventional options that Michigan should probably focus on. The first is former Michigan head coach John Beilein. He left the program in 2019 to coach the <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com">Cleveland Cavaliers</a>, but flamed out and spent much of the last few years in a development role with the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com">Detroit Pistons</a>. Beilein led Michigan to enormous heights in the 2010s and would be a natural cultural fit with the athletic department. He is currently a commentator for Big Ten Network and has been repeatedly linked with college jobs in recent years, implying he still has an interest in coaching at this level.</p>
<p id="y73y0J">The biggest questions around Beilein have to do with the changes in the college game and whether his unorthodox recruiting philosophy can work in the NIL era. Beilein was notoriously dedicated to NCAA compliance during his tenure, which isn’t exactly a great strategy in today’s wild west of college recruiting. Beilein is also 71 years old, which is only modestly younger than Coach K and Roy Williams, who recently retired. That means any reunion with Beilein will likely be short lived.</p>
<p id="fKIHrX">Another option would be Xavier’s Sean Miller. While the Musketeers just wrapped up a relatively down year, Miller’s coaching resume is incredibly impressive, including three Elite Eight appearances at Arizona and three Sweet 16 trips at Xavier over the years. He’s done it at the highest level and has obvious Midwest connections that could push the Wolverines toward the top of the conference, at least from a recruiting perspective.</p>
<p id="TS2JjU">Of course, Miller also comes with some major baggage. He was one of the targets of the FBI probe years ago and was pushed out from Arizona over the drama. Unlike Beilein, he wouldn’t be a cultural fit and would be a bit of oil in water. The question is whether some of Miller’s prior transgressions (primarily related to paying players) carry the same weight now that NIL has been normalized. It’s unclear how his candidacy would be considered, or how <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a>’s opening could play into this role.</p>
<p id="91Zp5t">All told, it will be an interesting few weeks in Ann Arbor as Manuel finds his next head coach. Most fans will likely be rooting for Beilein to get the gig.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/16/24102881/michigan-wolverines-basketball-fires-juwan-howard-potential-replacements-beilein-may-sean-millerThomas Beindit2024-03-16T06:22:10-05:002024-03-16T06:22:10-05:00Friday Big Ten Tournament Recap: Illinois Tops OSU
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Ohio State vs Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_JfSkzOKs-Ocv_IJF6aeD2Jh2KE=/0x0:2500x1667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211318/usa_today_22786305.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Friday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The Big Ten had four games on the third day of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a>. Three of the four games ended up going down to the final minutes.</p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 2 Illinois Fighting Illini 77, No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes 74</strong></h3>
<p id="pk2Iti">What an incredible game. It had everything fans could hope for in the Big Ten Tournament, as <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> tried to earn its way into the NCAA Tournament and Illinois battled to keep its hopes of winning this weekend alive. It was back-and-forth throughout the second half until Illinois separated itself in the closing minutes. Terrence Shannon was incredible and finished with 28 points, three assists, and three rebounds. Dain Dainja also had 18 points.</p>
<p id="BtuRBq">Illinois improved to 24-8 overall with the win. It was the team’s second straight win and its fifth over the last six games. The squad is absolutely rolling right now and fans have to be licking their chops about a chance to get some revenge on Purdue after the Boilermakers swept Illinois during the regular season. </p>
<p id="EumNmG">However, those hopes will have to wait at least a day as Illinois first has to get through Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. Illinois won the only matchup between the two this season on February 4th, though the win came in overtime and required a major collapse from the Huskers in the closing minutes. Expect another tight game.</p>
