Big Ten Basketball November 28-29 Recaps, Previews, and Open Thread

Time for some championships.

All numbers via Torvik. All predictions not financial advice.

Yesterday's Games

Michigan State Spartans 74, North Carolina Tarheels 58

BoilerUp89: I expected Michigan State to win, but not that easily. Shooting 50% from three helped, but Sparty mostly got their points inside. Cooper, Fears, and Kohler all had good games.

Kind of...: I hadn't paid enough attention to UNC to really know what to expect, but KenPom suggested they may not be all that great and Sparty reinforced that. I'm not expecting 100 points for MSU, but it does appear they have enough scoring. Still not convinced they're more than a second weekend team, but it's still November and Tom Izzo is still the coach, so I'm not closing the door on anything.

Creighton Bluejays 76, Oregon Ducks 66

BoilerUp89: It's officially panic time in Eugene. You can't shoot 7% from three and expect to win.

Kind of...: Bittle didn't play (ankle), and Shelstad played poorly. Ducks are 4-3. If they go 7-4 in the non-conference (not beating Gonzaga, even if they borrow Michigan's uniforms), they'd need to go at least 11-9 to be in the at-large conversation. It's not as if the season is shot at this point. But the early returns suggest that there's a lot of work to be done. Next week is vs. USC and at UCLA. Neither of these teams looks unbeatable. No time like the present to start getting your house in order, Ducks.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 80, UNLV Running Rebels 65

BoilerUp89: Rutgers won a game! Emmanuel Ogbole had a career night (so far) with 21 points and 13 rebounds. The Scarlet Knights made the most of their 36 free throw attempts!

Kind of...: UNLV has beaten Memphis so...? Josh Pastner can't be feeling great.

Washington Huskies 83, Nevada Wolf Pack 66

BoilerUp89: Wesley Yates III and Zoom Diallo combined for 44 points in the win. Washington's 14 rebound advantage and 57% three point shooting made this a comfortable win.

Kind of...: Still no Steinbach (ankle). Right now Washington is #45 in KenPom. That puts them 12th in the B1G and basically right on the bubble. If the season ended today, I would feel great about the quality of my preseason picks. But it doesn't. And given that I thought Gonzaga would beat Michigan, I fully expect things to be wild in the coming months.

Wisconsin Badgers 104, Providence Friars 83

BoilerUp89: The biggest win of the day for Wisconsin came when TCU defeated Florida in the other game of the Rady Children's Invitational. Still, it was nice to see Nick Boyd have a career high 36 points for the Badgers. He also chipped in 7 rebounds and 7 assists to be a one-man wrecking crew. Blackwell, Rapp, and Winter were also in double figures for the Badgers.

Kind of...: Blackwell did not play all that well, and sleepwalked through the BYU game, so that bears some watching. Rapp was awful against BYU and looked assertive yesterday. Hopefully that can continue. No reason Wisconsin should take TCU lightly. They beat Florida and gave Michigan a game. Still, Badgers would be well-advised to win today.

Stanford Cardinal 72, Minnesota Golden Gophers 68

BoilerUp89: Minnesota shot much better than Stanford in this game, but because they gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Cardinal and turned the ball over 14 times, Stanford was able to pull off the close victory.

Kind of...: The Four Factors breakdown will look fun for this one. Basically Bo Ryan's rule #1: You want to make the shots you take. But if you're the team that takes more shots, that will give you the best chance of winning. (How do you take more shots? Box out and don't turn the ball over.)

Oklahoma State Cowboys 86, Northwestern Wildcats 81

BoilerUp89: This was a close game throughout, but a three minute scoring drought halfway thru the 2nd half allowed Oklahoma State to grab a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. The Detective had 28 points and 10 rebounds, but couldn't solve the mystery of why all the other Wildcats shot 2 of 18 from three.

Kind of...: THIS is pretty much what I expected of Northwestern. A really good Martinelli and everybody else replacement level to fine. If Northwestern wants to be more than a "pesky" team, they need Martinelli, Page, and Reid to be in sync. But, come to think of it, that was the case against DePaul and they barely won.

PerpetuallyAggrievedWildcat: The Detective took a long drag on his cigarette. Dealing with cattle rustlers was a new one on him, and what the Chief had warned him was coming true – it's tough to assemble a new crack team out of mostly gumshoes. The hotshot from Jeffersonville was taking shot after shot in the dark, the Kentucky Kid missed a pair of clues right in front of his eyes, and at one point those pesky 'pokes surrounded the full squad with a lasso and pulled it tight, making them all fall over, Scooby Doo-style. So much for those three minutes of shut-eye he tried to take at the station. The trail was going cold, and the Detective knew that if he wanted to avoid a trip to the Aviation Conference in March, he'd have to get these rookies up to speed.

Friday's Big Ten Games

#318 Eastern Illinois Panthers at #4 Purdue Boilermakers (AP 1, 6-0)

12 ET, BTN

BoilerUp89: This was the worst opponent Purdue scheduled this year.

Kind of...: Wonder if they offered EIU some sort of Black Friday deal to make the trip.

