Big Ten Basketball - February 22

Yesterday

Duke Blue Devils 68, Michigan Wolverines 63

MaximumSam: A meteor didn't hit, but we did see what happens when Michigan guards face some stiff defense. Cadeau and Burnett combined to go 1-9 from three, while Gayle and McKenney combined for four points off the bench. Still, they had a chance to win against a great team, and they probably won the conference with Illinois losing. Great.

Kind of...: I've thought all year that the "all-time great" talk was a bit much. (If you pay attention to the numbers, we're just getting a lot more outlying numbers. It's the times/macro-level changes.) Michigan has a decided advantage against most teams, but their erratic guard play means that several teams can realistically feel like they're at Michigan's level. Duke is clearly one of those teams. Last night didn't really decide anything. Both will be 1-seeds and they very well might match up again. Just know that since the Fab Five arrived on the scene and Duke/Michigan became an "event," the Wolverines are 4-16 against the Blue Devils.

That said, the loss isn't the end of the world for Michigan. Might be hard to believe, but there have been fewer 1-loss champions (6) than undefeated champions (7). And we've had an undefeated champion (1976) more recently than a 1-loss champions (1974). The pressure you didn't know you had is officially off, Michigan.

HoustonBoiler: We've had an 11-loss champion (1988) more recently.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 87, Penn State Nittany Lions 64

Kind of...: Nebraska doing what a good basketball team is supposed to do.

Somewhere in the nosebleeds, a crusty, older Nebraska fan was heard to mutter: "McCloskey was out of bounds."

UCLA Bruins 95, Illinois Fighting Illini 94 (OT)

Kind of...: No comment from Hawkeye Paul about whether any dipshit UCLA fan shoved a cell phone in Underwood's face.

Anyway, as @Thumpasaurus has made clear, Illinois is a maddening team to cheer for. Been a while since Illinois blew a 23-point lead, but damn did they look unbeatable building it.

90% of it is probably just a function of being a three-dependent team (as a Wisconsin fan, I am intimately aware of this). Both teams take more threes than twos (along with Indiana and Nebraska...variance much?), so there will be periods of world dominance at times mixed with completed ineptness.

So, yeah, it's easy to think Illinois could crap out in the second round, or go on a heater and win it all. But, honestly, right now they feel to me a lot like the '24 team. A 2/3 seed who can probably beat a defensive-minded 2/3 seed in the Sweet 16 then get taken apart by the 1-seed. But, you never know. Sometimes a bracket blows up.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 80, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 61

Kind of...: As we've documented. Rutgers is 4-0 against the dregs of the conference, and winless against everybody else.

Just gonna note that UCLA heads to Williams Arena nest Saturday. We know how that game is supposed to go...

Maryland Terrapins 64, Washington Huskies 60

Kind of...: Washington realized that the window had close on the ability of their analytics to hold any promise for future results and has basically turtled up. They beat Ohio State on Jan. 11. Since then none of three wins move the needle at all. They're just not that good. (But I'm still terrified of Wisconsin's visit to the Pacific Northwest later this week.)

Oregon Ducks 71, USC Trojans 70

MaximumSam: I mentioned this in the comments last night. Cronin and Musselman had the reputation of being assholes when they joined the conference. Cronin has lived up to the billing. Where the hell is Musselman? Did he just give up?

Kind of...: I mean, when you take your shirt off and run around like a dipshit, it just gets noticed less in LA. Plus, he's just had less occasion to so given USC's performance this year. If anything, he might want to add a few layers given the increasing odds of him being sent to Siberia.

Today

#36 Ohio State Buckeyes (9-6) at #15 Michigan State Spartans (11-4)

1 pm, CBS

MaximumSam: Once more into the breach. Bracketology currently has the Buckeyes IN as an 11 seed. They have a pretty tough finish, so all wins matter now. Sparty is in a logjam for second place with Illinois, Nebraska, and Purdue, so keeping afloat for the triple bye matters for them, too.

Kind of...: UCLA's win didn't do Ohio State any favors. But USC's loss helped. Closing stretch: @MSU, @Iowa, vs. Purdue, @Penn State, vs. Indiana. Feels like 3-2 is needed to be on the right side of bubble heading into the BTT.

#24 Iowa Hawkeyes (9-6) at #28 Wisconsin Badgers (10-5)

4 pm, FS1

Kind of...: I hate this. Iowa is disciplined and patient. But I'm handing my hat on the fact that Iowa lost to Maryland on the road and has seemed to regress a bit since the win in Bloomington (their only quality road win of the year). Whoever wins is likelier to get off the 8-9 seed line. Both could be pesky outs in the NCAA, but so could a lot of teams.

HoustonBoiler: Iowa takes on Team Chaos this afternoon as wisconsin is capable of beating the top teams but also losing to the mushy-middle teams. Iowa is not one of the top teams, but they are solid as @Kindof... has mentioned. We will see whether the goodgers or badgers show up.