<p id="CcVVnJ">On the other side, Ohio State fell to 20-13 overall with the loss. It snapped a five-game winning streak for the Buckeyes, which included three wins away from home. Unfortunately for Buckeye fans, this loss will likely keep Ohio State out of the NCAA Tournament. TRank now has Ohio State as the <a href="https://barttorvik.com/tranketology.php">fourth team out of the field</a> and most of the bracketologists agree. However, we’ve seen odd things before, so fans will have to tune in to Selection Sunday and see how things land.</p>
<h1 id="aL6j90"><strong>The Rest:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="yMPyoU"><strong>-No. 3 Nebraska Cornhuskers 93, No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers 66</strong></h3>
<p id="MDz6zS">This was an absolute beat down. Indiana kept things close for the first 10 minutes, but got absolutely run out of the gym after that en route to one of the program’s worst losses in recent years. Keisei Tominaga and Brice Williams each finished with 23 points in the win. Both teams unloaded their benches in the closing minutes. It was an incredible performance for Nebraska and marked the program’s first Big Ten Tournament win since 2019 when Tim Miles was still around.</p>
<p id="Ndw6Bt">Nebraska improved to 23-9 overall with the win and will now prepare for a loaded Illinois squad on Saturday afternoon. It will be an uphill battle for the Huskers. On the other side, Indiana will wrap up its season at 19-14 overall. The Hoosiers have already announced they will decline an <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a> invite, so Mike Woodson and his staff will now shift their focus to the offseason after what has been a pretty disappointing year.</p>
<h3 id="bDm8vE"><strong>-No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers 67, No. 8 Michigan State Spartans 62</strong></h3>
<p id="HrBlq5">In a lot of ways, this felt like an old school Big Ten battle. It was a physical battle inside with plenty of quality defense on both sides. Unfortunately for <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a>, Purdue had the x-factor in Zach Edey, who led the Boilermakers with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Edey was really the only player on either side to have a productive offensive night, which allowed Purdue to grab a narrow 67-62 win.</p>
<p id="OS0uZr">The Boilers improved to 29-3 overall with the win. The team will now prepare for Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon. Purdue swept the Badgers in the regular season, but both games were decided by single-digits, so it could be another tight battle.</p>
<p id="Jp6bzV">Michigan State fell to 19-14 with the loss and will now await its fate on Selection Sunday. The Spartans are a safe bet to make the field. The only question is where the team will be seeded. The team has an unusual resume (great analytics, but an underwhelming record), so it’s unclear where the committee will seed the Spartans. It should be another interesting test case of the NET.</p>
<h3 id="w2us7e"><strong>-No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers 70, No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats 61</strong></h3>
<p id="RL2LKY">The Wildcats started this one well and jumped out to an early lead, but faded as halftime approached and could never get back in control. AJ Storr led the way for the Badgers with 30 points and six rebounds. Steven Crowl also had 19 points. Boo Buie had 29 points in the losing effort.</p>
<p id="cFmGwt">Wisconsin improved to 21-12 overall with the win. The team has now quietly won three of its last four games after a horrid February. The Badgers will now prepare for top seeded Purdue on Saturday. As noted above, Wisconsin was swept by the Boilermakers in the regular season, so it should be a good chance for revenge for the Badgers. One of the big questions is <a href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-basketball/2024/3/15/24102477/wisconsin-badgers-hc-greg-gard-reveals-why-chucky-hepburn-didnt-play-vs-northwestern-john-blackwell">whether Chucky Hepburn will play</a>, after he missed Friday’s win over Northwestern. </p>