BoilerUp89: Maybe. Doesn't hurt that EIU is only a few hours away. Purdue has a basketball/football doubleheader and with tomorrow's volleyball match they made it a triple header for ticket sales. With the students away had to sell extra tickets somehow.

#9 Connecticut Huskies (5, 5-1) v. #5 Illinois Fighting Illini (13, 6-1)

Madison Square Garden
12:30 ET, FOX

BoilerUp89: A top ten matchup according to Torvik. Injuries to Braylon Mullins and Tarris Reed Jr. have left the Huskies vulnerable, but they both stand a chance of returning for this one and it will likely be a pro-UConn crowd in the Garden. This is an opportunity for Illinois to show they belong in the conversation with Purdue and Michigan.

Kind of...: Even if you're not the sort of fan who is "pro-B1G," you still should be anti-Danny Hurley, so let's all come together (yes, even you, Iowa fan) and hope the Illini can make a statement today. I fully expect some offensive thrills (on both sides) and an Illini victory. Let's go!

#47 Washington Huskies (5-1) v. #83 Colorado Buffaloes (6-0)

Acrisure Holiday Classic Championship Game
4:30 ET, truTV

BoilerUp89: Trophy opportunity and Washington needs to take care of business here.

Kind of...: I guessing Steinbach doesn't play and that he's not 100% if he does so I'm not loving Washington's chances. Especially given that Colorado handled San Francisco last night. (Rough night for the WCC with Santa Clara and San Francisco both losing statement games.)

#29 Wisconsin Badgers (5-1) v. #58 TCU Horned Frogs (4-2)

Rady Children's Invitational Championship Game
5:30 ET, FOX

BoilerUp89: Which TCU team is the real one? The one that took Michigan to the wire and beat Florida? Or the one that lost to New Orleans on opening night? It feels like the former, but Wisconsin finds themselves with a chance to collect a trophy.

Kind of...: As I noted above, you can't take TCU lightly. But Wisconsin is the better team and should win. You can't explain away a 28 point loss to BYU, but the Cougars 1) are really good, 2) have more returning talent, and 3) have AJ Dybantsa. Hopefully Wisconsin burned the tape and are looking forward. Last night was a good sign. Tonight can be a better one. Plus John Blackwell is due a good game. Do it, Badgers.

#20 THE Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) at #100 Pittsburgh Panthers (4-3)

7 ET, ESPN2

BoilerUp89: This is easily the most important road game for the Buckeyes this weekend. OSU has been a lot better than Pitt this season, but Pitt came into Columbus last year and upset OSU. Some people are saying that Pitt may be in the heads of OSU.

Kind of...: More to lose than to gain for Ohio State, but a win would not be empty calories. Pitt lost to, um, Quinnipiac, last time out. Don't take this lightly, Buckeyes.

#55 Santa Clara Broncos (6-1) v. #88 Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-3)

Acrisure Invitational - Consolation Game
9:30 ET, truTV

BoilerUp89: Santa Clara's lone loss came yesterday to a tough St. Louis squad by 1 point. There's a decent chance the best two teams in this event played in that game.

Kind of...: Yep. I think Santa Clara is clearly the favorite here. Not a huge favorite, but this isn't a tossup, either. Patience, Gopher fans. Medved can coach.

Friday's Non-Big Ten Games of Interest

Battle 4 Atlantis Placement Games

#65 Virginia Tech Hokies (6-1) v. #57 VCU Rams (4-3), 3rd Place Game, 10:30 AM ET, ESPN2
#26 Saint Mary's Gaels (8-0) v. #17 Vanderbilt Commodores (7-0), Championship, 1 ET, ESPN2
#82 Colorado State Rams (5-2) v. #66 South Florida Bulls (4-3), 5th Place Game, 4:30 ET, ESPNU
#105 Wichita State Shockers (4-3) v. #134 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4-2), 7th Place Game, 7 ET, ESPNU

BoilerUp89: Real interesting championship and 3rd place games. I'm particularly interested in the in-state matchup between VTech and VCU.

Kind of...: Got the title game most were hoping for. And even if VT/VCU doesn't excite you the way it does BoilerUp89 and me, it's still on at 10:30 am? What else are you gonna be doing?

ESPN Events Imagination Bracket Placement Games

#114 Richmond Spiders (5-1) v. #196 Charlotte 49ers (3-4), Consolation Game, 12:30 ET, ESPN+
#163 Furman Paladins (4-3) v. #95 Illinois State Redbirds (5-2), Championship, 3 ET, ESPN2

Kind of...: An Illinois State title isn't nothing in terms of the MVC, but this is the equivalent of watching people push chips around a table in a poker tournament for a couple of hours with no big hands.

ESPN Events Magic Bracket Placement Games

#42 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (5-2) v. #79 Georgetown Hoyas (5-1), Consolation Games, 7 ET, ESPN
#16 BYU Cougars (5-1) v. #77 Dayton Flyers (6-1), Championship, 9:30 ET, ESPN

BoilerUp89: Dayton nearly blew their game against Georgetown but collected a Big East scalp. I don't think they can defeat BYU without an inspired performance, but if they do it will be a major feather in their cap.

