Purdue tries to avoid 0-3 while playing a team probably slightly better than Valpo. Indiana and Minnesota get a taste of power conference basketball.
Big Ten Recaps
Pittsburgh Panthers 82, Penn State Nittany Lions 76
MaximumSam: Penn State was competitive at least. 16 turnovers and 26 fouls made for an unpleasurable viewing experience. I'm sure things can only go up from here.
Southern Cal Trojans 93, Wichita State Shockers 86
MaximumSam: Big Ten After Dark was pretty fun. USC was carried by Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice, who went for 30 and 32. Rice also dished 9 assists and looks back to his All-American form from last season.
BoilerUp89: When I repeatedly said that USC had plenty of talent this offseason this is what I meant. Multiple guys that took over a game.
Monday Big Ten Previews
#244 Marshall Thundering Herd (1-1) at #24 The Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1)
6 ET, BTN
MaximumSam: I know Boiler likes instate scheduling. However, if you are from the hills of southern Ohio, Marshall is basically in the state, certainly more than Cleveland is. The Buckeyes had better guard wing Bryce Slay, who has been torching the nets for the Herd.
BoilerUp89: I did actually appreciate this game being on the schedule.
#70 Syracuse Orange (2-0) v. #25 Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
Indianapolis, Bad Boy Mowers Series, 6:30 ET, FS1
BoilerUp89: Indiana challenge - play big games at non-neutral sites. Challenge failed. Syracuse is much better coached this year than last and will take care of the ball and crash the glass with attempting to keep opponents out of the paint. They aren't as talented as the Hoosiers though and while this might officially be a neutral site game, IU will have the fan support.
glass: Fortunately for the Hoosiers I think Gerry McNamara has moved on from the 2-3 zone. https://youtu.be/sWpS5EBcmIw?si=rku-bdNr_3ZIPaOA
#74 Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0) at #32 Cincinnati Bearcats (2-0)
7 ET, ESPN+
BoilerUp89: I was originally going to go to this game. Due to decisions made by others I no longer have a free evening and will be forced to do less entertaining things. The Bearcats defense has been pretty good this year and have done a good job of generating turnovers. Oh - Myles Colvin became a Bearcat? Now, I'm really upset that I can't attend.
#281 Boston Terriers (2-0) at #76 Northwestern Wildcats (2-0)
8 ET, BTN
MaximumSam: Cats had better look out for Michelangelo Oberti, who will literally paint the ceiling with his shots.
MNW: RIP to the St. Francis (Brooklyn) Terriers, now that I think about it. (And shout-out to the Wofford Terriers. What other non-husky, non-bulldog dog breed teams are there? SIU Salukis is what I got for ya.)
Anywho, Northwestern continues its apparent non-con strategy of "only East Coast tomato cans": outside the P5 games of DePaul (home) and four neutral-site games against VaTech, Dayton, BYU, and Okie Lite, the 'Cats play...
- Binghamton (W)
- Stony Brook (W)
- Boston
- Columbia
- Northeastern
- Mercyhurst
- Chicago State
That's seven tomato cans: four from New York state, two from Boston proper, one from Chicago. Bizarre.
Should be a short bench/depth night for the 'Cats again, unless Jack Karasinski's back. That didn't bite them against Stony Brook, but it really feels like playing with fire, even against lesser opponents.
#107 Illinois State Redbirds (1-1) at #42 Purdue Boilermakers (0-2)
8:30 ET, FS1
BoilerUp89: Purdue currently has the 342nd best three point shooting team in the country. Also known as the 24th worst. The Redbirds are shooting 48.1% from three so far on the season (Division I games only). However, little old Purdue has a chance. Illinois State is turnover prone and Purdue should have an advantage on the glass. The Redbirds have lost to Saint Mary's (OT) and beaten something called Central State.
glass: Illinois St is a top 100 team, so I was worried about this game BEFORE I Purdue shit the bed against Valparaiso.
#364 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (0-1) at #81 Washington Huskies (1-0)
10 ET, BTN
BoilerUp89: Go Delta Devils! Team #365 out of 365. Pull the upset.
Other Games of Note
I'm sure glassjawed will have something, but this is an uninspiring slate.
#104 Charlotte 49ers (2-0) vs #73 Seton Hall Pirates (2-0) 9 EST, ESPN+ at the Palestra in Philadelphia
Neither school has looked anywhere close to belonging on the bubble but it is mostly slim pickings tonight.
Sickos Special:
#329 South Carolina St Bulldogs (1-0!) at #337 Chicago St Cougars (1-1!) 7pm ET, NEC Front Row
glass: Notable because it is almost unthinkable that two programs that are historically as bad as these two have almost always been are meeting with a combined winning record against D1 opponents at any point during the season.