<p id="g5Qw4A">On the other side, Northwestern fell to 21-11 overall with the loss. Fans will now have to await the team’s fate on Selection Sunday. The Wildcats should be safe for the NCAA Tournament, but made things a bit uncomfortable over the last few weeks, losing three of the team’s last four games. TRank now has Northwestern as one of the <a href="https://barttorvik.com/tranketology.php">last teams in the field</a>.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/16/24102854/friday-2024-big-ten-tournament-recap-illinois-tops-ohio-state-basketball-bracket-purdue-michiganThomas Beindit2024-03-16T03:59:00-05:002024-03-16T03:59:00-05:00Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament: Saturday Preview
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Michigan State vs Purdue" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mcwbQ95HpKOesSXgFHFhjGDq0qg=/0x0:2738x1825/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211223/usa_today_22782823.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="TrtrJq">The <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a> continues Saturday with two more games in the semifinals before tomorrow’s title game. Let’s take a look at the upcoming action.</p>
<h4 id="P0DQyj">#5 Wisconsin Badgers vs #1 Purdue Boilermakers</h4>
<ul>
<li id="mmeI6v">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 1:00 PM ET CBS</li>
<li id="GPnlRz">
<strong>Line:</strong> Purdue -6.5</li>
</ul>
<p id="WI83wD">In the early game today Purdue is set to face Wisconsin. This game will be somewhat interesting after Braden Smith suffered a knee injury in Purdue’s win against <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a>. The guard ultimately came back but if there’s a chance he could reaggravate the injury it wouldn’t make sense to play him in what is essentially one or two irrelevant games. And as of right now it’s not set in stone if he’ll play or not, but the guard seemed to imply he plans to.</p>
<div id="PvwHfi">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Braden Smith provided a health update to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAndyKatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAndyKatz</a> after <a href="https://twitter.com/BoilerBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoilerBall</a>'s win in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GMBBT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GMBBT</a>: <a href="https://t.co/RzD5J8t3Pw">pic.twitter.com/RzD5J8t3Pw</a></p>— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) <a href="https://twitter.com/B1GMBBall/status/1768713956850303436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="jGPtu1">In the two games these teams played earlier in the season the Boilermakers won 75-69 and 78-70. In the first game some pundits said Wisconsin “found the blueprint to beat Purdue” but only lost because of “bad luck” from the three point line, where they shot 3 of 19. Not to be outdone, Wisconsin quite literally followed the same script in a game where they hung around the Boilermakers but were undone by a 5 of 24 shooting performance from beyond the arc.</p>
<p id="YImL64">If Purdue can continue to defend well on the perimeter and Wisconsin can’t hit from three there’s little doubt they should be able to win. Zach Edey continues to be a force inside and the backcourt has been productive enough to elevate Purdue even more. The health of Smith does loom large, especially if Matt Painter goes conservative and tries to keep the team healthy for the NCAA Tournament. As long as Smith is a full go Purdue should be fine. </p>
<p id="tSxcZu"><strong>Pick:</strong> Purdue</p>
<h4 id="B1QAcE">#3 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs #2 Illinois Fighting Illini</h4>
<ul><li id="RR9qi3">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 3:30 PM ET CBS (25 minutes Game 1)</li></ul>
<p id="ZKObOU">In the other semifinal Nebraska and Illinois will face off. The Illini survived a scare from <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> in a three point win, taking advantage of a 32-13 free throw advantage as Ohio State outshot the Illini from two and both teams were an icy cold 4 of 15 from three. Nebraska decimated Indiana last night by 27 while shooting 43.8% from three and 50% from the field.</p>
<p id="Zqqish">The Cornhuskers have been rolling over the past month, going 7-1 and winning every game besides a road loss to Ohio State. Fred Hoiberg has Nebraska firmly in the NCAA Tournament and a win here will have them playing for a Big Ten Tournament title tomorrow. Nebraska’s surge the past month has been thanks to their offense rolling, especially from beyond the arc, and they’ll need that run to continue against an Illini team with no problem scoring.</p>
