Big Ten Conference 2008-09 Preview
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

The formula of recent years in the Big Ten has been as follows:
Step One: Start with two very good, potentially elite teams.
Step Two: Add another couple tournament-ready teams to the mix.
Step Three: Blend in a few average, borderline tourney-bound squads.
Step Four: Throw away the rest.
Let’s see how the [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

It’s Big Ten Tournament time. Let the games begin.
First Round
Game 1: No. 8 Iowa (13-18, 6-12) vs. No. 9 Michigan (9-21, 5-13)
Season series: Tied 1-1
Analysis: Both teams won on the opposing team’s home court, a rarity in this conference, especially when you consider Iowa beat both Michigan State and [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

At this point in the Big Ten season, only four teams remain in contention for the league title. We expected Indiana and Michigan State to be there, and it’s no surprise to see Wisconsin in the running, but Purdue is a stunner. Let’s handicap each team’s chances.
Wisconsin Badgers (23-4, [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Now the season begins. At the midpoint of the conference season, we can begin to see the eventual shape of the league, which teams have postseason life, and the players to keep an eye on down the stretch.
With that, a look at my mid-season report.
Barely Breathing
11. Northwestern (7-12 overall, [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

We’re two weeks into the Big Ten season, and there are some things I can definitively say now, and things I soon expect to say in the future.
These I know, beyond a doubt
Eric Gordon is the best player in the league. Period. He has unlimited range on his jumper, [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

It’s tough to win on the road in the Big Ten. It was tough, last year. But in the first week of the 2008 conference season, road teams went 5-4, and Penn State nabbed wins at both Illinois and Northwestern. PSU had two conference wins all of last season. [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

We’re a month into the season, and things are beginning to shape up in the Big Ten. Let’s take a look at the expected, unexpected, and peculiar aspects of each team’s early resume.
Indiana Hoosiers (8-1)
What we knew: Eric Gordon is the real deal. He’s averaging over 24 points per [...]

Big Ten Conference 2007-08 Preview
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Big Ten, we hardly knew ye. Gone are last season’s leading scorer, rebounder, assist man and shot blocker. Gone are Greg Oden’s husky beard, Adam Haluska’s sweaty brow, Alando Tucker’s ugly free throw form and Mike Conley, Jr.’s flawless game management. Gone are Steve Alford, Tommy Amaker and [...]

Big Ten Conference Season Recap
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Regular Season Recap
As expected, the Big Ten was (ugh!) down again this season, housing two of the best teams in the country, a handful of very average squads, and more than its share of forgettable rosters. The result: a conference season littered with ugly basketball, one deep tournament [...]

Big Ten Conference NCAA Tournament Outlook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Since you’ve been devoid of any bracket analysis over the last couple days, I’m here to provide some. You can count on me when the rambling television heads get too annoying or when another one picks all four No. 1 seeds to make the Final Four. I’m [...]

Big Ten Conference Tournament Preview
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

No long-winded introduction needed: here’s how the Big Ten Tournament will play out.
First Round
Simply put, these games aren’t worthy of thorough analysis. None of the low seeds – Minnesota, Northwestern or Penn State – have a chance.
Michigan badly needs a win and is on the more talented side [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Locked up
It’s good to be an Ohio State fan these days. The Buckeye football squad handled nemesis Michigan (a decent consolation prize for a team overrun in the national title game), the women’s basketball team sewed up a Big Ten title, and on Sunday, the men followed suit.
In a [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

The Stage is Set
Ohio State circled the date back on January 9. On February 25, the Buckeyes would have their chance to avenge that January loss to Wisconsin. Not only can OSU avenge the loss, but a win Saturday (assuming they take care of business against Penn State Wednesday) [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

The Big Ten in Numbers
With the conference season more than half over, and the column styles a little tired, we take a look at the current happenings in the Big Ten not through words, but numbers.
1: Loss, to Ohio State, in fifteen home games for Purdue this season. [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

With the first half of the Big Ten season coming to a close, and in honor of Hollywood’s awards season, it’s time to hand out some mid-year prizes. I present to you, the Tennies. Work with me people.
Best Visual Effects: Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker is usually good for a highlight [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Two weeks into the Big Ten season, the conference theme is clear and familiar: it’s difficult to win on the road. Through two weeks, home teams are 15-4, with lowly Northwestern accounting for two of the four home losses. Even the Wildcats are pesky; ask Wisconsin. Protecting the home [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

What, you thought the Big Ten picture would be framed by now? The paint isn’t even drying yet.
A couple of finishing touches have been made, though, namely Wisconsin and Ohio State finishing in the top two conference spots. The rest of the ingredients are still mixing. The Badgers dominated [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Test #2: Aced.
Alando Tucker, welcome to the top of the national player of the year race. Tucker turned in his most dominating performance of the season as Wisconsin cleared its second consecutive Saturday hurdle, downing previously unbeaten Pittsburgh 89-75. Tucker paced the Badgers with 32 points and 10 rebounds [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

It’s only one month into the season, but the Big Ten picture is starting to clear up. Hopes of a successful season with a new coach, new batch of players or new attitude have been both realized and slashed. For some, the preseason hype has been accurate. And a [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Player of the Week: Adam Haluska, Iowa (21 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg)
Big Ten Licks Wounds… Again
“Wait until next year” has forever been the theme for the Big Ten in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and the conference may want to switch slogans. The Big Ten was run over by [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

The Big Ten enjoyed familiar non-conference success last week, preying mostly on out-matched opponents just happy to be playing on a major conference court. The conference posted an overall record of 20-5, and no team had a losing record for the week.
Illinois led the charge, posting a 4-0 mark, [...]

Big Ten Conference 2006-07 Preview
by Nils Hoeger-Lerdal

Every year, it seems, the pundits label the Big Ten as “down.” Midwesterners (and the dozens of Penn State fans) are used to hearing it around the first freeze of the year. But every year, five or six teams get dance invitations, and the conference usually does very [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by James Dowd

Illinois (8-0)
After losing a great deal of talent to the NBA after last season’s run to the Championship game, everyone wondered if the Illini could keep pace with the top of the Big Ten this season. Eight games into the season, they have quieted critics with a road win [...]

Big Ten Conference 2005-06 Preview
by James V. Dowd

Just as its football coaches talked about how the Big Ten doesn’t earn the respect that it is due in their sport, many of the Big Ten basketball programs don’t feel the conference gets the respect it deserves after putting two teams in the Final Four for [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by John Sahly

It’s less than one week until Selection Sunday, and a weird Sunday in college basketball came to an end with a few top teams losing, none more noticeable than No. 1 Illinois.

Illini finally lose

After a remarkable run, the nation’s No. 1 team finally went down at the hands of [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by John Sahly

This week in the Big 10 provided fans with one of the more newsworthy weeks in recent memory. There were some great games, off the court trouble and still a few unanswered questions going into this week.
Illini keep on rolling
It’s a new week, but the same old story for [...]

Big Ten Conference Notebook
by John Sahly

Conference play is under way in the Big 10. The nation’s No. 1 team, Illinois, is already looking to establish dominance among the contenders, with Michigan, No. 12 Michigan State and Wisconsin all looking to make moves this week.

Badgers pass first test

Wisconsin Badgers fans must like shopping at Kohl’s. [...]