Kind of...: Agreed. More interested in Miami/Georgetown. Haven't been paying attention to the post-Larranaga Hurricanes, but a #42 rating tells me the portal treated them well. Checks roster: Malik Reneau...right. Tre Donaldson..yeah, that happened. Hard to see both of these teams making the tournament. Pretty important game for November. Go Ed Cooley!

Acrisure Invitational Championship Game

#96 Stanford Cardinal (5-1) v. #59 Saint Louis Billikens (6-0), 7 ET, truTV

BoilerUp89: Huge game for Saint Louis and the A10's at large hopes. Can't afford a let down here.

Kind of...: I noted above that the WCC took a hit with San Francisco and Santa Clara losing last night. This is a big day for the A-10. Saint Louis should win. VCU/Virginia Tech is an opportunity (the Rams has three losses, but all good quality), and Dayton has a game that won't be held against them if they lose. Still feeling like a two-bid league at best.

Acrisure Holiday Classic Consolation Game

#63 San Francisco Dons (5-2) v. #125 Nevada Wolf Pack (4-3), 2 ET, truTV

Kind of...: Really think the Dons only pat to at at-large bid is somehow winning the regular-season title (or, at least, sweeping Gonzaga and finishing second). This would be their best win of the season. Still have Mississippi State and Saint Louis in December, but both the losses (Memphis and Colorado) were missed opportunities against marginal NCAA teams.

Rady Children's Invitational Consolation Game

#78 Providence Friars (4-3) v. #13 Florida Gators (4-2), 3 ET, FOX

BoilerUp89: Really didn't expect Florida to be in the consolation game, but credit to TCU for making it so.

Kind of...: I'll bet Providence thought that if they had to play Florida, at least it meant they beat Wisconsin. Oof, Friars. Oof.

Emerald Coast Classic

#94 Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (5-3) v. #92 DePaul Blue Demons (4-2), 7 ET, CBSSN
#52 LSU Tigers (5-0) v. #145 Drake Bulldogs (4-2), 9:30 ET, CBSSN

Kind of...: In the 80's, this would have been a marquee event (Drake even had future NBA double-digit scorer Lewis Lloyd in the 80s). Today, well, somebody make sure to drop in the comments if you see an NCAA-quality team here. Fine, jury is still out on LSU. Maybe I'll tune in at 9:30 if I remember.

Bad Boy Mowers Series - Chicago

#43 Oklahoma Sooners (4-2) v. #71 Marquette Golden Eagles (4-3), 2 ET, NBC

Kind of...: Who's a bad boy? Well, Marquette looks like a bad team. And Oklahoma has lost to the only two teams they've played with a pulse. After today, one of these teams is in deep trouble.

Other

#45 SMU Mustangs (7-0) at #74 Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-3), 7 ET, SECN+

Kind of...: SMU has a win over Butler. In recent years the middle of the pack in the ACC has been a crap shoot. Mayyyyybe Andy Enfield has something brewing? Chris Jans is in his fourth year at Mississippi State. In his first three, he's won 21 games each time, gone 8-10 in the SEC each time, and dropped their NCAA game each time. Consistency!

Saturday's Big Ten Games

#202 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (2-5) at #22 Indiana Hoosiers (25, 6-0)

12 ET, BTN

Kind of...: Oh god, we're doing Saturday too??? Whatever, enjoy the buy game Hoosiers.

BoilerUp89: Last time of the year.

#323 South Carolina Upstate Spartans (4-4) at #38 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-0)

2 ET, B1G+

Kind of...: Enjoy the buy game Huskers. NATION'S LONGEST WINNING STREAK!!!

#245 Sacred Heart Pioneers at #99 Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1)

6 ET, Peacock

Kind of...: Enjoy the buy game, Nits.

Saturday's Non-Big Ten Games of Interest

Emerald Coast Classic Placement Games

TBD v. TBD, Consolation Game, 4 ET, TBD
TBD v. TBD, Championship Game, 7 ET, TBD

Kind of...: I predicted TBD to go 2-2.

ASUN/SoCon Challenge

#329 Central Arkansas Bears (3-4) at #158 East Tennessee State Mocs (5-1), 4 ET, ESPN+

Kind of...: NO. NO NO NO. This is the limit. This game should not be in here. What is the "of Interest"? Is Scottie Pippen going to be at the game with some big announcement? Would THAT even be "of interest"? Stop it BoilerUp89. It's time to rein things in.

BoilerUp89: I care less about this particular game and more about the overall ASUN/SoCon challenge. Central Arkansas is not worth watching.

Other

#150 James Madison Dukes (5-3) at #75 George Mason Patriots (7-0), 2 ET, ESPN+
#142 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (5-1) at #186 UT Arlington Mavericks (5-2), 3 ET, ESPN+

Kind of...: George Mason probably isn't at-large quality. But especially not if they lose this one.

BoilerUp89: With Feast Week drawing to a close expect to see less non-B1G games moving forward.

Kind of...: Praise the lord! (BUT I'M ALWAYS HERE FOR A-10, WCC, MVC COMMENTARY!)