<p id="2P9YzB">At some point Nebraska’s offense will likely come back down and if that happens here it’s highly unlikely they’ll knock off the Illini. On the other hand, Illinois has effectively been playing to the level of their opposition so they’re still vulnerable here. Nebraska plays better in Lincoln, but the Big Ten Tournament isn’t exactly a road atmosphere. If the Illini can continue to get to the line and feed Terrence Shannon Jr. they should be more than capable of slowing down the Cornhuskers. Expect plenty of offensive fireworks, but Illinois having a more consistent offense will likely be the deciding factor here. </p>
<p id="oOiBun"><strong>Pick:</strong> Illinois</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/16/24102604/big-ten-mens-basketball-tournament-saturday-preview-tv-time-picks-purdue-wisconsin-nebraska-illinoisBryan Steedman2024-03-15T08:29:05-05:002024-03-15T08:29:05-05:00Thursday Big Ten Tournament Recap: OSU Beats Iowa
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round-Ohio State vs Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7sNv3-pBE_wEs_cPAJkjB2t0Mck=/0x0:2738x1825/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73209178/usa_today_22777751.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Thursday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The Big Ten had four games on the second day of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a>. Three of the games featured teams with serious NCAA Tournament hopes. </p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes 90, No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes 78</strong></h3>
<p id="pk2Iti">This was the epitome of a bubble game. Both teams entered firmly in the NCAA Tournament discussion and were hoping to get one or two more wins to remove any doubt. Iowa has been more consistent, but the Buckeyes entered with momentum. Nobody was quite sure what would win out in the end.</p>
<p id="b817Pp">The game ended up being pretty competitive. The Buckeyes led throughout, but weren’t able to pull away until the closing minutes. <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a>’s offense was fantastic, finishing with 1.23 points per possession. Jamison Battle had 23 points and nine rebounds. Scott Middleton also had 11 points off the bench.</p>
<p id="J3jYzi">Ohio State improved to 20-12 overall with the win and will now move on to face No. 2 seed Illinois on Friday evening. The Buckeyes will be underdogs, but enter having won five in a row and six of the team’s last seven games. TRank has Ohio State as the <a href="https://barttorvik.com/tranketology.php">third team out of the field</a>, so a win over Illinois would almost certainly put the Buckeyes into the Big Dance. It would be an incredible story after Chris Holtmann’s firing a few weeks ago.</p>
<p id="9srp0m">On the other side, Iowa fell to 18-14 overall with the loss. It’s a frustrating finish for the Hawkeyes, who played pretty well for most of the last three months, but couldn’t overcome the team’s horrid 5-5 start to the season. Iowa will now likely head to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a>, missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. </p>
<h1 id="aL6j90"><strong>The Rest:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="yMPyoU"><strong>-No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers 61, No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions 59</strong></h3>
<p id="MDz6zS">The Hoosiers and Nittany Lions battled in this one. Neither team ever took firm control and things swung back and forth multiple times in the second half. Ultimately, Indiana got just enough from its frontcourt to eek out a two-point win. Kel’el Ware led the way with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Malik Reneau also had 12 points.</p>
<p id="IwTcUy">Indiana improved to 19-13 overall with the win and will now prepare for No. 3 seed Nebraska on Friday night. The Hoosiers were swept by the Huskers during the regular season, so it could be an uphill battle. However, Penn State also swept Indiana as well and the Hoosiers came out on top in this one. Perhaps Indiana could have some magic going.</p>
<p id="bCPh0L">Penn State fell to 16-17 overall with the loss. It ends what was a bizarre season for the Nittany Lions. The team entered the season with incredibly low expectations, struggled out of the gate, but caught fire in late January and made a decent run toward the end of the season. It was a pretty solid coaching job by Mike Rhoades and should set up what figures to be an intriguing 2024-’25 season for the program.</p>
