Around the Big Ten: Basketball
CommRadio's "Around the Big Ten" podcast features how every Big Ten team is faring so far this season:
The Big 10 had an uneventful weekend as there were several games that resulted in blowouts. However, Sunday’s contest between No. 7 Michigan and No. 10 Michigan State should be entertaining. The Big 10 has struggled recently as Nebraska has lost eight of its last 10 games since losing Isaac Copeland Jr. for the year. Additionally, Indiana and Ohio State are struggling and must bounce back if they want to make the tournament. Now let’s recap the past week for each team in the conference.
Michigan Wolverines (23-3, 12-3)
The Wolverines bounced back to beat a quality team in Maryland after being upset by Penn State last week. Charles Matthews led the team by shooting 7-12 from the field and racked up 14 points in the win against Maryland. Michigan remains at the top of the conference, but must beat Michigan State at home to stay in first.
Michigan State Spartans (21-5, 12-3)
Michigan State center Nick Ward will be out indefinitely after breaking his hand in the teams win against Ohio State. It will be difficult to replace Ward because the Spartans do not have a deep rotation and Ward produces 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Kenny Goins and Xavier Tillman must step up if the Spartans want to stay in the top 10.
Purdue Boilermakers (19-7, 12-3)
Purdue squeaked by Indiana last night as Matt Haarms tipped in a basket with 3.2 seconds remaining to give the Boilermakers the lead. Carsen Edwards continues to be incredible as he averages 24.4 points per game.
Maryland Terrapins (20-7, 11-5)
The Terrapins had a crucial road win against No. 21 Iowa. The team held Tyler Cook to six points in their narrow victory. Maryland is unique in that it has six players averaging over eight points a game.
Wisconsin Badgers (18-8, 10-5)
After losing back-to-back to Michigan and Michigan State, the Badgers bounced back in a win against Illinois. The Badgers should be able to win the remaining games of their season as they face only one ranked opponent in Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes (20-6, 9-6)
After losing to Maryland, the Hawkeyes should be able to get back on a winning streak with Indiana, Ohio State and Rutgers being their next opponents. Iowa struggled last week as they beat Rutgers and Northwestern by a combined three points.
Minnesota Gophers (17-9, 7-8)
Minnesota has a tough remaining schedule with No.7 Michigan, No. 15 Purdue and No. 24 Maryland left. The Gophers must win three of their last five if they are looking to receive an opportunity to play in the March Madness. The Gophers just beat Indiana by 21 points after losing four straight.
Ohio State Buckeyes (16-9, 6-8)
The Buckeyes have struggled recently as they dropped to under .500 in conference play after losing to Michigan State. Ohio State plays four ranked opponents with six regular season games remaining. The Buckeyes must rely on Kaleb Wesson to help them get in the tournament.
Illinois Fighting Illini (10-16, 6-9)
Despite struggling early on in the season, Illinois won four straight games before losing a close game to Wisconsin on Monday. Illinois will likely not see the March Madness unless they win the conference tournament. However, it’s a strong opportunity to get better as they have several young players leading the team.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-13, 5-10)
Rutgers lost a close game to Iowa last weekend and will have another tough contest against Michigan State tonight followed by Minnesota on Sunday.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-12, 5-11)
The losing skid continues for Nebraska after Penn State beat them by 24 points. The team continues to struggle on the road and looks lackluster on defense since losing Copeland Jr. for the season.
Indiana Hoosiers (13-13, 4-11)
Indiana has been a major disappointment this year after signing Romeo Langford. The remaining of the season will be tough for the Hoosiers as they face three more ranked opponents. They have also lost 11 or their last 12 games.
Northwestern Wildcats (12-13, 3-11)
The Wildcats are looking to end their losing streak as they have lost six straight games. The team will look forward to an easy schedule to close out the season.
Penn State Nittany Lions (10-16, 3-12)
Penn State has won three of its last five games after beating Nebraska in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions will look to end the season strong as they prepare to travel to Illinois on Saturday.
Matthew White is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism with a double minor in business and Spanish. To contact him, email mmw42@psu.edu.
