Big Ten Basketball November 21-22 Recaps, Previews, and Open Thread

More daytime basketball today!

All numbers via Torvik. All predictions not financial advice.

Last Night's Games

Purdue Boilermakers 80, Memphis Tigers 71

MaximumSam: Not the most beautiful game Purdue ever played, but a win is a win and they are in the Bahamas so they can go to the beach after. Braden Smith scored just five, but the other starters all hit double figures and they locked down Memphis down the stretch.

Kind of...: I was late tuning in, basically right when Aaron Bradshaw decided to launch his improv career. All I saw was a succession of Memphis bricks, causing me confusion as to why this was ever close. Take the win Purdue, and Texas Tech awaits.

HoustonBoiler: While I thought they could, it's nice to know that Purdue can win a rock fight type of game. These games tend to happen at times during a season.

BoilerUp89: Smith was 2 of 15, multiple Boilermakers were in foul trouble, and they played this game in a ballroom. Take the win.

Indiana Hoosiers 73, Lindenwood Lions 53

Kind of:...: Never in doubt, yet not as convincing a performance as might have been expected.

BoilerUp89: Indiana jumped out to a big lead in the first half so I don't want to read too much into this game, but Indiana appears to have rebounding issues.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 84, New Mexico Lobos 72

MaximumSam: How 'bout them Huskers! Nebraska led wire to wire and were up 20 in the first half.

Kind of...: A pretty chippy game. Nebraska's offense had a rough night, but an 81 possession game tends to inflate the counting stats. Nonetheless, the NATION'S LONGEST WINNING STREAK endures for at least another day.

Iowa Hawkeyes 93, Chicago State Cougars 54

Kind of...: This is what is supposed to happen when you play Chicago State. Next Tuesday vs. Mississippi should be a real test.

THE Ohio State Buckeyes 91, Western Michigan Broncos 58

MaximumSam: Buckeyes were up 30 in the first half. Take that western part of Michigan!

Kind of...: The one point escape of Notre Dame may be coloring things, but I feel like OSU is the B1G team I have the worst grasp of.

BoilerUp89: Here's a hint. Western Michigan is awful. One of the things the countdown at the end of the season has done is taught me which programs in mid and low major conferences are trying. Western Michigan is not trying.

USC Trojans 107, Troy Trojans 106 (3OT)

BoilerUp89: The most devastating loss by a Troy since the events of the Iliad. Mid-major fans (myself included) are in absolute shambles after watching that ending.

Kind of...: Sorry to be a grump, but Troy can only blame themselves. Didn't deserve to lose, but didn't finish the job, either.

HoustonBoiler: I didn't stay up to watch, but I did see the video clip of the finish this morning. Troy managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Friday's Big Ten Games

#28 Wisconsin Badgers (23, 4-0) v. #15 BYU Cougars (9, 3-1)

Bad Boy Mowers Series - Salt Lake City
4 ET, Peacock

MaximumSam: It does strike me as unlikely that Bad Boy Mowers became a thing. As a middle aged father of three, I am sometimes in the market for a mower. But I can't imagine myself going to the hardware store and telling the clerk "I would really like to ride a Bad Boy." Just isn't happening.

Kind of...: Only slightly more unlikely than the top prep recruit deciding to play at BYU, huh? Should be a good game. BYU made things close a the end vs. UConn, but losing by 6 in Boston still would've been a good showing. Wisconsin looks good but is untested. The Badger front line isn't very bulks, so will be interesting to see how Winter, Rapp, and Rohde hold up, given the limited depth. Two of the top ten offenses in the country according to KenPom. Let's hope that's how it plays out.

#27 Virginia Cavaliers (4-0) v. #54 Northwestern Wildcats (4-0)

Greenbrier Tip-Off - Mountain Division
5 ET, CBSSN

MaximumSam: When you think high class luxury, and also think of West Virginia, you naturally think of the Greenbrier Resort. They require men to wear a jacket after 7 pm, and I'm sure Martinelli is staring at a 30 year old moth eaten peacoat that smells of Lucky Strikes and Malort. If they want high class, he would give them high class.

Kind of...: Coupla nerd schools playing at a fancy resort, huh? DESSERT FORKS ARE FOR THE SECOND HALF!!!

Should be a good game, though. Will probably gravitate over for second half after the Badgers/Cougars

#308 Detroit Mercy Titans (1-4) at #18 Michigan State Spartans (4-0)

6:30 ET, BTN

Kind of...: Can the editor have ChatGPT draft a slightly less obvious joke about Michigan State being a huge favorite and Detroit having "Mercy" as part of their name?

HoustonBoiler: After seeing what they did to Kentucky, perhaps Sparty will show a little mercy.

BoilerUp89: If history tells us anything, Sparta did not show mercy.

#311 Central Connecticut Blue Devils (2-2) at #101 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-0)

6:30 ET, B1G+

Kind of...: While you're at it, can you have it also do something RE: BLUE Devils vs. SCARLET Knights?

#34 Texas Tech Red Raiders (15, 4-1) v. #10 Purdue Boilermakers (1, 5-0)

Baha Mar - Championship Game
9:30 ET, CBSSN

Kind of...: JT Toppin is one of my favorite players, and Grant McCasland is a pretty impressive coach. But Purdue probably isn't going to play that poorly again, just seems to be a clearly better team this year. Game deserves better than CBSSN.

HoustonBoiler: Purdue needs to do a better job of maintaining their composure and switch on assassin mode.

#72 Kansas State Wildcats v. #37 Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-0)

Hall of Fame Classic - Championship Game
9:30 ET, Peacock

Kind of...: Huskers will get a real challenge here. Should be a good game. Feel free to put directions on accessing Peacock in the comments below.

#269 Presbyterian Blue Hose (3-4) at #19 UCLA Bruins (19, 4-1)

Empire Classic - Campus Game
10:30 ET, BTN

Kind of...: Ah, yes, the Empire "Classic." With Wisconsin/BYU tipping off at 4:00, gotta say that I might not make it through this whole game. Either end it early Bruins, of actually lose. I don't want to watch a 15-point win that's a one possession game with 10:00 to play.

Friday's Non-Big Ten Games of Interest

TBD

Saturday's Big Ten Games

#240 Long Island University Sharks (3-2) at #3 Illinois Fighting Illini (8, 4-1)

2 ET, B1G+

Kind of...: Pretty obvious the TV execs know that CFB butters the break in the fall.

#73 Providence Friars (3-2) v. #95 Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)

Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase
4 ET, truTV

Kind of...: Getting warmer. Obviously truTV doesn't have their own CFB package.

#63 San Francisco Dons (4-1) at #79 Minnesota Gophers (4-1)

5:30 ET, Peacock

Kind of...: This IS intriguing. Gopher started strong but have had a couple of close calls against inferior competition. San Francisco is just a solid team. Important for their at-large profile. This is worth a watch!

Saturday's Non-Big Ten Games of Interest

TBD