<h3 id="bDm8vE"><strong>-No. 8 Michigan State Spartans 77, No. 9 Minnesota Golden Gophers 67</strong></h3>
<p id="HrBlq5">This was a quietly intriguing matchup. <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a> entered hoping to put the final touches on its resume and Minnesota was hoping to get a run going in front of a home town crowd. The game ended up pretty competitive, with the Spartans pulling it out in the closing minutes. AJ Hoggard led the way with 17 points and six assists. Tyson Walker also had 15 points.</p>
<p id="OGlrmJ">Michigan State improved to 19-13 overall with the win. The Spartans will now prepare for top seeded Purdue on Friday afternoon. This win ends any debate about the team’s postseason hopes. Tom Izzo and his squad will be in the NCAA Tournament yet again. </p>
<p id="guOPHb">On the other side, Minnesota fell to 18-14 overall with the loss. The Gophers had an outside shot of making the NCAAs with a run this weekend, but will now be hoping for an NIT bid. The team has a decent shot of making the field, which would be a decent achievement for the program after the last few seasons. However, fans will certainly have mixed feelings given Minnesota’s performance this year. If the schedule had been modestly better or the team had won just a few more games, it could be dancing. That will be tough to stomach.</p>
<h3 id="w2us7e"><strong>-No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers 87, No. 12 Maryland Terrapins 56</strong></h3>
<p id="ZucReY">This one was never competitive, as Wisconsin rolled Maryland out of the gate and never looked back. Steven Crowl led the way with 17 points. John Blackwell also had 18 points off the bench. The Terps finished with a brutal 0.86 points per possession.</p>
<p id="RL2LKY">Wisconsin improved to 20-12 overall with the win and will now prepare for No. 4 seed Northwestern on Friday afternoon. Maryland will finish its season at 16-17 in what has to be one of the most disappointing seasons in program history. The Terps entered as one of the league favorites and finished below .500. It’s only the second season in the KenPom era where Maryland has finished with an overall losing record. Unfortunately, both seasons came in the last three years.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/15/24101341/thursday-2024-big-ten-tournament-recap-ohio-state-basketball-bracket-iowa-michigan-state-indianaThomas Beindit2024-03-15T03:58:00-05:002024-03-15T03:58:00-05:00Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament: Friday Preview
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Purdue" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NRfrpRyKertf9h3EfcUSAknkV24=/0x0:8256x5504/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73208801/usa_today_22745100.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="3Tbnyp">The third day of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-basketball-tournament">Big Ten Tournament</a> is today with the top four teams finally seeing action in the quarterfinals. Let’s take a look at the upcoming action. </p>
<h4 id="iHI3by">#8 Michigan State Spartans vs #1 Purdue Boilermakers</h4>
<ul>
<li id="hNd1F7">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 12:00 PM ET BTN</li>
<li id="rvG0Qh">
<strong>Line:</strong> Purdue -6.5</li>
</ul>
<p id="xH0Vvt"><a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a> has underwhelmed almost all season but has done enough to stay on the right side of the bubble. While they’ve trended towards the back end of said bubble, a late season win versus Northwestern and a win yesterday against Minnesota helped lock their bid. Today they face off against a Purdue team that won by six the last time they played. In that game Zach Edey impressed with 32 points and 11 rebounds. </p>
<p id="JpeYBz">In that game Edey, Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer scored 70 of the Boilermakers 80 points. While that might not exactly be ideal heading forward, if Edey can drop 32 while Smith and Loyer shoot 8 of 10 from three...it might just work. The Spartans will have their hands full with Edey so as long as the Purdue backcourt can refrain from going ice cold they should be able to pick up the win here. Purdue won the Big Ten Tournament last year but their focus is more likely set on a better result in the NCAA Tournament. Matt Painter should still have his team ready to compete, however. </p>
<p id="St8DOe"><strong>Pick:</strong> Purdue</p>
<h4 id="mZQ7ZX">#5 Wisconsin Badgers vs #4 Northwestern Wildcats</h4>
<ul>
<li id="fp5n65">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 2:30 PM ET BTN (25 Minutes After Game One)</li>
<li id="xLFdkr">
<strong>Line:</strong> Wisconsin -3</li>
</ul>
<p id="S8vggO">The second game is an interesting match set between a Wisconsin and Northwestern team that isn’t particularly easy to predict. Wisconsin at one time was the frontrunner in the league but a 3-8 stretch to close the season dropped them outside of the top four. They did knock off an offensively challenged Maryland by 31 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament yesterday. </p>
<p id="RD6yft">Northwestern has been all over the place down the stretch, losing to Minnesota, <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com">Rutgers</a> and Iowa while failing to notch any major wins since a 12 point win against Nebraska. There’s a ton of talent here, especially with Boo Buie, but a lacking frontcourt and inconsistent play makes the Wildcats a boom or bust. They lost to Wisconsin earlier in the season by 8 and Wisconsin has seemingly started to piece things together after two wins and close losses to Illinois and Purdue.</p>
<p id="OQ4vAN">Boo Buie could easily take over this game and carry the Wildcats to a win but if that doesn’t happen Wisconsin should land the upset. Look for the Badgers to continue making some noise into the weekend.</p>
<p id="CCVWgX"><strong>Pick:</strong> Wisconsin</p>
<h4 id="8Y9k11">#10 Ohio State Buckeyes vs #2 Illinois Fighting Illini</h4>
<ul>
<li id="AHnYIj">
<strong>Time/TV: </strong>6:30 PM ET BTN</li>
<li id="kbOOmO">
<strong>Line:</strong> Illinois -4.5</li>
</ul>
<p id="PejjYC"><a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> has quietly reemerged since naming Jake Diebler as their interim coach. Since making the switch the Buckeyes have gone 5-1 with wins over Purdue, Michigan State and Nebraska. A win today against Illinois would likely evaluate the Buckeyes as a legit contender for a postseason bid. </p>
<p id="jRucpI">Their opponent today is an Illinois team that has been right at the top of the league but seemingly has been incapable of getting over the hump. A team known for losing big games, evident when losing to Purdue twice this year as well as at Michigan State and Northwestern, has also added a loss at Penn State while squeaking out wins against numerous inferior teams in the Big Ten. With Ohio State playing well that should leave some hope for the Buckeye faithful.</p>
<p id="ZnrLyi">Unfortunately for Ohio State they likely don’t have the offensive firepower to match the Illini. Between Terrence Shannon Jr., Coleman Hawkins and Marcus Domask the Illini have plenty of weapons. All three have occasional issues with consistency, but when they play to their level it’s hard to see Ohio State defensively getting the job done. The emergence of Jamison Battle has been big for the Buckeyes and if he can have another massive second half that could change things, but the Illini do just enough to get the job done. </p>
<p id="luOzby"><strong>Pick:</strong> Illinois</p>
<h4 id="cW8xfV">#6 Indiana Hoosiers vs #3 Nebraska Cornhuskers</h4>
<ul><li id="G0A1ZV">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 9:00 PM ET BTN (25 Minutes After Game Three)</li></ul>
<p id="cNSeNR">In the late game tonight Indiana faces Nebraska after edging Penn State. The Hoosiers have won five in a row to save face even though a NCAA Tournament appearance is off the table unless they can win out to close the week. Nebraska surprised this season on their way to a double bye and a top four finish in the Big Ten.</p>
<p id="TRg8UC">These teams played twice this year and Nebraska won both games 86-70 and 85-70. The Cornhuskers have been the more consistent team but winning away from Lincoln has been tricky. As hot as Indiana has been, the Cornhuskers closed the season on a 6-1 stretch. Offensively Nebraska has been rolling and Keisei Tominaga has found his shot to close out the season. </p>
<p id="5bApSq">Both of these teams enter the day rolling but Indiana’s inability to shoot from range could prove problematic. The Hoosiers have a strong frontcourt but their backcourt has been mainly awful this season and their continued inability to shoot from three should prove problematic against a Nebraska team that has had no issues scoring the ball. </p>
<p id="13Qn2U"><strong>Pick:</strong> Nebraska</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/15/24101386/big-ten-mens-basketball-tournament-friday-preview-tv-time-odds-picks-purdue-northwestern-nebraskaBryan Steedman